A 36-year-old member asked:
what is a rib hump?
2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in

Dr. Shaun Machen answered
Orthopedic Surgery 29 years experience
Thoracic prominence: When a person has scoliosis, or curvature of the spine, the spine can rotate as well as curve. The rotation of the spine causes the ribs on one side of the back to elevate resulting in a prominence or rib hump. Most of the hope will resolve if the person undergoes posterior spinal fusion to correct and fuse the deformed area of the spine.
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Dr. Keith Baldwin answered
Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery 15 years experience
Sign of scoliosis: Scoliosis is thought of as a lateral curvature of the spine, however it is actually more of a rotation of the spine. The rotation of the spine causes the ribs to stick out on one side. Hence a rib hump. As the scoliosis worsens typically so does the rib hump.
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Last updated Mar 21, 2020
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