▁is ▁better ▁character ized ▁for ▁the ▁thor ac ic ▁sp ine ▁than ▁for ▁the ▁lum bar ▁sp ine . ▁ ▁The ▁sevent h ▁and ▁t enth ▁thor ac ic ▁verte bra e ▁are ▁most ▁commonly ▁affected . ▁ ▁It ▁causes ▁back ache ▁and ▁sp inal ▁curv ature . ▁In ▁very ▁serious ▁cases ▁it ▁may ▁cause ▁internal ▁problems ▁and ▁sp inal ▁cord ▁damage , ▁but ▁these ▁cases ▁are ▁extremely ▁rare . ▁The ▁curv ature ▁of ▁the ▁back ▁decre ases ▁height , ▁thus ▁putting ▁pressure ▁on ▁internal ▁org ans , ▁we aring ▁them ▁out ▁more ▁quickly ▁than ▁the ▁natural ▁ag ing ▁process ; ▁surg ical ▁procedures ▁are ▁almost ▁always ▁recommended ▁in ▁this ▁case . ▁ ▁Associ ated ▁conditions ▁Many ▁with ▁Sch eu ermann ' s ▁disease ▁often ▁have ▁an ▁excess ive ▁lord otic ▁curve ▁in ▁the ▁lum bar ▁sp ine ; ▁this ▁is ▁the ▁body ' s ▁natural ▁way ▁to ▁compens ate ▁for ▁the ▁k y ph otic ▁curve ▁above . ▁Many ▁with ▁Sch eu ermann ' s ▁disease ▁have ▁very ▁large ▁lung ▁capac ities ▁and ▁males ▁often ▁have ▁broad , ▁bar rel ▁ch ests . ▁Most ▁people ▁have ▁forced ▁vital ▁capacity ▁( F VC ) ▁scores ▁above ▁average . ▁It ▁has ▁been ▁proposed ▁that ▁this ▁is ▁the ▁body ' s ▁natural ▁way ▁to ▁compens ate ▁for ▁a ▁loss ▁of ▁breath ing ▁depth . ▁ ▁O ften ▁patients ▁have ▁tight ▁ham strings , ▁which , ▁again , ▁is ▁related ▁to ▁the ▁body ▁compens ating ▁for ▁excess ive ▁sp inal ▁curv ature , ▁though ▁this ▁is