The objective of this study was to determine the clinical and radiological characteristics of patients who demonstrated kyphosis at the cervical alignment, which usually appears as an inherent lordotic curve on radiolographs in normal subjects. Forty-four patients with cervical lordosis (L-group), 18 patients with cervical straight alignment (S group), and 15 patients with cervical kyphsis (K group) were compared based on their sex, age, weight, symptoms, and clinical or radiological findings. The K group had younger female with more low back-back pain. The S or K group displayed higher positive rates in clinical tests that were helpful for the diagnosis of thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS). In the radiographs of the S or K group, cervical lateral X-Ps in the neutral position revealed the middle to inferior margin of the T1 vertebrae (as mode or median value) at the lowest level. In addition, the total spinal X-Ps demonstrated scoliosis or flat back spine in the K group. From the present results, cervical kyphotic alignment might display various symptoms and one radiological phenomenon of complicated pathogenesis related to faulty posture or TOS.
