Richard Wasn't a hunchback, 3D Model of His Spine Reveals Scoliosis

Richard III had a twisted spine, but he was no "bunch-back'd toad" as described by Shakespeare, a new study suggests.

University of Leicester scientists created a 3D model of the last Plantagenet King of England and their analysis of the bones showed that Richard III suffered from a medical condition called Scoliosis. People with this condition have spine with a sideways curvature. The king's spine was slightly curved to the right and had some twisting, which resulted in a "spiral" shape.

Richard III was found buried under a parking lot in 2012. His remains have helped researchers study his deformity.

Researchers used computed tomography (CT) to analyze his spine. The team then constructed a replica of each vertebra using a 3D printer. The bones were then assembled to get a complete spine of the king.

The polymer spine was then photographed from several angles. The images were then stitched together to create an interactive 3D model of the spine.

Analysis of the spine revealed that Richard III had a twisted spine. However, it wasn't as bad as Shakespeare would have us believe.

"Although the scoliosis looks dramatic, it probably did not cause a major physical deformity. This is because he had a well-balanced curve. The condition would have meant that his trunk was short in comparison to the length of his limbs, and his right shoulder would have been slightly higher than the left, but this could have been disguised by custom-made armour and by having a good tailor," said Dr Jo Appleby of the University's School of Archaeology and Ancient History, who is the lead author of the study.

"A curve of 65-85 would not have prevented Richard from being an active individual, and there is no evidence that Richard had a limp as his curve was well-balanced and his leg bones were normal and symmetric," Appleby added in a news release.

The study is published in the journal The Lancet.                              

Skeletal remains reveal a lot of information about ancient times. Previously, other researchers found evidence of tuberculosis lurking in Europe as early as 7000 years ago in bones of Tisza culture population. Another team of researchers pieced together the life of an ancient Mixtec woman, who had genetic diseases. Bones have also studied to explore cancers in Neanderthals.