The primary symptom of camptocormia is abnormal forward bending of the torso. This bending becomes worse while walking but does not appear when the affected individual is lying down in a horizontal position. This alleviation of the condition indicates that it is a manifestation of another disease or ailment and is not due to a spine that is actually bent. This is somewhat ironic, since the medically accepted name for the condition is bent spine syndrome.

In an afflicted individual, the abnormal bending consists of an anterior flexion greater than 45 degrees. Because of this bending and the physical limitations caused by the conditions associated with the disease, it is usually impossible for an afflicted person to achieve a fully erect position. In addition, patients suffering from camptocormia often experience low back pain as a result of the condition. BSS often appears in individuals afflicted with Parkinson’s disease, muscular dystrophies, endocrine disorders, inflammatory conditions (myositis), or mitochondrial myopathies. As previously mentioned, the disease is more common in older individuals.

When initially identified, camptocormia was classified as a psychogenic disease. Although the condition is sometimes a psychogenic manifestation, camptocormia typically originates from either muscular or neurological diseases. However, due to the wide variety of pathologies resulting in camptocormia, there is no singular cause that is most influential for the condition.