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Out-of-state? Free MRI review + telehealth consult before you travel4.9 ★ · 619 Google reviewsBoard-certified — American Board of Orthopaedic SurgeryMinimally invasive, same-day spine surgery in Beverly HillsCall (424) 217-7463
A compression fracture is a vertebra that has partly collapsed. In older adults it often follows a minor fall or even a cough, and most heal without surgery.
A compression fracture happens when the front of a vertebra, the block-shaped bone of the spine, cracks and loses height. It is most common in the mid-back and where the mid-back meets the lower back. One fracture may cause sudden back pain. Several, over time, can leave a person shorter and more stooped.
In older adults the usual cause is osteoporosis. When bone is thin enough, a small stumble, lifting a grocery bag, or a hard sneeze can be enough to break it, and some fractures happen with no clear event at all. In younger people, a compression fracture usually takes real force, such as a car accident or a fall from height. Less often, a tumor that has weakened the bone is the cause.
✓Sudden back pain, often in the mid-back, that worsens when standing or walking
✓Pain that eases when lying on your back
✓Loss of height
✓A rounded or stooped upper back (kyphosis) after several fractures
✓Limited ability to bend or twist
✓Rarely, numbness, tingling, or weakness if a fragment presses on nerves
What causes Compression Fracture?
Osteoporosis (thinning bone), the most common cause in older adults
Trauma such as a car accident, fall, or sports injury
Long-term steroid use or other conditions that weaken bone
Cancer that has spread to the spine, or other bone tumors
How is Compression Fracture diagnosed?
X-rays show the collapsed vertebra and how much height it has lost. An MRI can tell a new fracture from an old one and shows whether nerves or the spinal cord are involved. A CT scan gives detail about the bone when stability is in question. Because most of these fractures come from osteoporosis, a bone-density test is part of the workup, so the underlying bone problem gets addressed too.
How is Compression Fracture treated?
Most people with a compression fracture feel better within about three months without surgery, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Conservative care means pain control, a limited period of reduced activity, sometimes a brace, and then physical therapy to rebuild strength. Treating the osteoporosis behind the fracture matters just as much, because one fracture raises the risk of another.
When pain stays severe despite that care, a procedure that injects bone cement into the fractured vertebra (vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty) may be considered. Fractures that are unstable, keep collapsing, or press on the spinal cord or nerves may need surgery to decompress and stabilize the spine. Dr. Melamed reviews the imaging, the bone quality, and your overall health before recommending any procedure.
How long does a compression fracture take to heal?
Most people feel better within about three months with conservative care, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Your timeline depends on the fracture, your bone quality, and your overall health.
Do I need surgery for a compression fracture?
Usually not. Surgery or a cement procedure is considered when pain stays severe despite good conservative care, or when the fracture is unstable or pressing on nerves or the spinal cord.
Why test my bone density after a spine fracture?
Most compression fractures in older adults are a sign of osteoporosis. Treating the bone lowers the chance of the next fracture, which is as important as caring for the one you have.
