Understanding Vertebral Compression Fractures
The degenerative effect of osteoporosis on the bone tissue makes weight-bearing bones such as the proximal femur, pelvis, and vertebrae susceptible to fracture. These types of fractures are not usually associated with severe trauma. Especially in the spine, simple everyday activities can cause the fracture.
Vertebral compression fractures caused by osteoporosis force the bone to collapse forward (kyphosis) in most cases. The collapse of the vertebral body usually represents a stable fracture pattern but can cause a decrease in vertebral height ranging from 15% to 20%. These fractures often result in symptoms of back pain, height loss and kyphosis.
For many patients, vertebral compression fractures cause minimal symptoms and are therefore left undiagnosed and untreated. It is estimated that two thirds of individuals with vertebral compression fractures are not diagnosed and therefore left untreated.
Treatment options were limited in the past, but with technological and scientific advances, options beyond bracing and rest, such as kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty, have gained widespread use.
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