Spine Fracture

A Patient’s Guide to Spinal Fractures

A spinal fracture occurs when one or more of the vertebrae in the spine breaks or cracks. There are many types of spine fractures, often named based on the way the fracture occurs and its placement. Spine fractures are serious injuries that should be assessed by a physician as soon as possible.

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Parts of the Spine

The spine is a set of bones (vertebrae) found in the back, which surround the spinal cord and run from the base of the head to the pelvis. There are 33 vertebrae in adults, separated by spinal discs that help absorb shock during normal daily activities. The vertebrae are broken up into sections based on their location: the first 7 vertebrae in the neck are called the cervical spine, followed by 12 thoracic vertebrae and 5 lumbar vertebrae. The sacrum is made up of five fused vertebrae at the base of your spine, which is connected to the coccyx, or tailbone.

Types of Spinal Fractures

Spinal fractures can fall into different categories depending on their cause, placement, and severity.

Compression fractures are mainly found in patients with osteoporosis, a degenerative disorder affecting bone strength, and are found most commonly in the thoracic or lumbar spine. Each year, more than 700,000 people are diagnosed with vertebra compression fractures (VCFs).¹ Compression fractures are further defined by how the spine collapses, and can be classified as wedge, crush, or burst fractures.
Sacral insufficiency fractures (SIFs) are similar to compression fractures in that they are stress fractures caused by bone weakness over time. However, SIFs are found in the sacral region of the spine.
Trauma-induced fractures of the spine occur when the body is put under extreme stress, such as a car accident, fall, or other injury. They may occur anywhere along the spine, with a variety of consequences.

Stable vs Unstable Spine Fractures

A stable spine fracture is a crack or break in the vertebrae that does not compromise the patient’s ability to support their body weight, and does not pose an immediate risk to spinal cord function. Stable spine fractures are less likely to cause the vertebrae to move, and are more commonly treated with non-surgical methods.

Unstable spine fractures occur when the injury to the spine forces the vertebrae out of alignment. When this happens, the spine cannot properly support the body and can cause injury to the spinal cord. Unstable fractures of the spine are considered emergencies and require rapid intervention to prevent spinal cord or nerve damage, spinal deformity, and paralysis.

Signs of a Spine Fracture

If you are in a serious accident and have a spine fracture, you’ll likely experience symptoms like a burst of acute back pain near the break, as well as tingling or numbness if the fracture is unstable.

Vertebral compression fractures and sacral insufficiency fractures can occur without any symptoms at all. In fact, 30-40% of vertebral fractures are discovered while testing for other conditions.2 Among symptomatic patients, spine fracture symptoms can include:

Abrupt or chronic back pain near the area of the fracture
Tingling, numbness, or weakness in the limbs
Kyphosis, an abnormal spine curvature sometimes called a “hunchback” or hump
Loss of height (>20% of your vertebral height)

When to Get Help for a Spine Fracture

Always seek medical attention after a serious accident or fall to check for spinal injuries. If you are experiencing chronic back pain that does not get better over time, numbness, tingling, or mobility issues, call your doctor to schedule an appointment right away.

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Risk Factors for Spine Compression Fractures

Traumatic back injuries can happen to anyone, but compression fractures of the spine are more likely if you:

Are older, since bone frailty increases as we age
Are at high risk for or have been diagnosed with osteoporosis
Are a woman (this is also a risk factor for osteoporosis)
Have a history of smoking or excessive alcohol consumption
Have a vitamin D deficiency
Have been diagnosed with degenerative disc disease (DDD)
Have been diagnosed with bone tumors or tumors on or near the spinal cord

How Spine Fractures Are Diagnosed

In an emergency situation, medical personnel may place a “C-collar” around your neck to protect against damage to your cervical spine. While the other steps in diagnosing a spinal fracture are the same whether you’ve been in an accident or not, they’ll usually be accelerated for patients brought to the hospital.

First, the doctor will ask about your medical history, including any potential symptoms consistent with a spinal fracture. Then, they’ll perform a physical exam to rule out other conditions, determine where the fractured bone may be, and decide which diagnostic tests to order. These tests may include X-rays, MRI or CT scans, or a combination of radiographic and imaging tests. In cases where osteoporosis is suspected, a special test called a DEXA scan may be used to measure bone mineral density and strength.

Treatment Options for Spinal Fractures

Depending on the type of fracture you have and its severity, your doctor may prescribe one of these spine fracture treatments:

Medication: A conservative treatment option that aims to relieve back pain while the spinal fracture heals. This may include pain medications like NSAIDs and Acetaminophen or anti-osteoporotic medications.

Physical Therapy: Rehabilitation therapy is designed to strengthen back, core, and lower-body muscles to improve stability and protect the spine as it heals. This may be accompanied by the use of a back brace to further stabilize the spine during recovery.

Nerve Blockers: This minimally invasive treatment uses a needle to inject anesthetic medications or corticosteroids to minimize inflammation while relieving pain.

Percutaneous Vertebral Augmentation: Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty are two minimally invasive procedures used for patients who have continued pain despite conservative treatments. When compared to medication, bed rest, and physical therapy, vertebroplasty offers patients better symptom relief and a higher quality of life.³

Spine surgery: Spine fracture operations are recommended for patients with unstable spinal column injuries, as well as patients who have failed to see results from other treatments. Depending on the specific fracture, surgical options include spinal fusion (aka spinal fixation), corpectomy (removal of damaged vertebral bodies), and spinal decompression, as well as the insertion of rods, screws, or cages to stabilize the spine.

Risk of Treatment Delay

When left untreated, complications of spinal fractures include reduced mobility, chronic back pain, and an increased risk of further injury or paralysis. Additionally, up to 30% of spine fractures may develop painful nonunion (improper bone healing) without appropriate intervention.⁴

Explore Treatments for Spine Fractures

For more information on minimally invasive treatments for vertebral compression fractures and sacral insufficiency fractures, reach out to our New Jersey radiology clinic at 908-874-9236.

Vertebral Augmentation

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