About Spinal Fractures

Strong consideration should be given to the presence of vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) for an acute change in axial spinal pain. Contact the Spinal Fracture Institute of Vitruvian Health, where we provide timely focused VCF screening along with the utilization of appropriate diagnostics to determine the presence of a fracture. As indicated, we will provide palliative medication and short-term spinal bracing and perform minimally invasive vertebral augmentation to provide definitive pain control and proper fracture stabilization.

If ever unsure, contact Vitruvian Health Spinal Fracture Institute.

Facts About Spinal Fractures:

Incidence:

• Estimated 1.5 million VCFs yearly
• Resulting from fragility, trauma, and tumor

History:

• New onset pain (consider acute fracture)
• Worsening pain of a known chronic fracture (considered sharp on chronic fracture)
• Axial pain; May refer to the body depending on the level involved (e.g., to ribs, trunk, buttock, thighs)
• Pain with spinal motion or turning in bed
• Tenderness with spinal percussion

Risk factors:

• Age >50 (1-2% yearly incidence)
• Female
• Estrogen deficiency, early menopause
• History of VCFs (1-3 fractures increase risk by 5-75 times)
• Osteopenia, Osteoporosis (increases risk five times), Calcium/Vitamin D deficiency
• Thoracic kyphosis (increases loading of the anterior vertebral body)
• Tobacco and alcohol use
• Recent fall or other trauma
• Turning over in bed when a bone is osteoporotic (causes up to one-third of fragility fractures)
• Metastatic cancer

Consequences of delay:

• Acute Pain Undertreatment
• Persistent Chronic Pain
• Opiate Overuse
• Immobility
• Deconditioning
• Muscle Atrophy
• Bone Loss
• Difficulty with ADLs
• Progression of Fracture and Height Loss
• Diminished Success of Fracture Reduction via Interventional Vertebral Augmentation
• Acceleration of Spinal Degeneration and Stenosis (due to altered spinal loading)
• Thoracic Kyphosis Progression
• Altered Breathing Dynamics