Introduction to Spinal Fractures
A spinal fracture means a break in one or more bones of the spine. This usually happens in two main groups of people. One group is older adults who have weak bones. In these people, even a small fall or minor injury can cause a fracture. The other group is younger people who are involved in serious accidents such as road traffic accidents, falls from a height, or sports injuries.
Fractures related to weak bones in older adults are discussed separately.
The spine is a strong structure that supports the body and allows us to stand upright. It also protects the nerves that send signals to the arms and legs. Because of this important role, a fracture of the spine is always a serious event.
Diagnosis and Causes
A fracture of the spine is a major injury. In a healthy person, it usually happens only after a strong force, such as a serious accident. After such an injury, the person is often taken to the hospital as an emergency, with severe pain at the site of the injury.
In many cases, there may be other serious injuries at the same time. Sometimes the nerves or the spinal cord can also be affected.
Spinal fractures can happen in any part of the spine. They are most common in the lower part of the neck and in the upper part of the lower back. The amount of damage depends on how strong the injury was. A very strong injury can cause severe damage to the spine and nerves, while a smaller injury may cause only a simple fracture.
Fortunately, damage to the spinal cord that leads to paralysis is uncommon.
One of the main tasks for doctors is to understand how serious the fracture is. Some fractures need urgent surgery to protect the nerves. Other unstable fractures may need surgery within one to three days. Stable fractures often heal without surgery.
Treatment of Spinal Injuries
Most spinal fractures do not need surgery because the broken bone is still stable. When surgery is needed, the main aim is to stop the fracture from getting worse and to protect the nerves and the normal shape of the spine.
Spinal fractures can cause the back to become more rounded. This change in posture can lead to long-term pain and difficulty with daily activities. For this reason, surgery often involves placing metal screws and rods above and below the broken bone to keep the spine in the correct position while it heals.
If surgery is not required, a back brace or corset is usually used. The brace helps reduce pain and supports the spine to limit changes in posture during healing.
At the beginning, spinal fractures cause severe pain. This strong pain usually improves over four to eight weeks. However, even after surgery or brace treatment, some people may continue to have pain or notice changes in posture.
Anyone with ongoing problems after a spinal fracture is advised to discuss these issues with their healthcare team.