Most spinal fractures occur in the thoracic or lumbar spine. Doctors may divide spinal fractures into mechanism types, such as flexion, extension, and rotation. However, not all spinal fractures fit neatly into each subdivision. Doctors may also call these distraction fractures. It means the vertebrae have pulled apart.
Head-on automobile collisions are the most common cause of extension fractures. People with health conditions that weaken the bones, such as osteoporosis, tumors, or cancer, are susceptible to spinal fractures. It means that even strenuous reaching or twisting can result in a broken back.
A broken back will hurt. The pain in the back will come on suddenly and get worse when the person moves. The pain might be moderate or severe. Sometimes, a spinal fracture can also damage the spinal cord.
This can lead to a variety of outcomes, which may include bladder or bowel dysfunction. They may also experience numbness, tingling, or weakness in the limbs. A doctor will diagnose a broken back after performing a physical examination and conducting imaging tests.
Safely rebuilding these muscles is necessary to return to regular activity and prevent reinjury. Your physical therapy treatment plan might include:. Your doctor or physical therapist might also recommend using a back brace to provide support during the recovery process.
The brace temporarily immobilizes the back, helping to reduce the risk of reinjury and providing additional support to the bones and muscles. Recovery eventually requires engaging the back muscles, so prolonged use of the brace might actually undermine recovery.
Using a cold therapy system during spinal fracture recovery may help relieve pain and swelling in the area surrounding the injury. Ice reduces inflammation, making it an especially useful tool immediately following an injury. Traditional ice packs may deliver inconsistent cold and warm up quickly. Some cold therapy systems offer therapeutic cold in combination with wrap-conforming compression. This compression helps the wrap to conform to the body, and allows cold to penetrate deeper into the damaged tissues.
Cold therapy systems are also easy to use and do not require you to hold an ice pack in the same position throughout the treatment process. You can rent a device for home use during recovery or use a system at your physical therapy appointment.
Selecting a physical therapist is an important step in the spinal fracture recovery process. Ask your doctor for recommendations. All content found on this website, including text, images, audio, or other formats were created for informational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. A small balloon is put into the damaged bone. The balloon is then inflated so that it slightly lifts up the spine.
Once the spine is in the correct position, the doctor removes the balloon. The space left behind is filled with cement.
Vertebroplasty also involves the use of cement. The doctor uses an X-ray to guide a needle into the painful area. The cement is then injected into the damaged vertebrae. You will then need to lie on your back until the cement hardens an hour or so. People affected by osteoporosis, tumors, and certain forms of cancer that weaken bone are prone to vertebral compression fractures VCF. The fracture appears as a wedge-shaped collapse of the vertebra. Multiple VCFs can cause a forward hunch of the spine called kyphosis.
For example, when the rapid forward motion of the upper body against a seat belt pulls apart the vertebra and stretches the ligaments. A dislocated vertebra can cause instability and spinal cord compression.
They usually require stabilization surgery or a brace. Fracture-dislocations : occur when bone is broken and the ligaments are torn Fig. These fractures are usually unstable, tend to be very debilitating, and are often surgically repaired. Symptoms of a spinal fracture vary depending on the severity and location of the injury. Paralysis is a loss of movement in the arms or legs and may indicate a spinal cord injury.
Not all fractures cause spinal cord injury and rarely is the spinal cord completely severed. Diseases such as osteoporosis and spine tumors also contribute to fractures.
In most cases of a spinal injury, paramedics will take you to an emergency room ER. The first doctor to see you in the ER is an Emergency Medicine specialist who is a member of the trauma team.
Depending on your injuries, other specialists will be called to assess your condition. The doctors will assess your breathing and perform a physical exam of the spine. The spine is kept in a neck or back brace until appropriate diagnostic tests are completed.
X-ray test uses x-rays to view the bony vertebrae in your spine and can tell your doctor if any of them show fractures. Special flexion and extension x-rays may be taken to detect any abnormal movement. Computed Tomography CT scan is a safe, noninvasive test that uses an X-ray beam and a computer to make 2-dimensional images of your spine.
It may or may not be performed with a dye contrast agent injected into your bloodstream. It is especially useful for viewing changes in bony structures.
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