Are Spinal Fractures Always Obvious?

Fractures are broken bones. Even though you might think it would be obvious when you break a bone, sometimes it’s not. Closed fractures don’t break the surface of your skin, and hairline fractures don’t always cause a difference in appearance.

Spinal fractures are especially difficult to detect without an exam and imaging studies, such as X-rays. Unfortunately, spinal fractures are common as you age and may be at the root of issues such as back pain, stiffness, and other conditions.

At McPhilamy Bone and Joint in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, our fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon Dr. Austin McPhilamy diagnoses and treats spinal fractures in women and men of all ages. In addition to age-related fractures, you could break the vertebrae in your spine during sports play, an accident, or other types of collisions.

Do you have spinal fractures? Read on to learn the possible warning signs that you might.

Do you have osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a condition in which your bones lose density and strength, putting them at increased risk for fractures. Vertebrae (spinal bones) that have lost their minerals and bone cells are especially susceptible to a type of fracture called compression fractures.

In a compression fracture, one or more of your 24 vertebrae develop very thin cracks. The weight of your body then compresses the cracked vertebrae, transforming it into a wedge shape. This collapse shortens your spine and also changes its shape. 

You might think that compression fractures sound painful, and while they can be, just a third of adults with compression fractures due to osteoporosis experience back pain. 

Have you gotten shorter?

Approximately one quarter of postmenopausal women have compression fractures. Over time, as the vertebrae collapses, you lose height. Although it’s more common for women to have compression fractures and height loss, it happens to men, too, particularly as their testosterone levels drop.

However, osteoporosis isn’t the only condition that causes compression fractures and subsequent height loss. Any kind of trauma to your back — whether from a fall injury or a car accident — can result in compression fractures that shorten your spine.

Do you have trouble or pain when bending?

Another sign that you may have compression fractures in your spine is a lack of mobility and flexibility. If you have trouble bending over, or if it hurts when you twist your spine, you may have compression fractures.

You don’t necessarily have to experience pain, either, although you might. Stiffness alone can be a sign that your vertebrae are fractured. If your spine doesn’t move as fluidly as it once did, you owe yourself an in-depth examination to find out why.

You don’t know why your back hurts

Sometimes back pain develops owing to an acute injury. In such instances, you probably remember the exact time it happened: You wrenched your back when lifting a heavy object, or you experienced some sort of fall or other trauma.

But if your back hurts for no apparent reason and doesn’t improve with stretching and other supportive therapies, you may have compression fractures in your spine. As with many forms of back pain, the pain from spinal fractures tends to affect the lower back most often. You may also experience back pain that:

• Is sudden and sharp 
• Is dull and throbbing 
• Develops gradually
• Radiates into your abdomen
• Worsens when you sit, stand, or move
• Decreases when you lie on your back
• Stays the same whether you’re active or resting

Back pain that resolves on its own could also be a sign of compression fractures, particularly when you still have stiffness.

Get to the bottom of unexplained back pain

Do you have back pain or stiffness and don’t know why? Find out if you have spinal fractures by contacting our friendly team at McPhilamy Bone and Joint in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, today. You can reach us via phone or with our easy online form.