Accident Injuries: Compression Fracture

A compression fracture is a fracture of the spine or a vertebrae, and it occurs when a number of vertebrae in the spine are broken. A compression fracture can occur throughout the spine, but most commonly affects two or more vertebrae within the lower thoracic and upper lumbar region, sometimes referred to as the thoacolumbar section of the back. 

A compression fracture is nearly always a serious injury, because the spinal cord is near each of the vertebrae and is at risk whenever they shift. A compression fracture is most likely to be caused by a serious trauma to the back and sine, particularly in a case of falling from a height. Because of the force necessary to cause compression fractures, they often occur with other injuries, including damage to the spinal cord and severe ligament damage.  One of my clients recently sustained a compression fracture while riding a bicycle in the mission district in San Francisco. He was broadsided by a car and thrown off his bicycle onto the ground. Considering the circumstances, he was lucky to have survived and not being run over by the oncoming traffic (as it was late at night and the traffic was very light). The injured bicyclist was place on temporarily disability almost immediately and was taken off work for two months.

The symptoms of a compression fracture may include severe limitation of range of motion where a person is unable to turn or bend forward/backwards as freely as he/she would otherwise be able to. In addition, pinching of the spinal cord itself may cause odd tingling or numbness throughout the body. 

If you have been diagnosed with compression fracture, you should be immobilized to prevent damage to the spinal cord. A rigid, padded surface to support your spine and back is ideal, and of course emergency care might very likely be necessary. In most cases, a surgery is unnecessary to heal a compression fracture. Wearing a brace or case and allowing the impact part of your body to rest and heal in addition to taking anti-inflammatory medication will allow the body to repair damage within 6 to 10 weeks in many cases of stable fractures. 

It is important to note that that patients who have one compression fracture are more likely to have more such injuries in the future, and therefore prevention of future compression fractures must be address. A doctor should advise patients what activities he/she should avoid to minimize the risk of recurring injury.