Causes of compression fractures
Complete list of fracture information
There is not one single cause of compression fractures, though the word compression
would indicate that the fracture occurs because of too much pressure being placed on the
bone. If the bone is too weak to hold normal pressure, it may not take much pressure to
cause the vertebral body to collapse. Most healthy bones can withstand a lot of pressure
and the spine will bend to absorb the shock. However, if the force is too great for the
vertebrae to sustain, one or more of them can fracture. To understand a fracture, think
about bending a pencil. If you place pressure on the pencil, it will bend a little then go
back into place when the pressure is gone. However, if you bend the pencil too far - past
its breaking point, it will crack or break apart. Similarly, the amount a vertebra
collapses/fractures depends upon the amount of pressure it has to withstand.
Causes of compression fractures Osteoporosis
A common cause of compression fractures is the disease osteoporosis. This disease thins
the bones, often to the point that they are too weak to bear normal pressure. The thinning
bones can collapse during normal activity, leading to a spinal compression fracture. In
fact, spinal compression fractures are the most common type of osteoporotic fractures.
Forty percent of all women will have at least one by the time they are 80 years old. These
vertebral fractures can permanently alter the shape and strength of the spine. The
fractures usually heal on their own and the pain goes away. However, sometimes the pain
can persist if the crushed bone fails to heal adequately.
In severe cases of osteoporosis, actions as simple as bending forward can be enough to
cause a "crush fracture", or spinal compression fracture. This type of vertebral
fracture causes loss of height and a humped back, especially in elderly women. This
disorder (called kyphosis or a "dowager's hump") is an exaggeration of your
spine that causes the shoulders to slump forward and the top of your back to look enlarged
and humped.
Causes of compression fractures - trauma
Trauma to the spinal vertebrae can also lead to minor or severe fractures. Such trauma
could come from a fall, a forceful jump, a car accident, or any event that stresses the
spine past its breaking point.
Causes of compression fractures - Cancer
Another cause of vertebral fractures is a metastatic disease. Metastasis is a term that
refers to the spread of cancer cells into other areas of the body. The bones of the spine
are a common place for many types of cancers to spread. A compression fracture of the
spine that appears for little or no reason may be the first indication that an
unrecognized cancer has spread to the spine. The cancer causes destruction of part of the
vertebra, weakening the bone until it collapses. This is a sign that something going on
internally is harming the |
