Powerful Physical Therapy

Things You Should Know About Spinal Compression Fractures

19 May 2017 by Clifford Ramos

When a person is developing a serious back problem, they will need to understand the various possible causes for these issues. Failure to have a reasonably solid understanding about these causes may contribute to you underestimating the severity of these conditions as well as feeling confusion about the treatment options.

Will A Spinal Compression Fracture Immediately Result In You Being Paralyzed?

It is often assumed that a spinal fracture will always result in a person becoming immediately paralyzed. However, this is not necessarily the case with a compression fracture. These fractures are typically caused by the vertebrae developing microfractures due to the pressure being put on the spine. Eventually, these microfractures can become severe enough to cause the vertebrae to collapse, and this could lead to permanent and serious mobility issues. Individuals that have histories of osteoporosis may be at a much higher risk of developing this type of back problem, which makes regular physical examinations critical for early diagnosis.

Is Surgery Required For Treating A Spinal Compression Fracture?

Back surgery can be an immensely painful procedure to go through, and it should not be surprising that patients will often assume that undergoing these procedures will be necessary to remedy the injury. Yet, when spinal compression fractures are diagnosed and treated during the early stages of this problem, the patient will likely be able to avoid this procedure. Rather than going through surgery, the patient will need to wear a back brace and limit their activity for several weeks. This will allow the damaged bones to heal. If you find that this problem occurs repeatedly, surgery may be necessary to alleviate some of the pressure that is being placed on the vertebrae.

How Will You Rehabilitate Your Back?

Reducing the risks of these fractures returning in the near future, you will need to undergo extensive rehabilitation. This is necessary so that the muscles in the back will be strengthened, which can help to provide more support to the spine. For patients that have been able to avoid surgery, this rehabilitation will be relatively minor as the muscles will only have suffered minor atrophy from the period of being immobilized. However, those that have undergone surgery are far more likely to require more extensive rehabilitation. This is due to the fact that the muscles will have atrophied from the recovery period and they will have been damaged during the surgery. While you may not like the idea of going through extensive back rehabilitation, it is an unavoidable aspect of fully recovering from this debilitating condition.

For more information about spinal compression fractures and their treatment, check out sites like http://swfna.com.

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