Key Takeaways
- Understanding compression fractures back seniors is important for seniors and their caregivers.
- Compression fractures can occur suddenly.
- Your health care provider will perform a physical exam.
- Most compression fractures are seen in older people with osteoporosis.
- Most compression fractures due to injury heal in 8 to 10 weeks with rest, wearing of a brace, and pain medicines.
To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript.
What Are the Common Causes and Risk Factors?
Understanding compression fractures back seniors is important for seniors and their caregivers.
Osteoporosis
is the most common cause of this type of fracture. Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones become fragile. In most cases, bones lose calcium and other minerals with age. Other causes of compression fractures may include:
- Trauma to the back
- Tumors that spread to the bone from elsewhere
- Tumors that start in the spine, such as multiple myeloma
Having many fractures of the vertebrae can lead to
kyphosis
. This is a hump-like curvature of the spine. It can also cause the spine to curve sideways, which is known as
scoliosis
.
What Are the Symptoms and Warning Signs?
Compression fractures can occur suddenly. This can cause severe back pain.
- The pain is most commonly felt in the middle or lower spine. It can also be felt on the sides or in the front of the spine.
- The pain is often sharp and “knife-like.” The pain can be disabling, and take weeks to months to go away.
Compression fractures due to osteoporosis may cause no symptoms at first. Often, they are discovered when x-rays of the spine are done for other reasons. Over time, the following symptoms may occur:
- Back pain that starts slowly, and gets worse with walking, but is not felt when resting
- Loss of height, as much as 6 inches (15 centimeters) over time
- Stooped-over posture, or kyphosis, also called a dowager’s hump
Pressure on the spinal cord from hunched over posture can, in rare cases, cause:
-
Numbness
-
Tingling
-
Weakness
- Difficulty walking
-
Loss of control of the bowel
or
bladder
📖 What Are Exams and Tests?
What Are Exams and Tests?
Your health care provider will perform a physical exam. This may show:
- A humpback, or kyphosis
- Tenderness over the affected spinal bone or bones
- Loss of height
A
spine x-ray
may show at least 1 compressed vertebra that is shorter than the other vertebrae.
Other tests that may be done include:
-
A bone density test
to check for osteoporosis
-
A
CT
or
MRI scan
, if there is a concern that the fracture was caused by a tumor or severe trauma (such as a fall or car accident) or if there are symptoms of nerve damage
📖 How Is It Treated?
How Is It Treated?
Most compression fractures are seen in older people with osteoporosis. These fractures often do not cause injury to the spinal cord. The condition is usually treated with medicines and calcium supplements to prevent further fractures.
Pain may be treated with:
- Pain medicine
- Bed rest
Other treatments may include:
- Back braces, but these may further weaken the bones and increase the risk for more fractures
- Physical therapy to improve movement and strength around the spine
- A medicine called calcitonin to help relieve bone pain
Surgery may be done if you have severe and disabling pain for more than 2 months that does not get better with other treatments. Surgery can include:
-
Balloon kyphoplasty
-
Vertebroplasty
-
Spinal fusion
Other surgery may be done to remove bone if the fracture is due to a tumor.
After surgery you may need:
- A brace for 6 to 10 weeks if the fracture was due to an injury.
- More surgery to join spine bones together or to relieve pressure on a nerve.
📖 What Is Outlook (Prognosis)?
What Is Outlook (Prognosis)?
Most compression fractures due to injury heal in 8 to 10 weeks with rest, wearing of a brace, and pain medicines. However, recovery can take much longer if surgery was done. You will lose some height and have a more bent back.
Fractures due to osteoporosis often become less painful with rest and pain medicines. Some fractures, though, can lead to long-term (chronic) pain and disability.
Medicines to treat osteoporosis can help prevent future fractures. However, medicines cannot reverse damage that has already occurred.
For compression fractures caused by tumors, the outcome depends on the type of tumor involved. Tumors that involve the spine include:
- Breast cancer
- Lung cancer
- Lymphoma
- Prostate cancer
-
Multiple myeloma
-
Hemangioma
📖 What Are Possible Complications?
What Are Possible Complications?
Complications may include:
- Failure of the bones to fuse after surgery
- Humpback
- Spinal cord or nerve root compression
📖 When to Contact a Medical Professional?
When to Contact a Medical Professional?
Contact your provider if:
- You have back pain and you think you may have a compression fracture.
- Your symptoms are getting worse, or you have problems controlling your bladder and bowel function.
📖 How Is It Prevented?
How Is It Prevented?
Taking steps to
prevent and treat osteoporosis
is the most effective way to prevent compression fractures. Getting regular load-bearing exercise (such as walking) can help you avoid bone loss.
Women should have their bone density checked at age 65, or earlier if you are at increased risk for osteoporosis.
Vertebral compression fractures; Osteoporosis – compression fracture
-
Compression fracture
Abode-Iyamah K. Compression fracture with back pain. In: Chaichana KL, Quiñones-Hinojosa A, eds.
Comparative Management of Spine Pathology
. Philadelphia. PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 24.
LeBoff MS, Greenspan SL, Insogna KL, et al. The clinician’s guide to prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.
Osteoporos Int
. 2022;33(10):2049-2102. PMID: 35478046
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35478046/
.
Waldman SD. Thoracic vertebral compression fracture. In: Waldman SD, ed.
Atlas of Common Pain Syndromes
. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 76.
Weber TJ. Osteoporosis. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds.
Goldman-Cecil Medicine
. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 225.
Williams KD. Fractures, dislocations, and fracture-dislocations of the spine. In: Azar FM, Beaty JH, eds.
Campbell’s Operative Orthopaedics
. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 41.
Updated by: C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, San Francisco, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
-
Back Injuries
-
Osteoporosis
-
Spine Injuries and Disorders
Frequently Asked Questions
Key Takeaways
What Are the Common Causes and Risk Factors?
is the most common cause of this type of fracture. Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones become fragile.
What Are the Symptoms and Warning Signs?
What Are Exams and Tests?
A humpback, or kyphosis
Tenderness over the affected spinal bone or bones
Loss of height
A
spine x-ray
may show at least 1 compressed vertebra that is shorter than the other vertebrae. Other tests that may be done include:
A bone density test
to check for osteoporosis
A
CT
or
MRI scan
, if there is a concern that the fracture was caused by a tumor or severe trauma (such as a fall or car accident) or if there are symptoms of nerve damage
📖 How Is It Treated?
How Is It Treated?
About the Author: This article was researched and written by the SilverWell Hub editorial team. It was medically reviewed by Dr. Sarah Mitchell, MD, Geriatrics.
Sources: This article is adapted from MedlinePlus, a service of the National Library of Medicine.
Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only. See our full Medical Disclaimer.
Published: July 21, 2026 | Next review: January 2027
