Consequences of Spinal Fractures

Kyphosis is the term used to describe a forward curvature of the spine. A dowager’s hump or hunchback is often caused by the collapse of spinal vertebrae.

You may be more familiar with kyphosis than you think. If you’ve ever seen a frail, elderly woman with a hump on her back, then you’ve probably seen someone with kyphosis.

Kyphosis is a debilitating condition that can make even normal, everyday activity difficult. Chronic back pain, loss of appetite and difficulty sleeping or breathing are just a few of the ways kyphosis can disrupt your life.

Most people can’t imagine kyphosis happening to them and have no idea how kyphosis can hurt them. Unfortunately, kyphosis can, and does happen. Women are particularly at risk for developing kyphosis, largely as a result of primary osteoporosis, but men can also have spinal fractures. In large clinical studies, up to 30% of patients with spinal fractures due to osteoporosis were men. [76]

Just one spinal fracture that remains deformed shortens the spine and pushes it forward, adversely affecting spinal alignment. Each additional fracture increases the spinal deformity. [11,38,67] This change in spinal alignment can compress your internal organs and affect breathing, eating and digestion. Altering your posture in an attempt to compensate for the kyphotic deformity can affect how you walk and strain your back and joints. All of this can cause medical problems seemingly unrelated to your spine. Some of the health problems related to kyphosis include:

• Reduced mobility, loss of balance and increased risk of falls [60,61]
• Reduced lung function [10,62]
• Reduced ability to take care of yourself or perform your usual work or retirement activities [21,63,64]
• Reduced days of activity and more days in bed [21,65,66]
• Decreased appetite and sleep disorders [51]
• Chronic back pain and fatigue [52,66]
• Decreased quality of life [22,67]
• Feelings of isolation and sadness [68]
• Increased risk for future fracture [11,22,69,70]
• Increased risk of death [69,71]

Be sure to talk with your doctor if you have back pain or suspect that you have a spinal fracture.  Balloon kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure that can repair spinal fractures and help you step back into life.