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Collapsed Vertebrae

As people age, back injuries become more and more frequent in [Vertebroplasty Cincinnnati] occurrence. Our bones become brittle because of diseases such as osteoporosis. The elderly become more prone to broken bones, and the spine is no exception. What can then occur is a collapsed vertebra. This is when the vertebra breaks and literally collapses on itself, like the image to the right. The middle vertebra in the pictures has folded in on itself, causing the rest of the spine to bed out of shape. This is common in the elderly and can become very painful.

Collapsed vertebrae can happen multiple times in different vertebrae and can cause visible deformities in people and appear as hunchbacks in people. It can also severely limit their mobility. Some people may not be able to walk as well and others might not be able to turn their heads or rotate their torsos as they once were able to when they were younger. It is most common in women who get osteoporosis and can happen to almost 40 percent of women older than 80. Younger people can obtain a compression fracture from an injury but they are most common in the elderly. A compression fracture can happen anywhere in the spine but it most commonly happens in the lower and middle back.

A compression fracture not only causes a curvature of the spine and reduction in height, but it knocks the entire posture out of alignment. The misalignment of the spine puts strain on the muscles and ligaments and pressure on and pinches the spinal cord. This can cause numbness, tingling and pain throughout the rest of the body