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COMPRESSION FRAXS IN LUMBAR SPINE AND KYPHOPYSIS

Gloucester
0 Recommendations

Hi everyone:

I think one too many jump ropings or joggings gave me some compression fractures. I am 60 and in good shape except for my bones. I am not sure I have these fraxs because I have not had the MRI, but guess is that is what happened. Unbelievable because I only have osteopenia with -1.4 bmd in the spine. I have lost about an inch in height which needless to say I want back. Has anyone experienced these types of fraxs and what can one do to you correct it. Are there exercises that could help. What about Kyphophysis? I hope I have that spelled correctly. I am not in any pain but I still want to do something to get back the inch I lost.

Gloucester

Explore topics in this discussion:

Exercise Heart disease Surgery Back pain Fractures Stroke Osteopenia Weakness Pain Osteoporosis

9 replies

windblown

Hi Gloucester: If you think you may have fractured your spine, the only way to know for sure is to have your Dr order the necessary tests. There are procedures that can be done on frax's but usually they apply to new frax's. Kyphoplasty is one procedure, which you can read about at Kyphon Internationals web site or look up kyphoplasty.

If you are concerned, talk to your Dr about an x-ray or mri, I'm not sure which of the two tests are the best, for detecting frax's, so you would have to ask about that. When I'm checked for frax's they usually just do an x-ray, but that was a while ago, and I'm not sure if that's the best test or not.

Good Luck...

SaraMeeks

To the best of my knowledge, X-Ray is still the diagnostic test of choice for compression fracture.
You might be interested to know that, in recent research it has been shown that strengthening of the back extensors is more effective than vertebroplasty + exercise or vertebroplasty alone when measuring subsequent fracture incidence. (Mayo Clinic 2008)

Gloucester

Sara Meeks:

Thanks for responding. I did have an X-ray and no fracture. So I dodged a bullet this time, but I need to do more than jump rope (the easy way now. What are the exercises to strengthen the back extensor muscles. Is it the one where you lie straight on the floor and raise your arms and legs off the floor without bending your knees.? Is there any other type? A set of exercises is at the back of a book called "Reversing Osteopenia" by Harris McIlwain. They look detailed and could take a hour to do because you hold positions, do 20 at a time and he wants them done 2 or 3 times a day. That is a tall order but it maybe what is required to protect the back. More repetitions as long as it does not hurt are better.
The fact about exercise being more effective than surgery is very very interesting. That's even more reason to spend several hours a day exercising. Not all at one time, but cumulatively. I think those big exercise balls are good for exercise but you have to keep them full. I use them, but I have yet to refill one. I am considering going to a gas station and fill my tires and my ball at the same time. I am not sure that will work but maybe. Did that information from Mayo Clinic come from a book or on-line? I am always interested in good books.

Gloucester

SaraMeeks

Information from the Mayo Clinic is reported in the research literature. Go to Pubmed, type in Sinaki in the search box and it will probably be the first citation to come up.
I'm not familiar with the book you mention. However, if you could send me an email to sara@sarameekspt.com and include your TELEPHONE AREA CODE, I could send you a list of therapists in your area who have taken my training. They could show you any number of exercises to accomplish strengthening of the back and they are easier than you would think. No need to spend hours and many reps to do this.
I also do telephone consults and details for those are on my website.
Hope this helps.

SaraMeeks

P.S. The spelling of the word in question is kyphosis. A kyphosis in the thoracic spine is normal alignment. When it becomes exaggerated, then there might be problems with compression.

dotdot

Sara,
My MRI of the cervical spine showed that I have mild kyphosis. This is a serious problem for me. I only go to doctors visits because of it. Example, I got up one morning and was fine until I sat at the computer for a minute. I got up and had serious problems coordinating my legs, my head was shaking, and my speech was very slurred. I continued to walk from my bedroom to the living room and barely made it to the chair. I couldn't swallow my meds or eat. After sitting in the recliner with my neck and head supported for a while I became relaxed again. My recliner is my safe haven. I have several other problems, but kyphosis is the one thing that has changed my life.

SaraMeeks

Dear dotdot:
I'm not sure what you mean by a diagnosis of mild kyphosis. A thoracic kyphosis is normal spinal alignment. An exaggeration of this curve, which can be related to osteoporosis and fracture is not normal alignment and can cause secondary complications of organ compression.
The symptoms you have described sound a bit more than would be explained by a mild kyphosis and I'm wondering if you checked them out with your physician. Also, beward of a recliner as a "safe haven"--it will ultimately make your back weaker and may cause more back pain.
Dear Gloucester:
I cannot and would not comment on any book which I have not read. I would urge caution with most books and DVD's however as many exercises that are "recommended" should actually be "contraindicated" and there is seldom anything specific for the bones.

dotdot

SaraMeeks,
Thanks for the info about the recliner and weak back.
Also, I will be in the care of Mayo Clinic next week for three full days of testing.
Yes, my MRI showed mild cervical kyphosis and I have problems with my neck and head shaking to the point that I can hardly talk. My neck shakes horizontally.
I was told that I've had a stroke with right side weakness, along with hypertensive heart disease, the list goes on and on.
Also, almost every one of my disk are buldging and athristis in my knee, hip etc.

MotherGoose

Another note of caution about recliners.
To get out of them, one -- generally -- leans way forward from the waist -- thus stressing the vertebrae and risking damage to them. One must scootch way forward in the chair and keep a straight back and push up with one's arms which I have never observed in uninstructed patients.
Also -- the cervical spine (neck) naturally has a lordosis (concave curve) , not a kyphosis (convex curve). The lower spine (lumbar) is also naturally a lordosis. It is the flexibility of these curves that allow our bodies to function as well as they do -- walking, using our arms, looking behind us, hugging, lots of things. Limited flexibility creates many problems.
"Hyper-" means increased and "hypo-"means decreased. When one curve of the spine is increased, another curve is decreased. Also, poor posture can make you appear shorter without any fracture being present. A slumped spine is not so
high" as an erect one. Think about that.
Lucy Buckley PT aka Mother Goose

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