How do fractures of the spine commonly happen?
A very large proportion of fractures of the lumbar spine occur in elderly people through bone that is abnormal in some way. The most common abnormality is osteoporosis. This condition leads to gradual re-absorption of the bone until it too weak to bear normal loads. A compression fracture of the vertebral body is the common result. In other situations, abnormal deposits replace normal bone. Cancer can spread to the vertebrae causing pain and weakening the structure of the bone. Sometimes a pathological fracture – a fracture through abnormal bone – is the first sign of the disease.
