General management of vertebral fractures

Abstract

Vertebral fractures cause pain and disability. Four concepts should guide their comprehensive management: treat the patient, not the skeleton; use a multidisciplinary approach; engage the patient and his or her family in the treatment; and provide appropriate goals, education, encouragement, and support. The goals include procuring bone mass and preventing injury: back support, physical therapy, occupational therapy, psychosocial support, and prevention of falls. Initial treatment includes bed rest, pain management with local and systemic analgesia, bracing to improve comfort, and patient reassurance. Long-term management includes spinal stretching exercises and continuing ordinary activities within limits permitted by pain. A back school program is an effective addition to conventional concepts using physiotherapy exclusively. In certain selected patients, the indication for operative treatment of vertebral fracture depends on the additional injury, and extent and characteristics of cord compression; stability of the fracture; and the amount of deformity. Vertebroplasty can be effective in the control of pain and in obtaining stability of the spine.