A compression fracture is crumbling or collapse of small sections of the bones of the spine that occurs without any obvious cause, such as an injury. The bones of the spine are called vertebrae. More of the crumbling happens in the front of the bone than the back, causing the spine to bend forward. Compression fractures in older adults are usually the result of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis causes bones to lose calcium and become more porous, thinner, and weaker.
Osteoporosis develops over a period of years.
Symptoms occur only about half the time. The most common symptom is sudden, severe pain in the lower back or mid- back that may feel like a muscle spasm. The pain may extend throughout the back, hips, and legs. It can make moving or trying to walk very difficult. Many people recall the exact moment the pain started and what they were doing at the time.