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Compression fracture of vertebrae

4 replies

Yodabrussel · 03/12/2018 10:47

Hi everyone

Broke my L3 nearly five weeks ago falling from my horse. Docs concluded that it was a stable fracture and was sent home with a back brace to wear for eight weeks.

Anyone here had experience with compression fractures? I must admit I'm finding what feels like the lack of progress really difficult - have been back for more xrays and the fractured vertebrae is still in the right place and presumably healing, but I'm still in pain every day and get exhausted from just hanging out washing or cleaning the bathroom.

I'm normally a really busy and active person and struggling a lot with the inactivity. People keep telling me it's still early days yet and I'm sure they're right but just wondering if any of you could give me some tips or words of wisdom? The whole experience has also triggered a lot of anxiety, annoyingly.

Thanks in advance.

OP posts:
reenchantmentofeverydaylife · 03/12/2018 13:29

Hi, sorry to hear about your injury. Yes, in my experience (fractured T8 six and a half years ago) 5 weeks isn't that far into your recovery. Admittedly, I was never given a back brace (didn't even know such things existed until it was far too late!) and it turned out I had undiagnosed osteoporosis, so my recovery was prolonged. However, even with healthy bone density and a brace, you should expect at least 8 weeks before you begin to recover more energy and have noticeably less pain. Unfortunately, though the vertebra will heal magnificently as long as you're careful, the surrounding muscles will be traumatised for a while yet, and that (as you're probably aware) is the real battle when healing from a spinal fracture.

I found the anxiety very challenging. With hindsight I'd suggest coaching yourself out of fearful catastrophic thoughts about 'what it all means'. I think culturally we have quite a fearful complex about broken backs and necks - you only have to notice some people's expressions when you tell them you've broken your back! But essentially it's just another broken bone, and it heals with time and you'll get back most if not all of its previous functionality. So take heart. I wasn't a particularly active person back then (am more so since, because it gave me a jolt) but the realisation of how fundamental to basic activity and mobility that injury was did haunt me for a while. In a sense, we grieve for the 'healthy spine' and that can be difficult to go through.

Try to see this period as an enforced justification to watch lots of telly or read or write or learn a new skill that doesn't require much if any physicality. Search youtube for guided meditations for dealing with pain and anxiety too, there's some great stuff on there. I found tapping helped a lot with my anxiety (search youtube for 'tapping for anxiety'), and Mark Williams' Mindfulness book and CD.

Your body is channeling much of your energy into healing at the moment, so you will feel very tired for a while and even small chores will take it out of you. But that'll improve and pass as the coming weeks go by. Since it's almost that time of year, try not to expect too much of your body but focus on getting to Christmas Day and noticing then how much difference the next 3 weeks will have made. Allow yourself to ask for and/or accept help and support from whoever's around you, too. This isn't a 'normal' phase of your life, but you will get back to normal when your body is ready, so focus on accepting that. For very active people, that can be challenging. But you're up to it, I bet! Flowers

OhTheRoses · 03/12/2018 13:48

Not compression but severe wedge of L1. Like the lady above mine was helped by underlying osteoporosis too.

No back brace and NHS couldn't really have cared a jot. The pain was something else and initially I was on naproxen 500 x 2 and paracetamol/codeine 500/30 x 2 4 times a day. The first five/six days were a struggle but I forced myself into the car on day 6 for the school runs. The following week I went back to work (not sure that would have been possible if I'd had to use public transport or wasn't desk based).

I signed myself up for physio and pilates (physio did the pilates). I insisted on a referral for an MRI to be sure of state of spine.

I did it in January and was off painkillers after about 6-8 weeks.

That was three years ago. Sometimes my back is still sometimes a bit tired and certainly if I am carrying say the laundry basket in front of me I can feel the strain.

It is a shock, there's no underestimating that. I take huge care of my back now and thoroughly recommend pilates but suggest with a physio rather than a big class at the leisure centre.

Yodabrussel · 03/12/2018 17:07

Thank you both for your replies, very comforting to hear that you feel it's still early days. I agree that there is a real thing about spinal injuries - people either look at me in terror or, because I'm walking around (for which I'm endlessly thankful for) that it can't be that bad.

I'm really looking forward to getting the go ahead to exercise a little - Pilates and swimming are top of my list. All the things I would do to deal with anxiety normally (running, riding, getting on at work) are out the window for the time being so will definitely look on YouTube and try and change my mindset away from that kind of catastrophic thinking.

Have been taking naproxen and codydramol since the accident but hoping that this won't have to be a long term thing.

OP posts:
Yodabrussel · 13/01/2019 13:55

@reenchantmentofeverydaylife and @OhTheRoses you were very kind enough to recently reply to me about your experiences with your compression fractures.

I have since also been diagnosed with underlying osteoporosis and am seeing a rheumatologist tomorrow to find out more about possible treatment.

Was wondering however how long it took you for the muscles in your back to adjust. My still hurt every day, sometimes a little and sometimes quite a lot. It very much depends on how active I've been but am hoping at some stage soon I might start to experience some pain free times. I'm in week ten, back at work basically full time and seeing a physio weekly, doing stretches, going for walks etc but I must admit although I'm getting stronger, the levels of discomfort remain.

Do you remember how long the muscular aspect started to show signs of improvement ? It's the not knowing that I'm finding incredibly hard mentally to deal with. I'd deeply appreciate any advice you can give on the subject! Thanks so much in advance. X

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