Compression Fracture Treatment in Kansas City

Compression Fracture Management


Premier Fracture Management from Top Kansas City Specialists.

Request An Appointment

Understanding the Basics Behind Compression Fractures


What are Compression Fractures?

When vertebrae— the bones of your spine — weaken, they become more prone to breaking.

Compression fractures occur when too much pressure weighs on the vertebrae, causing part or all of the vertebrae to crack and collapse. Common symptoms of a compression fracture include back pain, lost height, or a hunched posture.

Leaders in the field, Kansas City Orthopedic Alliance physicians specialize in compression fracture treatment. With over 100 years of combined experience, we strive to help each patient repair fractures, regain mobility, and reduce pain.

Before assuming you have any kind of fracture, be sure to schedule an appointment with a Kansas City Orthopedic Alliance physician.

We can provide professional insight and a proper diagnosis to understand your treatment options.

Contact us

When a patient visits one of our Kansas City Orthopedic Alliance offices, a skilled orthopedic specialist will ask you questions regarding your symptoms, what aggravates/alleviates your symptoms, and whether you have attempted prior therapies.

Next comes a thorough physical exam. We will then review any images you bring with you and/or take new images. After determining the cause of your pain, we can then discuss which spinal injection will work best for your needs.

Your First Appointment

Initially, you may notice some pain from a compression fracture, but some patients don’t seek treatment until the pain worsens over time. Whenever pain becomes severe, limits your mobility, or causes you to have trouble sleeping, it’s best to visit a Kansas City Orthopedic Alliance physician.

During your initial visit, we will ask you to fill out paperwork detailing the injury. You should also bring any X-rays or diagnostic tests you’ve had performed prior to coming to Kansas City Orthopedic Alliance for treatment. Lastly, we’ll require proof or insurance or form of payment for the provision of the services rendered.

Kansas City Orthopedic Alliance pain Assessment


Assessing the Injury

During your appointment, you will sit with your Kansas City Orthopedic Alliance physician of choice to discuss your fracture, pain levels, exacerbating factors that increase or decrease pain, previous treatments, and more.

From there, your provider will perform a physical exam and other necessary diagnostic studies. With your test results, your fracture specialists can build a treatment plan to repair your broken bone(s).

Therefore, during your initial appointment, we will often ask questions such as:

  • Does your pain currently limit you or your activities?
  • Has your pain progressed or worsened recently?
  • Have you noticed any change in your symptoms that have made it more challenging to function?
  • What are your lifestyle goals?
  • How has pain affected those goals?

From there, we can decide whether more conservative treatments will suffice or whether you would find the most benefit with surgery.

Your First Appointment

The Exam


Examination

Your physician will utilize diagnostic tests to determine the severity of your fracture. Commonly, you may have to undergo X-ray exams to diagnose the condition.

Testing options may include:

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to test for damage to soft tissue around the fracture such as disks and nerves.

Bone scans

Bone scans to catch bone abnormalities that could also determine whether you have an acute or chronic fracture.

Bone density

Bone density testing to monitor the severity of the underlying osteoporosis, if present.

X-ray

Typically, repeat X-ray images are necessary throughout treatment to ensure proper healing. In more severe or less straightforward cases, additional technology like ultrasound or CT scans are necessary to ensure a proper recovery path is outlined.

 

Establishing Care

Establishing a Care Plan

Based on the results of your examinations and symptoms, you can expect a custom care plan catered specifically to you. From there we outline treatment options for your fracture and results to expect.

During your first appointment and follow-up appointments, our physicians typically recommend conservative measures before turning to surgery. As a result, you don’t have to worry about us pushing a surgical procedure, especially when other treatment options could help. This is part of our dedication to bringing value to our patients as the largest orthopedic practice in Kansas City.

01/07

Pre-Op

Prior to surgery, you will typically receive at least two phone calls:

  • A hospital registration representative will call to gather insurance and other personal information.
  • A registered nurse will call to review your health history and medication information.

 

Dependent on your health history, your physician may require:

  • Pre-surgical laboratory tests
  • X-rays
  • Primary care clearance

02/07

Pre-op

Pre-operative instructions will vary depending on your physician and the location of your surgery.

Always check with your physician prior to surgery for his or her specific instructions.

Most physicians require that patients do not eat or drink after midnight prior to surgery.

Additionally, you will need to designate a family member or friend to drive you home on the day you are released from the hospital. Surgical patients cannot drive themselves home.

03/07

Day of Surgery

If you schedule your surgery at KCOI, you can expect the following on surgery day:

  • A receptionist will check you in on the second floor at the hospital registration desk.
  • A nurse will take you back and prepare you for surgery. He or she will start an IV, prepare the surgical site, and review your medical history and medications.
  • Your surgeon and anesthesiologist will visit with you prior to your operation.
  • The surgical team will take you to the operation suite for surgery.

04/07

What to Expect

If conservative measures fail, then surgical intervention may be the best alternative solution. Advances in modern technology have made compression fracture surgeries less invasive without compromising quality care.

Kansas City Orthopedic Alliance offers osteoplasty procedures aimed to stabilize compression fractures for pain management—vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty.

Your surgery will be slightly different based on whether you receive a vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty. Both surgeries are typically performed using IV sedation and last around 30 minutes. 

During a vertebroplasty, your surgeon will insert a biopsy needle, called a trocar, through the fractured bone rather than creating a large incision.

From there, an acrylic bone cement is injected into the damaged vertebrae to essentially “glue” the fractured pieces together. Since the cement hardens quickly, the vertebrae fragments also congeal quickly to stabilize the spine. 

05/07

Our Process

Kyphoplasty procedures work similarly, except the technique requires a balloon.

Using the trocar, your surgeon places and inflates the balloon through the fractured bone.

This often causes the fracture to open to its normal height.

Once your surgeon deflates and removes the balloon, he or she will use the same cementation process to fill in the bone.

06/07

Post-Op

Once surgery is complete, you can expect:

  • Our team will help you to the post-anesthesia area. A nurse will monitor your vital signs and assess your pain level.
  • Once the nurse has determined you are stable and alert, we will transfer you to a speciality patient room where you can begin your recovery.

Since surgical compression fracture treatment is often outpatient, once you are cleared, you are free to finish the recovery process in the comfort of your own home.

 

07/07

Recovery

Directly following your procedure, you will likely still experience back pain from the needle.

After several hours, that spine pain should resolve.

Most patients return to their normal life without too many restrictions after recovering from surgery.

However, you may have to wait several weeks before you can participate in more strenuous activities such as weight lifting or sports. 

 

How It Works

Ongoing Treatment & Continued Care

 

If you also have an osteoporosis diagnosis, we may recommend ongoing treatment and lifestyle changes to promote bone and spine health. Unfortunately, there is no known cure for osteoporosis. Medications may help slow the breakdown of bone or have the potential to rebuild bone. 

Compression fracture symptoms include:

  • Back pain
  • Decreased height
  • Stooped posture
  • Numbness or tingling
  • Issues walking
  • Decreased range of motion

Causes

Causes of Compression Fractures

While compression fractures can result from injuries or even tumors, most commonly they derive from osteoporosis-induced bone weakness.

Osteoarthritis:

Osteoporosis is a common bone disease marked by loss of tissue and density, which causes bones to become brittle and weak. Since bones are living tissues, they constantly break down and replace themselves. However, people with osteoporosis have a higher rate of bone loss than bone growth, making them more susceptible to fractures.

Orthopedic doctor in Kansas City preparing for surgery.

Injury:

Often, bone loss occurs progressively and without symptoms, so many times people don’t realize they have this “silent disease” until symptoms arise or a fracture occurs. A person may develop a compression fracture after an injury such as a fall, but with osteoporosis, a weakened vertebrae could break from daily activities.

Non-Surgical Treatments

Oftentimes, compression fractures resolve on their own within a few months. Based on your needs, your physician may recommend rest, medications, physical therapy, or bracing to promote healing. If your compression fracture stems from osteoporosis, non-surgical solutions such as exercise, diet, and lifestyle changes can help manage bone degradation. 

Physical Therapy

Weight-bearing exercises can improve strength and balance, lessening the chances of falls and greatly reducing the risk of injury.

Diet

Make smart food choices, with healthy amounts of protein, and get the recommended calcium and vitamin D.

 

Lifestyle changes

Don’t smoke, and only drink alcohol in moderation.

About Kansas City Orthopedic Alliance

Meet Kansas City Orthopedic Alliance

Our board-certified, fellowship-trained physicians and surgeons are highly experienced in their respective fields and are considered among the top orthopedic providers in the Midwest.

Along with our Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, and support staff, Kansas City Orthopedic Alliance physicians deliver the utmost level of dedicated care across a range of subspecialties.

While diverse in background and capabilities, the common thread that brings all of our team members together is our patient-centered approach.

Learn More

You Deserve the Best Compression Fracture Treatment in Kansas City.

Our care is personal. Our team is knowledgeable. And we’re more available than ever.

With access to board-certified specialists across Kansas City, we have the tools to meet almost every musculoskeletal condition.

Use our Symptom Tracker Tool to connect with the right Kansas City Orthopedic Alliance physician for your unique needs—and get back to the things that matter most.

Get Started

Testimonials

Dr. Ting was very thorough

Dr. Ting was very thorough, and communicated my ailment very well.

Richard Drummond

Staff is great

…just did my husbands hands on Wed. last week and can’t believe how well he is doing. We have already recommended you to our son and a few others. Your staff is great and my husband doing well. Thanks to you.

Sandra Lane

THANK YOU ALL!

The most professional, caring staff and doctor my husband has had ever! After spending almost a year being misdiagnosed by a different doctor and group at Centerpoint, this doctor took a better look, and found he actually had 2 fractures of his foot and ankle, and now he is finally “pain free!” THANK YOU ALL!
Sharon White

Dr. Mark Winston is the best.

Dr. Mark Winston is the best. He is a caring and attentive physician who made a very painful injury so much easier for me. The staff is very professional and do an awesome job.

Peggy Cameron

Amazing

This place is amazing! I cannot say enough good things about our experience here! From the reception desk where they were beyond helpful and even made phone calls for me to my kids pediatrician to very short wait time then the patience and help of doctors and staff that were great with my 3 year old! Getting same day service this great was so nice! Love this place and highly recommend!!

Lindsey Manter