Overview

What Is an Osteoporotic Fracture?

Osteoporotic fractures, also known as compression fractures, are commonly caused by osteoporosis, a disease that thins and weakens the bones and makes them more vulnerable to fracture.

Compression fractures due to osteoporosis can occur in the hips, pelvis and wrists, but they are most common in the spine, where the vertebrae (bones of the spine) collapse. Compression in the spine can develop unnoticed over many years, with no symptoms or discomfort, until it is viewed on an X-ray of the spine. If untreated, compression fractures can lead to progressive back pain, loss of height and kyphosis, a hump-like curvature of the spine.