What to Know About Osteoporosis and Your Spine

Women seem to develop osteoporosis at a younger age than men and at a faster rate. Postmenopausal people lose about 1.5% of their bone mass from their spine each year in the 5 years after menopause.

Loss of bone density from your vertebrae can weaken them until they collapse. When this happens, it’s called a compression fracture.

Compression fractures almost always occur in the front part of your vertebrae. They can lead to complications like a stooped posture and compression of your spinal cord.

Spinal fractures are the second most common type of fracture in females with osteoporosis, behind hip fractures. Men seem to develop spinal fractures at higher bone densities than women, especially in the lower spine.

Osteoporosis is often referred to as a silent disease because it usually doesn’t cause symptoms until it leads to a fracture.

Once your bones are severely weakened, you may develop symptoms such as:

• loss of height from compression of your spine
• back or neck pain
• stooped posture

Possible complications of spinal osteoporosis include the following:

Spinal fractures

Spinal compression fractures occur when the front part of a vertebra cracks or collapses. Experts usually define them as a 15% to 20% loss in the height of the vertebra. They can occur during minor activities in people with advanced osteoporosis, such as coughing or getting out of a bathtub.

The majority of spinal fractures are linked to osteoporosis. They can cause:

• moderate to severe pain that gets worse with movement and lasts 4 to 6 weeks
• sudden back or neck pain
• eventual height loss
• limited spinal mobility
• spinal stenosis

Spinal stenosis

Spinal stenosis is when the space inside your vertebrae becomes too narrow and puts pressure on your spinal cord. It can cause symptoms such as:

• back pain
• pain or aching that radiates down your buttocks and into your legs
• numbness or tingling in your legs and feet
• neck pain
• weakness in your hands or arms
• numbness and tingling radiating down your arms and into your hands
• loss of bowel control
• loss of bladder control
• impaired sexual function

Kyphosis

Kyphosis is the medical term for a forward rounding of your upper back. Kyphosis may develop as a complication of compression fractures. It can cause symptoms such as:

• pain
• breathing difficulties
• loss of mobility

Arthritis

Research suggests a connection between osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. Healthcare professionals characterize osteoarthritis as the degeneration of a joint from wear and tear.

In a 2018 study, researchers found evidence that people with severe osteoarthritis impairment had significantly lower bone density in their lower spine and femur than people without osteoarthritis impairment.

You can usually treat osteoporosis with a combination of lifestyle changes and medications.

The most prescribed medications for osteoporosis are called bisphosphonates. These medications slow down the rate your body breaks down bone tissues. You can take them by mouth, or a healthcare professional can administer them intravenously (IV).

The bisphosphonate alendronate (Fosamax) may reduce rates of hip and spine fractures by 50%. Zoledronic acid (Reclast) taken through an IV may reduce the rates of spinal fractures by up to 70%.

Learn more about osteoporosis medications.

Home management

You may be able to slow bone loss at home in the following ways:

• If you smoke cigarettes, quit.
• Eat a balanced diet high in calcium and vitamin D.
• Consider calcium and vitamin D supplements if you don’t get enough through your diet.
• Limit how much alcohol you drink.
• Try to exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, three to four times per week.

Research consistently shows that regular exercise can help slow the rate of bone loss in the lower spine and femur of older adults.

The most effective program for reducing spinal fractures is likely a program made up of a combination of exercises.

Experts typically recommend two types of exercises for people with osteoporosis:

• Weight-bearing aerobic exercises, such as:
  • walking
  • stair climbing
  • gardening
  • dancing
  • low impact aerobic exercises
• Strength and resistance exercises, such as:
  • free weights
  • resistance machines
  • banded exercises
  • bodyweight strength exercise

Strength training exercises seem to increase bone density, specifically in the area you’re working.

Learn more about exercises for osteoporosis.

The outlook for people with osteoporosis is generally good if it’s detected when bone loss is in the early stages. You can often improve bone mineral density with early treatment of bisphosphonates.

The outlook is significantly worse after a spinal fracture. Women who fracture a vertebra have an increased risk of another fracture in 1 or 2 years.

Osteoporosis is a lower-than-normal bone density. It’s very common in aging adults.

Spinal fractures are one of the most common complications of osteoporosis. A spinal fracture can cause severe complications if it leads to compression of your spinal cord.

Regular exercise, a nutritious diet, and not smoking are some of the best ways to manage osteoarthritis at home. Your doctor may prescribe medications if they think you’re at a high risk of fracture.