looks like my breathless and backache is a spinal fracture with compressed disc's,anyone know what I can do now regarding exercises and helping myself. thankyou.
spinal fracture : looks like my... - Bone Health and O...
spinal fracture
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Radars
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I would ask for a referral to physiotherapy, as they should be able to advise what exercises you can do.
been talking to a nurse at ros she said just do light weight training, and to ask gp for a x-ray scan of my spine, I have put a request in God knows how long that will be, fractures heal on there own ,I must have had this for a long time because I have been a bit breathless for a long time going up hill,
If you haven't had an x-ray to confirm the fracture, that's definitely necessary, otherwise they're just guessing! Unfortunately x-rays don't always show up spinal fractures, so if nothing is visible, ask for an MRI scan as a follow-up. You can still also ask for physiotherapy.
yeah gp will know, I can do exercises at home, I go for a 30mn walk 5×weekly, and then I do pressups I am up to 27 3×weekly and just keep adding.
Spinal fracture, meaning vertebrae? MRI will validate what is happening in your 75yr old body. Be very careful, they tend continue to collapse if over burdens! Seek qualified advisors!
Back pain can occur when you perform push-ups incorrectly, such as letting your hips sag as you lower yourself before pushing back up. This form increases pressure on your spine as you perform push-ups. It's also possible to experience back pain when maintaining correct form during push-ups.
I asked ros nurse if I can do pressups she said yes, any sort of exercise, will cause a bit of back pain, got to try and keep strong or I will waste away. just doing everyday things in the house causes some back pain, I think I might start taking some paracetamol if it gets worse.
I had a T9 compression fracture last year. Doctors kept telling me it was muscular I knew it wasn't. I finally got an x-ray which confirmed the fracture. I was told not to do any exercise and be very careful. In December I also had an MRI scan. I also had a DEXA scan that showed osteopenia not osteoporosis. Definitely get an X-ray and or MRI scan.If you are under any consultants at a hospital and doctor won't do anything ask them. It was my Rheumatoid consultant that finally got my x-ray sorted and told my gp I 'did indeed have a fracture' I got it through within a week of her requesting one.
they told you not to do any exercise, I was speaking to ros nurse yesterday and she said to do exercises to keep my back strong, now you have said they told you not to do any exercise, I don't know what to do now.
I couldn't have done any exercise anyway as I was in so much pain! I tried but any movement was hell. A back physio/chiropractor I started seeing at The Back Pain. Clinic, a couple of months ago had broken his back in 3 places a few years ago and he said once the pain had subsided enough he did gentle stretching. I had K Laser treatment from him 6 sessions and my back is so much better now. I could only bend and touch my knees now I can nearly touch my toes.
Dear Radars, I have five compression fractures. One can lead to another (like dominoes) if you are not careful. My first (T4) was due to a fall onto my bottom and my doctor said it was probably muscular and sent me to a physiotherapist. When I was eventually x-rayed for the next one( L4), the first one showed up as being "triangulated" so time had passed since it happened and nothing to be done. The next three were all lumbar and caused by bending and/or lifting heavy items. A DXA scan showed that my bone density was quite good for my age (76 at the time) but I was put on colecalciferol and Alendronic Acid. I still take the colecalciferol as a precaution against osteoporosis but I haven't had another scan for three years. I didn't do any exercise, and I know I should have, but while I will never be able to play the violin in a concert again because of T4, I feel that the lumbar ones have all healed (they say give each one three months but I think for an elderly person that is optimistic). You just have to be more careful with your back now (the breathlessness is caused by extra effort you have to make when you are weak and in pain). I believe the best exercise is walking. A consultant in Cyprus told me not to sit down for any length of time; if I need to rest, lie down, and walk lots. I haven't walked lots but I do try and get up and do something in between sitting down and reading/replying to emails and messages on HU. Get someone else to do any pushing and pulling like washing floors, etc. around the house until you no longer have any pain, and try to keep an upright posture. My last fracture caused me to walk bent, but perhaps that was encouraged by using a stick. If you can manage without a stick, please do so; they often have their uses but they often cause a bent posture. I find it difficult to keep my back straight when walking with it. I started using a stick when I got knee arthritis, so if you haven't started using a stick for any reason - don't. I hope this gives you an insight to what you've got and what it might become if you don't take care. They are excrutiatingly painful, so they can certainly stop you in their tracks. Take care and get a scan. 😊😊
thanks I have got some exercises to do from the ros nurse, my back pain comes on after just doing everyday things, the nurse said a lot of people who have multiple fractures also have other problems going on and that they have not had any medication, I had my first zoledronic acid infusion last April so that may help. I can walk well except a little bit breathless especially going uphill.
Uphill - yes, yes. Interesting what your nurse said about people with multiple fractures also having other problems. I too get breathless after doing everyday things but doing them for too long. But I am getting stronger, little by little.
have you had any medication to help you. I have had 1 infusion of zoledronic acid last April.
The problem I found is different gps ect tell you different things. But I would say if the Ros has told you what excercises you can do they are supposed to be the experts. All you can do is try as I did at the start but if it causes pain get more advice.
I think it’s all very well the ROS nurses being experts but unless they have seen you in person , looked at how your limbs move and seen your X-rays any advice they give can surely only be general, so I would be very wary of doing anything prescribed by someone who hasn’t seen you in person.
they have sent me some pamphlets on exercises to do after spinal fractures, just have to wait on my referral x-ray or mri scan.
That’s good but just don’t do anything that causes pain - there’s a different between effort and pain. We do things that are hard work, they takes a lot of effort - even make me sweat at times but our exercises never cause pain.
Roll on your X-ray or hopefully scan, it makes such a difference when you know exactly what is going on inside your body.
I have just been down to the surgery and asked the receptionist if they have heard anything regarding my referral with the lung specialist, and she said it's not a lung specialist, but are testing me for asthma or copd can't believe it I haven't got them so I aren't getting a scan or x-ray, unbelievable
Oh I’m really sorry to hear that. To look on the positive side I suppose if they find you haven’t got asthma or COPD they will go on and do a chest x-Ray or perhaps they will do that when they check you for asthma.
Do you think you are due to have the testing done at your surgery or at a hospital?
Could you book an appointment to speak to one of your doctors and ask them why it seems to you that it appears to you that they are NOT going to offer you a scan or anything like that?
When you get to our age - I’m same age as you - you ought to have been given a named GP so make an appointment with that person.
for a mri scan you have to be really bad because they really dear and time consuming gps don't like referring, a x-ray scan is not as good because it doesn't pick everything up,when I have the asthma and cold test I will ask again, it's obvious with my back pain it's fractures can't win
You might like to take a look at Margaret Martin, she is a physio specialising in osteoporosis. Apart from writing excellent books on safe exercising & safe yoga, she has an excellent YouTube channel with many video demonstrations & a website called Melio Guide.
I love Margaret Martin, I think she is a really sensible person who gives very good advice and I haven’t come across anything on her website that would worry me, in fact a lot of what she says and does is what I already do with my physiotherapist/ Pilates teacher who is also a very sensible and caring person. Again though I think it is better to work with someone who has actually seen you in person at least to begin with but I use her videos and exercises along with what I have learned over the years from physiotherapists and in Pilates.
Oh my. I do empathize with you. I have 8 vertebral fractures. Muscle pain wraps from spine right around to stomach and diaphragm. Deep breathing exercises do help and small meals. First two fractures detected end of June. The fractures can heal by themselves. My exercise right now is limited to walking with my walker. Have you had a bone density scan to rule out osteoporosis (which I also have) and thus limited exercise as they don't want anymore fractures. I had 2 vertebroplasties done in September and waiting on MRI to determine which ones need to be done next. Don't overdo with the muscles as you might experience DOMS within a day or two. But keep moving. Ibuprofen and Paracetamol together helped immensely, but I am no longer able to take the IB. Do whatever it is you can do, but do it lightly.
Radars - when I am doing Pilates with my teacher who is a physiotherapist we often just lie on the floor and breathe - sounds weird but breathing is an easy exercise for the spine and the muscles around it and if you can lie on your back on the floor then you can do it. .
I just had my first aqua therapy session yesterday, was very surprised at what she had me do/try to do and how bad I was at it. Having now been dealing with fractures/back pain for over two years, I know I've lost strength in my back; though I have tried to do at least some back strengthening movements, there's just a lot I now know I can't do/am afraid to do. Also, as I do life/work on top of thoracic fractures, my posture is getting worse, which makes everything worse.
So therapy obviously will be geared to undoing the ways I've tried to adapt to pain and limited mobility, as well as getting me strong enough to maintain those positions. (She's convinced it's possible to cut hair without hunching...what? If that's true, I'm open to finding out.)
Anyway, in the pool yesterday, mostly chest/shoulder deep water, and I am very floaty. I thought we might use a weight belt or something to keep me from floating, but no...I had to use my own muscles. Holy crap. My glutes were throbbing after maybe 15 minutes, thighs got in the game after 30, and it was very, very clear just how weak my core/back was because I couldn't even raise and lower my arms in the water and maintain "good posture".
Yet, nothing she had me attempt caused even the slightest ping in my spine...well, why would it? we had the opposite of compression going on here.
I know pool work isn't "bone building" but I think it could definitely be muscle building, and boy, was I relaxed after. (It was a very warm water pool.)
I definitely wouldn't try it without a therapist. I was thinking I might try a water aerobics class at the pool near me in-between sessions (never have done anything but laps in a pool before; now I can't even do laps...maybe I could do side or back stroke, but my back isn't strong enough currently to keep me level on my stomach,) but now I think I'd just reinforce bad habits. But I am excited to see...there's so much room for improvement, and if I do improve, I can't but think it will help on land. All while not putting any pressure on my spine at all.
As a male, you are probably nowhere near as buoyant as I am (I'm not particularly overweight, and I am still fairly muscular in the lower body, but even at my thinnest and fittest, I stay on the surface. My husband and I did laps for awhile when we first met; he had about 5% body fat at the time, versus my pretty good for me 20%. He was so slow in the water--his body was at a 45 degree angle. (Guess he was weak in his own way?) Just was very striking, though, the difference fat makes 😂.) But it still might be an interesting way to workout without putting strain undue strain on a spine that's adversely affected by gravity?
can't do water ,
Bummer. How come?
Hi Radars. I’ve been like that for three or four years now. I’ve had seven spinal fractures in all. It wasn’t until I had the last four that I became breathless. I thought at first it was my lungs but the Dr sent me straight in hospital. I had a scan the next day and they said it’s not your lungs you have four more fractures. As per usual nothing they can do.
sounds same as me,I didn't know I'd fractured,do you get pain in your back with just doing everyday things. and do you do any exercises. I have been advised to do certain exercises from the osteoporosis nurse.
I get pain in most things I do. I’ve been to a physio that has given me some exercises in the hopes of building up my muscles in my back to support my spine better. I really must do them or I can’t expect any improvement.
yes try and do them,have you had any osteoporosis medication to help you.i bet I have fractured a few times without knowing it I am waiting for a referral for a scan of my spine God knows how long that will be, I had a zoledronic acid infusion last April don't know if it's doing any good yet.
I’m on calcium tablets and Denosumab. Bone meds don’t mend your bones it strengthens them. That’s why we still get so much pain.
that's better than nothing ,I was prescribed adcal-d3 had to stop after 3 days with constipation, I don't think calcium supplements are good they can cause problems.
I took one AA and was really sick the next day. Luckily I was in hospital at the time and I was taken straight off them. I was then put on Denosumab which I’m fine with.
After 14 months of fractures, 10 of them now... from T6-L3, I've learned that doing too much, too fast is a recipe for more fractures. Walking is my main exercise, it's really tough after a fresh, new fracture. I've also learned that medical professionals don't know much about fractures and issues that come with multiple fractures. Avoiding new fractures is vital, you may be able to heal, I have autoimmune conditions, and mine either don't heal, have kyphoplasty to aid in healing, or start re-fracturing now. I had not anticipated the re-fracturing. My first re-fracture is at T-11, and horrible muscle spasms hit about 20 times an hour due to sitting on a nerve, that was the surgery last Thursday. My issues started with a parathyroid tumor going undiagnosed due to careless doctors. I've learned that basic stretching exercises can cause pain and put pressure on weak fractures, so take it easy. Doing exercises on my back, or standing, using a wall, an island in the kitchen are best. If you feel pain, stop. I also learned that once you start a cascade of fractures, there's little to stop it. My neurosurgeon says to rotate lying down, sitting, standing, and doing the back against the wall, feet at baseboard, push abs and thoracic against the wall, then work to get the head against the wall as well. That "easy" exercise is good and helps get the spine strong and back in place.
you have had it rough, I will try that back against the wall but it will be difficult to be flat against the wall with the slight curve at the top of my back I have now got dowagers-hump, I am doing some exercises to try and prevent that.
It is hard, but I've knocked off three inches of distance in the last six months. I can now feel my hair touching the wall. The spine can be moved, turned, if it doesn't get past the point of "no return"...I try to do the wall push 6-8 times a day, do as much as you wish, hold for 30-60 seconds. Important to keep chin tucked in close to neck, not force head back only to look up at the ceiling. If you have to push chin back, use hand, gently push it down and back.
Sounds like you’ve been well advised SG and you’re making good progress. There are lots of what appear to be very simple and subtle exercises that are really good for your spine. Keep up the good work 😊
I’ve got a big ish hump on my back. I’ve got a job to lie in the dentist chair now.
have you had any medication, how do you know when you have had another fracture.
I had Terraparatide first then Denosumab. I’ll never come off the Denosumabbi was told.
thanks, it's hard work, I do pressups but someone said it puts pressure on the spine, the back against the wall I can put my bottom and back against the wall but not my head, how many do you do.
If a press up is a push up, then it's not safe on the floor in full form, but you can do counter top push ups safely, or use a wall. Less pressure on the lower spine and those of us with kyphosis have weak abdominal muscles in most cases, especially those of us with multiple fractures. The wall back press...you just keep doing the best you can, and gradually you'll get stronger. It works your leg muscles, buttock, spine, and you are training the spine to be stronger and move. Do it as best you can, press back, and tuck neck down and engage muscles. It's a long term exercise. I do 6 a day, hold for 1-2 minutes.
how do you do the wall back press
Put your back to a wall, feet as close to the baseboard as you can get, if you need to, place them an inch or two out from the baseboard. The push your tush to the wall, then spine, as close to the wall as possible, first lower, which is hard for folks with lumbar fractures, but gets the muscles working, do the best you can to get it against the wall, then thoracic, it's hard, just push gently, finally push back neck and head, as much as you can, and many of us will be inches away from the wall with our heads. It's best to push your chin down a bit, and push it back if possible, even a little to get the muscles going. Not good to have a view of the ceiling, puts neck in a bad position for cervical area. Hold for 1-2 minutes, do as much as you like, I do 6 times a day.
what do you mean tush and first lower.
Start with feet against the wall and go up from there, buttocks firmly on wall, thigh muscles engaged, then push spine as much as you can, and shoulders/neck/head as you can.
I don’t know if this will improve the hunch. I just want to do things without pain.
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