Spinal Vertebral Fractures: New Insights

In the past, researchers have estimated that 35-50% of all Caucasian  women will experience a spinal vertebral fracture.  This figure has always seemed high to me, and now, we have hard data on the "real" risk of spinal fracture thanks to the 15-year US Study of Osteoporotic Fractures. Out of 2,680 women in the study, it was found that 18% of all women developed a spinal fracture between the starting mean age of 68 and the ending mean age of 84. This is not as worrisome as the 35-50% estimation previously proposed, but as the study shows, certain groups of women are at a very high risk for spinal fracture.

• Among women with an osteoporotic spine bone mineral density, but no existing spinal fracture at baseline, 23.3% fractured a vertebra during the 15-year study.
• Among those coming into the study with previous spinal fracture, 41% experienced a new spinal fracture, even if they did not have low bone density.
• Highest risk of fracture was among women who came into the study with osteoporotic bone density and an existing spinal fracture.  A full 56% of these women suffered a new spinal fracture during the study.

Read my spinal vertebral fractures full report.

Bone Health Tip: Your Fracture Risk Assessment