Unraveling a Compression Fracture in a Young Male

Compression fractures are commonly associated with osteoporosis in older adults.  However, what happens when these fractures occur in young males? In this episode, Erica and Susan discuss a patient who sustained a T6 compression fracture.  It is intriguing to note that it is a young male in his 20's not an older woman in her 70s. Do they require different treatments? Detecting a compression fracture is not difficult thanks to musculoskeletal imaging. However, considering the radiological changes that occur at the vertebral level with compression fractures can sometimes make exercise progression difficult.  They discuss an initial treatment plan for him and what needs to happen to help him tolerate sustained sitting and standing.   A glance at this episode: [2:06] Introduction to patient & history  [4:09] Suffering a compression fracture  [7:19] Trunk rotation and alignment  [9:06] Foam roller exercises  [12:03] Thoracic posterior vs anterior translation  [13:58] How to get traction on a foam roller  [17:27] Etiology of compression fractures  [19:00] Sustained positioning and compression   Related links: Tough To Treat Website Erica's Course: Decoding the Complex Patient Susan's Pelvic Health Education Subscription Access the Transcript