There are 2 round knobs at the end of the femur called femoral condyles that articulate with the flat surface of the tibia called the tibial plateau. The knee is a hinge joint made up of 2 bones, the thighbone (femur) and shinbone (tibia). Fractures of the tibial plateau are serious injuries that are more commonly seen in athletes involved in high-impact sports such as basketball, rugby, and football and can put athletes out of action for a long period of time. The fracture most often occurs following a high-intensity trauma or injury from the impaction of the femoral condyles over the tibial plateau. To help prevent more fractures, calcium supplements, as well as increased Vitamin D and exercise are usually recommended.A tibial plateau fracture is a crack or break on the top surface of the tibia or shinbone in the knee joint. Kyphoplasty- This procedure is similar to vertebroplasty, designed to reduce pain, stabilize the bone, and restore some or all of the loss vertebral height.Vertebroplasty- This procedure is a minimally invasive procedure designed to stabilize the bone and eliminate pain, where a thinner cement is injected into the collapsed vertebral.Generally, there are two types of surgery recommended to correct the fracture. Treatment for the fracture will usually consist of nonoperative measures that include the following. Treatment of osteoporotic compression fractures is usually two-stepped, treating the fracture and then the osteoporosis that caused the fracture. Treatment Options for Osteoporotic Compression Fractures Nuclear bone scan – This test may be used to identify the site and age of the fracture.An MRI scan can also tell if the fracture is new or old. MRI scan – This test is used if a patient’s pain is thought to be caused by something else or if there is a chance that nearby nerves have been affected.CT scan – This test defines the extent of the fracture and whether there is the potential for bone fragments to invade the nerve channels.If a vertebral compression fracture is suspected an x-ray will be ordered to confirm the diagnosis.Īdditional diagnostic tests that may be considered include: The next step is a physical examination to try and determine the cause of pain and to rule out other possible conditions. The start of the diagnostic process includes a complete medical history, family history, and a list of questions relating to the patient’s pain. Als, an osteoporotic compression fracture may easily be missed on an x-ray. Diagnosis of osteoporotic compression fractures is often difficult because back pain is often associated with many different conditions, making it unlikely that a patient is even checked for a compression fracture. It is important to correctly diagnose compression fractures that are due to osteoporosis to avoid unwanted side effects and compromised quality of life. These symptoms may compromise an individual’s quality of life and adversely affect the ability to complete daily activities.ĭiagnosis of Osteoporotic Compression Fractures Some common complaints associated with a compression fracture are listed below. It is important that woman, especially over the age of 45, take note of any deformity and/or height loss even if no other symptoms are present. Sometimes compression fractures do not cause any symptoms. Common Symptoms of Osteoporotic Compression Fractures As a result, about two-thirds of compression fractures that occur each year are not diagnosed nor treated. Compression fractures may go unrecognized, often presenting with typical back pain, or no pain at all. Although osteoporosis is more typical in postmenopausal women, men can also develop such fractures. Although they can occur anywhere along the spine, they more commonly occur at the junction between the thoracic and lumbar spine.Ĭompression fractures due to osteoporosis are very common, with 700,000 new cases each year. These fractures can occur after trauma, but are also often observed in patients with osteoporosis, a condition of compromised bone strength, and referred to as osteoporotic compression fractures. Spinal compression fractures are a type of spine fracture where the vertebral body becomes compressed or shortened.
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