From Anne Asher,
Your Guide to Back & Neck Pain.
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Definition:

Compression fractures are breaks in the body of a vertebra. The population most at risk for this injury is the senior population, especially women.

Many compression fractures happens as a result of osteoporosis, and the risk factors are regarded the same for both.

In compression fractures, usually, the front of the vertebra crushes. This has the effect of bending the trunk forward. In time, this causes kyphosis.

There are other, very serious, complications due to osteoporotic compression fractures.

A new surgical procedure called Percutaneous Vertebroplasty shows promise for compression fractures. In this procedure, a form of cement is injected into the fracture in order to stablize the bone.