If you’re up on a ladder cleaning out the gutters or you step on some wet tile near the entryway to work, you may soon find yourself falling. Because of the mechanics of these types of falls, it’s not uncommon for a person to land hard on their butt or their back, and trauma to these areas can be hard on your spine. But what types of injuries are common in these same-level falls or falls from a small height like a ladder? In today’s blog, we take a closer look at if you should be worried about your spine if you landed hard on your back during a fall.
Common Slip And Fall Back Injuries
If you slip and fall on your back, the first thing you’ll likely notice, besides pain, is whether or not you have movement in your arms and legs. If you landed on your back and not your neck, there’s a good chance that you still have movement in your extremities, and while we’ve discussed spinal cord injuries on the blog in the past, today we’re going to assume that your fall did not result in partial or full paralysis.
If you landed hard on your back and are in pain, you’re probably wondering if the injury is serious enough that you need medical attention or if you can manage it at home on your own. Since a fall injury is so unique to the individual, we can’t sit here and say that you can or you can’t manage your injuries from home. However, our recommendation is that you strongly consider being evaluated by a physician or a spine specialist, especially if you believe your injuries may be serious.
Symptoms that suggest you’d benefit from an evaluation by a spine specialist include:
- Significant pain
- Discomfort that worsens with movement
- Significant decrease in range of motion
- An audible crack or popping sound at the moment of injury
- Inability to stand up straight
- Numbness/Tingling sensation
- Weakness in your arms or legs
- New or worsening headaches
But what type of injuries could you be dealing with after a hard fall? If you’re just dealing with mild discomfort and soreness, it’s possible that you simply strained some soft tissues or suffered some localized bruising that can resolve with rest and gentle movements over the course of a few days. If it’s clear that something is amiss, you may be dealing with one of the following acute injuries:
- Vertebral Compression Fracture – When a vertebral segment absorbs more stress than it can handle, the vertebra can fracture, leading to what’s known as a vertebral compression fracture. Movement is quite painful and a doctor assessment is helpful, but that doesn’t mean that surgery is necessarily in your future. Most vertebral compression fractures will heal with conservative methods.
- Herniated Disc – Landing hard on your back can also cause a spinal disc to herniate, oftentimes affecting nearby soft tissues and spinal nerves. Surgery can help with the condition, but you may be able to find relief with rest and targeted physical therapy over the course of a number of weeks.
- Soft Tissue Tear – It’s also possible that you tore a muscle, ligament or tendon in the area. Like the other conditions on this list, you may be able to find relief by undergoing a professional evaluation and getting set up with a targeted conservative treatment plan.
Simply put, we can’t tell you how to manage your injury unless we evaluate you in person, so if you’re dealing with significant discomfort or you simply want peace of mind by better understanding your issue, connect with a spine specialist after a fall. In the greater Twin Cities area, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi and the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.
