@daisy17 I, too, am very sorry for what you're going through.

I'm 64 and have 5 (or maybe 6?) vertebral fractures. The first was very painful and was just a fall off the edge of the bed while trying to get rid of a leg cramp back in 2020.

This year, 2024, I have broken 4 (5?) more vertebrae during three separate events. I broke 3 shoveling snow, something I can no longer do. After a dexa scan and MRI this Spring showing these 3 new vertebral fractures (from the snow shoveling) I returned to doing my bone exercises. I had stopped doing the bone exercises for 8 months due to a broken foot metatarsal and various other reasons. When I returned to the exercises I broke a vertebrae in the upper back and I learned I should have started out again using very low weights for the exercises. I now have a big kink in my spine at T7 and it still gives low pain at times. I didn't do kyphoplasty but maybe should have. It would have helped to keep my spine straighter but I was worried about exercise and the effect of kyphoplasty on surrounding bone. I'm now back dong the bone exercises but at a much lower level - 3 lbs for a deadlift.

Most recently (2024) I lifted something I shouldn't have and thought I broke another upper vertebrae but it didn't show on the X-ray. The pain level is low. From this thread I learned that fractures don't show up right away! Thank you for that information @windyshores. I also have some fractures that only showed up on the MRI.

I now understand, from personal experience and this forum, that upper spine vertebral fractures are worse than lower ones.

Not being able to lift what I used to be able to is the most limiting part of all this.

As far as pain, I have been fortunate to have most of the pain when the fracture is recent. A brace and medicine help a lot with pain during the early days of healing a vertebral fracture. I have had everything from excruciating pain to low pain for my vertebral fractures.

Anything you can do to stretch out your spine is very helpful with pain. I would ask your specialist if it is ok to do this during healing. I learned how to stretch my spine sitting, lying down and standing. About a decade ago, when I saw my 92 year old mother become bent over trying to read things she couldn't see well, I took an in-person posture class using the Gokhale Method. That is where I learned how to stretch my spine and how to bend my body using hip hinges. Both of these skills have helped me many times in my life, including improving healing from respiratory illness (opening the lungs to get more oxygen) as well as relieving pain and at least the knowledge of how to prevent injury with OP. https://gokhalemethod.com. Anyone can improve their posture and learn to move in ways to mitigate pain.

Bone exercises are proven to help bone density. I worked with an exercise physiologist at The Bone Clinic (https://theboneclinic.com.au) to get an exercise program specifically for me and increase my bone density. Over a two year period I increased my spinal T-score from -4.6 to -4.0 using only supplements and bone exercises. That was great until I stopped the exercises for 8 months and my T-score plummeted to -4.5. In my current condition The Bone Clinic recommends that I not do flexion (curving my spine forward) or weighted twists.

I am an active person and would likely have fewer fractures if I were more accepting of my condition. I also wish I had guidance from someone familiar with what can happen earlier on. I am glad you are getting information from other people's experiences at this stage.

I also have been reluctant to take medicine because of side effects. Now I know I need it. I am currently on Tymlos (2 months in) for my spine which had a T-score of -4.5 this Spring (2024).

I hope this is helpful to you and others.