How bad's a cracked vertebra? (1 Viewer)

[Tim Holyoke]

My brother cracked a vertebra tonight in his hockey game. How bad is that? I haven't talked to him or my parents, they're still at the hospital. How well can you move around and function normally? Thanks.

 

[Cary_H]

I'm no doctor, but I'd think it would have alot to do with how it happened. I hyperextended my lower back about 20 years ago surfing in Hawaii. It made a disc bulge. For any number of years later it made doing some things dicey, and occasionally I re-injured it.
Years later I was in a car accident and ended up spending time in physio sessions. Not only did they resolve the new issues, but in the process eliminated any symptoms of the macho surf prang.
I'd tend to think the hockey injury might be more likely an impact thing versus something like what I had.
What the area around it suffered might dictate how well it can be rehabilitated.

 

[Tim Holyoke]

So yeah, I talked to my mom this morning, they took him to a bigger hospital, fractured 2 vertebra in 4 places, the Dr. said it looked like he was in a car wreck, couldn't believe it was from hockey. He's gotta wear a full cast of some kind now, no surgery though.