Fractured Back sidelines Eagles QB
Philadelphia – Carson Wentz’s fractured back leaves the reigning superbowl champions without their starting quarterback for the second season in a row.
ESPN reports Carson Wentz, originally diagnosed with back soreness, suffered a fractured vertebra. Pederson gave those details during a press conference before the Eagles battled the Rams Sunday. He also said Wentz could need up to three months to heal.
“I can confirm he has a stress injury,” Head Coach Doug Pederson said Friday. “This thing had evolved over time and it requires zero surgery to heal.”
THE POSSIBILITIES
Although we have not actually seen Carson Wentz as a patient, the details released in the press sounds like a very common spine condition known as a compression fracture. It’s a pretty common source of back pain. Out of 100 people suffering back pain, 4 will end up diagnosed with a compression fracture.
- What can cause a compression fracture?
- Car accident
- Fall
- Osteoporosis
- Spinal Bone Infection
- Myeloma – a rare type of tumor
- Other kinds of cancer
A compression fracture occurs when part of a vertebra (bone in the spine) collapses. A single vertebra has two sections- the vertebral arch, which protects the spinal cord, and the vertebral body. If you have a compression fracture, it means part of the vertebral body has collapsed. Trauma or the weakening of the vertebral bones are the two most likely causes of Compression Fractures. The most common cause of weakening is Osteoporosis, most commonly diagnosed in older women. Again, 25-year-old Carson Wentz is not our patient, so we cannot say with certainty what caused his condition is or what caused it but being tackled to the ground by 250- and 300-pound defensive football players every week could definitely qualify as trauma.
COMPRESSION FRACTURES CAN HEAL WITHOUT SURGERY
|
|
Compression Fractures can be very painful but usually they are not dangerous. AVALA Spine always tries to look for nonoperative treatments for our patients before recommending a surgery. We look at compression fractures the same way. Pain Medication and modified physical activity may be all Wentz needs to heal. If he was our patient, he definitely would sit the rest of the season and the post-season out. Doctors may also recommend wearing a brace to help support the back.
Surgery would only be recommended if a patient’s spine appears to be unstable. A surgeon may perform vertebroplasty or a kyphoplasty- where the surgeon injects a cement mixture into the fractured bone to stabilize the fracture, treat pain, and prevent a spinal deformity. |
FRACTURED BACK MAY MEAN AN END TO WENTZ’S SEASON
Wentz has dealt with back pain for years and suffered a similar injury back in college according to SBNation and NBC reporters during Sunday Night Football.
He will sit out the remaining three games of the season. The Eagles are 7-7 for the season now after beating the Los Angeles Rams, 30-23.
If you are struggling with low back or neck pain and want a specialist’s opinion call our office at 985-400-5778 or fill out our “Request an Appointment” form below.
