It Finally Happened: I Fractured My Spine

I spent about half a year thinking I was experiencing a recurrent, terrible axial spondyloarthritis (AxSpA) flare-up only to learn that I had, in fact, a spinal fracture (spondylolysis). The pain seemed to settle in very gradually, and then become overwhelming very quickly. I started noticing something was wrong around April, but AxSpA always has you wondering: Is this a flare-up or is this something else?

There were hints

The more movement, the worse it got—which is different from my previous flares, when swimming, walking, and gentle movement helped. What the hell was going on?

And then the nerve pain started. It was like I was being electrocuted from my legs down to my feet— constantly. Or it felt like trickling water. Or numb. Or tingling. Swimming (which I started doing seriously in July) just made everything worse, even though swimming was always the thing that made AxSpA better. Meloxicam stopped working.

The pain was like nothing I've experienced

Walking sent pain down my legs in a way I had never experienced before. I felt sick to my stomach with pain (and like you, I am used to pain). I was more or less bound to my house, worried about walking around the block, and unable to even stand—even though only months ago I was on another continent getting married and dancing through the night (with moderate AxSpA pain). Although perhaps the fracture was there then, too, and hadn't gotten bad yet?

I thought it was just nerve pain-then I demanded x-rays

At the start, there was an explanation for my nerve pain: My rheumatologist initially thought that inflammation had impinged my nerves. I bought it. I kept taking medicine and waiting for relief. The doctor didn't ask for any additional imaging, though—which I now see as a red flag.

Finally, at my wit's end, I hobbled to the urgent care center and demanded x-rays—at the least. They showed a fracture at L5-S1 (at the lumbosacral junction) and spondylolisthesis (slippage of the disc). All my blood work was normal (which we know is not always helpful). And not only did it show a fracture...it was chronic, meaning it wasn't acute or fresh or new and healing. It was "non-union," and not healing.

So, I jumped into overdrive and saw a neurosurgeon who has put me into six weeks of physical therapy—twice per week at the office, and every day at home. The goal is to strengthen my core to stabilize my spine and the disc affected, and to get my body to a strong place so that—in the case of surgery—my recovery is better.

I am waiting on insurance to authorize MRIs and additional standing x-rays.

A lot of us know that living with AxSpA comes with a risk of spinal fracture.¹ In fact, between 5% and 15% of patients could see a spinal fracture—and research shows that AxSpA can further complicate the spinal fracture reality.^2,3

Denial, grief, and loneliness

But I went into a spiral of denial, grief, exasperation, disappointment, shame, and fear. I am still in that spiral, but I am finding better moments and better days.

I now know that my workouts likely aggravated everything: the hardcore freestyle swimming (back extension is not good for what I have), walking without resting, lifting, bending, putting strain on my back.

It is expensive, time-consuming, and mentally lonely because I am 38 and went from dancing and swimming and walking to envisioning what my life might look like if I need spinal surgery. On top of managing AxSpA.

While I have no hard evidence that AxSpA is the evil culprit behind this spinal fracture, I also had no injury in my memory. It simply is there. And it needs to be dealt with or I will lose my mobility (and my mind).

It's a journey. I would love to hear from you about spinal surgery, fracture, and all the spondy experiences you've had.