October 5, 2026

A spinal compression fracture can start with something as small as a sneeze or a step out of the shower. If you have osteoporosis, a vertebra can crack and collapse with very little force, and the back pain that follows can make it hard to stand, walk or sleep.

Most of these fractures heal on their own. When the pain doesn't let up, your doctor may bring up two related procedures, and the kyphoplasty vs vertebroplasty question comes next. Both inject bone cement into the broken vertebra. One adds a balloon first.

This guide covers how each procedure works, what the research says, who qualifies and what recovery looks like, so you can have a better-informed conversation with your spine specialist.

Kyphoplasty vs vertebroplasty: the short answer

Both procedures are types of vertebral augmentation, and both treat painful compression fractures, most often caused by osteoporosis. The difference is one step.

In vertebroplasty, the doctor injects cement straight into the fractured bone through a hollow needle. In kyphoplasty, the doctor first inserts a small balloon and inflates it to create a space and help lift the collapsed bone, then fills that space with cement.

Neither one is right for every fracture. Your doctor will weigh how old the fracture is, how far the bone has collapsed and how much it still hurts before recommending either procedure, or neither.

What is a vertebral compression fracture?

A vertebral compression fracture is a break in one of the bones of the spine that makes it partly collapse. Estimates of how often it happens vary. The American Association of Neurological Surgeons puts it at about 750,000 people a year, while the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) cites about 1.5 million a year in the U.S. Either way, compression fractures are the most common fracture in people with osteoporosis, affecting an estimated 25% of postmenopausal women in the U.S.

Common symptoms include:

• sudden back pain
• pain that gets worse when you stand or walk and eases when you lie down
• limited movement of the spine
• over time, lost height or a stooped posture

Spinal tumors can also cause these fractures. Both orthopedic spine surgeons and neurosurgeons treat them, which shapes who you see for the kyphoplasty vs vertebroplasty decision.

Nonsurgical treatment comes first

Most patients start with conservative care before any procedure. According to AAOS, most people with a spinal compression fracture feel better within 3 months without surgery.

That care usually includes:

• rest and a break from heavy activity
• over-the-counter pain medicine, sometimes with muscle relaxants or a short course of stronger pain medicine
• a back brace to limit motion while the bone heals
• osteoporosis treatment to strengthen bone and help prevent the next fracture

The healed vertebra won't return to its original shape, but it's usually stable. Kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty come into play when pain stays moderate to severe despite this care.

How vertebroplasty works

Vertebroplasty is often done as an outpatient procedure by an interventional radiologist, neuroradiologist or spine surgeon. You lie face down and usually receive moderate sedation through an IV, so you don't need a breathing tube.

Using live X-ray guidance, the doctor passes a hollow needle through the skin into the broken vertebra and injects a cement mixture. The cement typically hardens within 20 minutes and stabilizes the fracture. No stitches are needed.

According to RadiologyInfo's guide to vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty, the procedure is usually done within one hour, or longer if more than one vertebra is treated.

How kyphoplasty works

Kyphoplasty follows the same path with one added step. After the needle is in place, the doctor inserts a small balloon into the fractured vertebra and inflates it to make the bone taller and more round again. The balloon is removed, and the cavity it leaves is filled with cement.

That attempt to restore height is the main way kyphoplasty differs in the kyphoplasty vs vertebroplasty comparison. The cavity also gives the cement a defined space to fill.

Like vertebroplasty, kyphoplasty is minimally invasive and done through a needle, and many patients go home the same day. If you're wondering whether you'll stay overnight, our guide to outpatient vs inpatient surgery explains what usually decides it.

What the research says

The evidence is mixed, and it helps to know that going in. AAOS notes that two large studies found vertebroplasty helps only in the short term. In contrast, current studies suggest kyphoplasty may help people feel better sooner and move more easily than nonsurgical treatment alone.

Other sources report good results for vertebroplasty too. RadiologyInfo states that about 75% of patients regain lost mobility and become more active after vertebroplasty, and that some patients feel relief right away.

When you compare kyphoplasty vs vertebroplasty for your own fracture, ask your doctor what results they see in patients like you and whether your fracture's age and shape favor one technique.

Are you a candidate?

The American Association of Neurological Surgeons lists the criteria many specialists use. You may be a candidate if you have:

• an osteoporotic compression fracture that has been present for more than two weeks
• moderate to severe pain that hasn't responded to conservative treatment
• a painful fracture caused by spinal metastases, multiple myeloma or a vertebral hemangioma

These procedures usually aren't recommended if:

• the fracture has healed or is improving with conservative care
• the fracture has been present for more than one year
• the vertebra has collapsed by more than 80 to 90%
• the spinal curve comes from a cause other than osteoporosis

If you're unsure about a recommendation either way, a second opinion before surgery is reasonable.

Recovery and risks

Recovery after either kyphoplasty or vertebroplasty is usually quick. RadiologyInfo says most people can walk about an hour afterward. You'll need someone to drive you home, and you should avoid strenuous exertion such as heavy lifting for at least six weeks.

The AANS estimates complication rates below 2% for osteoporotic fractures. Risks include:

• cement leaking out of the vertebra, which rarely causes problems unless it reaches the spinal canal or the blood vessels of the lungs
• infection needing antibiotics, which appears to happen in fewer than 1 in 1,000 cases
• bleeding, increased back pain, or numbness or tingling
• new compression fractures, which develop in about 10% of patients

That last point is why bone health matters. AAOS reports that more than 30% of people with a spinal fracture will have another fracture within a year, so ask about osteoporosis testing and treatment.

Talking to a spine specialist

The kyphoplasty vs vertebroplasty decision comes down to your fracture: how recent it is, how much the bone has collapsed and how much pain you have after a fair trial of conservative care. Both procedures are short and minimally invasive. Kyphoplasty adds a balloon to lift the bone before the cement goes in.

Bring your imaging and your questions to the appointment, and ask about bone density treatment too. Our checklist of questions to ask your surgeon is a good place to start.

When you're ready, see what a spine surgeon does and find one near you.