From Pain to Progress: How SpineJack is Changing Spinal Care

More than 1.5 million Americans suffer vertebral compression fractures every year — and osteoporosis, accidents, and cancer are the three most common causes. The first-line treatment options are frustratingly limited for many patients.

Pain meds, back braces, and vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty all help with pain and function, but even these minimally invasive surgical options often leave patients with long-term challenges. Those can include chronic pain and ongoing mobility struggles that impact every aspect of daily life. They also include reduced height, spinal misalignment, and a permanently heightened risk of future spinal fractures.

SpineJack is changing that — by improving patient outcomes while shortening recovery times.

What Is SpineJack? What Makes It Different?

SpineJack is a titanium medical implant directly inspired by the mechanics of a scissor jack. A fast, minimally invasive surgery is required to install a pair of these devices. Once in plants, the SpineJack implants are expanded to prop the collapsed vertebra up and allow for fuller healing. Bone cement stabilizes the fracture, but SpineJack permanently supports the vertebra.

Older surgical approaches — vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty — are both relatively effective at relieving pain and stabilizing vertebral compression fractures. SpineJack, in contrast, also realigns the spine. That leads to better posture, a healthier spinal curvature, and a much reduced risk of subsequent fractures caused by load bearing changes.

The SpineJack system has been used in Europe since 2008 and in the United States since 2018, with data consistently showing positive outcomes. Patients treated with the SpineJack procedure get more height back than they do with vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty, and they don’t have as much pain as the fracture heals, either. The risk of future spinal compression fractures caused by the shift in load bearing from the first goes down, which sets patients up for healthier, more active lives.

Recovery is faster, too. It’s not uncommon for patients to say they feel great within three to four weeks. That also means patients can get back to their normal (and active) lives more quickly — which makes a big difference. Overall, people who underwent the SpineJack procedure indicate that they have a better quality of life. With this treatment, their past spinal fractures leave them feeling less disabled, because they can do more.

When Could the SpineJack Procedure Be the Right Choice?

Despite an established history of success in the field, SpineJack still hasn’t become the first option your medical team will suggest after a spinal compression fracture. It’s most often recommended to people who haven’t recovered with a combination of medication and spinal brace treatment (the most conservative treatment option), and usually in cases where height restoration is particularly important.

SpineJack is most powerful in the face of larger and more complex fractures that call for ongoing stabilization. It can be life-changing for people with osteoporosis — because SpineJack lowers the risk of future fractures. People who suffered a vertebral compression fracture after trauma or because of to metastatic cancer can also benefit greatly.

Equally importantly, SpineJack can be a treatment option for patients who have already undergone spinal treatment — but didn’t get the outcomes they had hoped for. Corrective surgery with SpineJack can give some people who live with severe pain and mobility restrictions after previous spinal surgeries their lives back.

Patient Experience: What to Expect Before, During, and After the Procedure

Patients are usually sedated during the 30–60-minute procedure, which is done under fluoroscopic guidance. The recovery timeline varies, but most people can go home the same day and report a noticeable reduction in pain within days.

Follow-ups often include physical therapy, bone density evaluation (especially in osteoporosis patients), and lifestyle adjustments to help prevent future fractures.

How Has SpineJack Changed Spinal Care?

That’s a complicated question, because adoption hasn’t been the same everywhere. In Europe, where the SpineJack procedure has widely been embraced, its availability has changed clinical guidelines. That’s partly because patients treated with the SpineJack procedure have better outcomes, but also because it slashes rehab costs in countries with socialized healthcare systems.

Adoption has been slower in the United States, but it’s picking up steam. Treatment centers that prioritize maximum function, quality of life, and preventative care offer SpineJack to suitable candidates because it often gives patients the best chance of a pain-free, active life.

Where other surgical options for vertebral compression fractures often essentially amount to a form of triage, SpineJack shifts the focus to the future. It’s preventative as well as restorative — and that explains why SpineJack is set to become the first-line treatment option for patients whose vertebral compression fractures result from severe osteoporosis or trauma.

Is SpineJack Covered by Insurance?

One common concern is whether advanced procedures like SpineJack are covered by insurance. Fortunately, many U.S. insurance providers, including Medicare, may cover SpineJack if deemed medically necessary, especially in cases where conservative treatments have failed or the fracture is severe. Patients should consult both their doctor and insurance provider in advance.

Final Thoughts: A Shift Toward Functional Healing

SpineJack is part of a bigger shift in spinal care — one that doesn’t just aim to stabilize but to restore quality of life. It offers a future-forward solution that combines structural support, function, and comfort. As adoption increases in the U.S., patients and doctors alike are beginning to realize that it’s not just about managing spinal fractures — it’s about truly recovering from them.

The Compression Fracture Clinic | Naples, FL

Don’t let back pain or compression fractures limit your mobility and quality of life. At The Compression Fracture Clinic in Naples, FL, our fellowship-trained neurosurgeons and spine specialists provide advanced minimally invasive spine surgery and comprehensive back pain treatments tailored to your needs.

We focus on providing specialized medical and interventional treatments for patients experiencing back pain due to compression fractures, with the goal of facilitating the quickest possible recovery for the patient. Contact us to schedule an appointment today and learn how spinal decompression therapy, kyphoplasty, or vertebroplasty can help restore your spine’s health.