Vertebral compression fractures due to osteoporosis are the most common fracture in postmenopausal women and men of advanced age. Statistically, 25% of US women over 50 years of age have had 1 or more vertebral compression fractures, and only 30% of these patients seek medical care for this. The ensuing health-related quality of life score, HRQL, is greatly reduced within 1 year of injury and takes longer to cause adverse effects than extremity fractures. Numerous studies have shown that survival rates for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures at 3, 5, and 7 years are 53.9%, 30.9%, and 10.5%, respectively, significantly lower than controls, with men having a worse prognosis than women; patients who undergo vertebroplasty have an approximately 2.2-7.3 year longer median survival than patients treated conservatively.