If you get a spinal fracture, your doctor may recommend a back brace for a short period of time. As your vertebra or vertebrae heal, a brace will support your spine. With your bones weakened—by osteoporosis and by the fracture—your back muscles will need extra help to support your body weight during the healing period.

Most likely, you'll have to wear the brace when you're in extreme pain (it'll remind you to take it easy and be good to your body). When your doctor says it's all right for you to exercise, you'll probably have to wear a brace then to protect you from making extreme movements.

Your doctor probably won't let you wear the brace for very long because you don't want to become dependent on it. You want your spine and back muscles to become strong and healthy again, but with prolonged use of a brace, the muscles and bones actually get weaker.