When Minor Falls Are Overlooked in the Elderly: A Case Report of Vertebral Compression Fractures and Chronic Diaphragmatic Hernia

Falls are common in the geriatric population, and the high prevalence of osteoporosis in this population increases the risk of their associated injuries. Such injuries can be subtle and be overlooked by the patient or even physicians. In this case, we present a 78-year-old woman who presented following a fall with associated acute vertebral compression fracture (VCF) and was found to have another chronic VCF and a chronic diaphragmatic hernia that had been overlooked for over two years. This case shall highlight that physicians must be astute when assessing the frail elderly who can develop serious, yet subtle, injuries from what might appear minor trauma. Discovering such injuries helps not only in treating them early but also in implementing patient-specific preventive measures early.