Lover's Fracture

Findings

-This patient demonstrates a fracture through the calcaneus and a vertebral compression fracture at the thoracolumbar junction.

-This combination is called a “lover’s” fracture and is caused by axial loading (i.e. lover jumping from a window to escape an enraged spouse)

-There are retropulsed vertebral body fragments in the spinal canal, which can lead to neurologic compromise.

http://eradiology.bidmc.harvard.edu/Classics/item.aspx?section=Emergency+Radiology&labelpk=33f0adab-853f-4010-a0e2-0756b3f1eac5&pk=3e7aa04d-020a-401b-9bf2-f3558392e29b