Minerva . . . and other stories

Jet skis and vertebral fractures

Riding speedboats or jet skis over rough water is exhilarating but there’s a risk of vertebral compression fracture if the craft splashes down heavily. A series of cases from the island of Malta reports that these fractures are invariably located around thoracolumbar junction and that L1 is the vertebra most commonly affected (Scott Med J doi:10.1177/0036933018760226). The incidence is seasonal and all fractures occurred between May and October. The message is that anyone complaining of back pain after indulging in this sort of recreational activity needs to have their spine x-rayed. …