The following is a transcript of a report by medical editor Marilyn Brooks that first aired March 20, 2007, on WTAE Channel 4 Action News at 5 p.m.

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Four out of five people will have back pain at some point in their life. For some, that pain will be caused by a spinal fracture that compresses the vertebrae. Doctors are using balloons to help strengthen the spine and reduce pain.

Looking at Marty McDonald now, no one would ever guess just getting up from a chair used to make him cringe in pain. Two compressed vertebrae in his back made even fix-it projects nearly impossible.

"Trying to lift stuff or if I sat in one position for a long while and got up or moved, it would give you that jerky pain," said McDonald.

"These are very painful fractures and traditionally, our way of treatment, our manner of treatment, was to place the patient in a brace for three months," said Dr. Louis Caragine.

But in recent years, surgeons have learned to relieve that crippling pain with a minimally invasive procedure called kyphoplasty.

Two x-ray machines are used to show the spine. Through two small incisions, surgeons insert a small tube into the center of the vertebral body. A balloon is placed through the tube and inflated to push the vertebra back to its normal position. The balloon is then removed and bone cement injected into the cavity.

That procedure not only helped McDonald stand straighter, it helped him get his life back.

McDonald was not only back on his feet, but he was able to jump on the back of a mule and ride to the bottom of a canyon. He and his wife are now planning their next big adventure.

Kyphoplasty is a good option for compression fractures caused by osteoporosis or bone cancer. It is not for people with young, healthy bones or anyone with spinal curvature, spinal stenosis or herniated discs that have caused pinched nerves or lost neurological function.

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