Broken back. Coloured X-ray of the spine of a 28- year-old woman with a dislocated fracture of a vertebra. The spine (centre) is made up of vertebrae (blocks). The first lumbar (lower, L1) vertebra (fourth block from top) has been fractured and has also moved out of position (dislocated). The severity of the injury depends upon what, if any, damage was caused to the spinal cord, which runs through the vertebral column.