Objective To investigate the effectiveness of posterior non-decompression surgery in the treatment of thoracolumbar fractures without neurological symptoms by comparing with the conventional posterior decompression surgery. Methods Between October 2008 and October 2015, a total of 97 patients with thoracolumbar fractures with intraspinal occupying 1/3-1/2 and without neurological symptoms were divided into the decompression surgery group (51 cases) and the non-decompression surgery group (46 cases). There was no significant difference in gender, age, cause of injury, injury segment, the thoracolumbar injury severity score (TLICS), combined injury, disease duration, and preoperative relative anterior vertebral height, kyphosis Cobb angle, intraspinal occupying percentage, visual analogue scale (VAS), Oswestry disability index (ODI), and Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score between 2 groups (P>0.05). The operation time, intraoperative blood loss volume, postoperative drainage, bed rest time, hospitalization time, and relative anterior vertebral height, kyphosis Cobb angle, intraspinal occupying percentage, and VAS score, ODI, JOA score at preoperative and postoperative 3 days and 1 year were recorded and compared. Results The operation time, intraoperative blood loss volume, and postoperative drainage in non-decompression surgery group were significantly less than those in decompression surgery group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the postoperative bed rest time and hospitalization time between 2 groups (P>0.05). In decompression surgery group, 4 cases had cerebrospinal fluid leakage and healed after conservative treatment. All incisions healed by first intention, and no nerve injury or infection of incision occurred. All patients were followed up 10-18 months (mean, 11.7 months). The recovery of vertebral body height was satisfactory in 2 groups, without secondary kyphosis and secondary nerve symptoms. The imaging indexes and effectiveness scores of 2 groups at 3 days and 1 year after operation were significantly improved when compared with preoperative ones (P<0.05). The intraspinal occupying percentage, VAS score, and ODI at 1 year after operation were significantly lower than those at 3 days after operation in 2 groups (P<0.05), and JOA score at 1 year after operation was significantly higher than that at 3 days after operation (P<0.05). Relative anterior vertebral height at 1 year after operation was significantly higher than that at 3 days after operation in non-decompression surgery group (P<0.05); and there was no significant difference in decompression surgery group (P>0.05). At 3 days, the intraspinal occupying percentage and JOA score in non-decompression surgery group were higher than those in decompression surgery group (P<0.05), and VAS score and ODI at 3 days in non-decompression surgery group were lower than those in decompression surgery group (P<0.05). No significant difference was found in the other indexes between 2 groups at 3 days and 1 year after operation (P>0.05). Conclusion Compared with the posterior decompression surgery, posterior non-decompression surgery has the advantages of less bleeding, less trauma, less postoperative pain, and so on. It is an ideal choice for the treatment of thoracolumbar fractures with intraspinal occupying 1/3-1/2 and without neurological symptoms under the condition of strict indication of operation.