To study the effect of percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) at different time on the efficacy of senile osteoporotic lumbar compression fracture. Methods A total of 114 elderly patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF) treated in our hospital from December 2014 to December 2016 were selected as the subjects. All patients were treated with PKP. According to the operation time＜7 days (55 cases), 7~14 days (35 cases), and 15~28 days (24 cases), they were divided into the groups A, B, and C. The follow-up data of 2 years after operation were recorded. The surgical related indexes and preoperative were compared. Cobb angle and pain visual analogue (VAS) scores were recorded 3 days after surgery, 1 month after surgery, and 2 years after surgery, and bone cement leakage was recorded. Results There were no significant differences in the operation time, hospitalization time and bone cement usage between the three groups (P>0.05). The Cobb angle and pain VAS scores of the three groups were significantly lower after surgery, but the VAS score of group A was significantly lower than that of B after 3 days. In group C, the Cobb angle of group C>A and B in 2 years after operation, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05); the leakage rate of bone cement in group B was significantly lower than that in group A and B, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion PKP surgery for elderly patients with OVCF can obtain satisfactory short-term and long-term results, but the fracture to surgery time<7d pain improvement effect is better. The operation time (7~14d) that the cement leakage rate is the lowest. The operation time which is 15~28d prone to long-term correction loss.