What is Spondylolisthesis?

Perhaps the best place to start when learning about spondylolisthesis, is to get comfortable with how it is said! If you break it up into four parts, it is really not too difficult to say: spondy - lo - lis - thesis.

A spondylolisthesis happens when one of the spine’s vertebrae (bones) slips forward over the vertebra beneath it. Spondylolisthesis occurs most often in the lumbar spine (low back).

Some people never know they have a spondylolisthesis because they have no symptoms. When symptoms exist, they typically include one or more of the following:

• Pain in the low back, thighs and legs
• Weakness in the thighs or legs
• Tight hamstring muscles (back of the thighs)
• Loss of, or difficulty with, bowel or bladder control

Spondylolisthesis can alter your appearance. Some noticeable physical differences are:

• Stomach sticks out
• Torso looks shorter
• Swayback (low back curves too far inward)
• Waddle when walking

Doctors describe the severity of a spondylolisthesis using a grading scale from 1 to 5. Grade 1 indicates that 25% of a vertebra has slipped forwards over the vertebra below. A Grade 2 indicates a 50% slip, all the way up to a Grade 5, which represents a 100% slip, (known as spondyloptosis).

To get the best treatment, you first need to know the origin of the problem. This article will help you understand spondylolisthesis and some of its causes. You will read about treatment options and discover prevention tips to help you avoid injury.