Exams and Tests for Spondylolisthesis

Call your spine specialist if you suspect you have a back problem. During your visit, he or she will ask you questions and perform some exams to help diagnose your problem

Your spine specialist will ask about your current symptoms and remedies you have already tried (see below).

Typical Diagnostic Questions

• What are your symptoms and when did they start?
• What activities did you recently do?
• What have you done for your pain?
• Does the pain radiate or travel to other parts of your body?
• Does anything reduce the pain or make it worse?

Your spine specialist will also do physical and neurological exams. In the physical exam, he or she will observe your posture, range of motion, and physical condition. Movement that causes pain will be noted. Your doctor will feel your spine, note its curvature and alignment, and feel for muscle spasm. During the neurological exam, your spine specialist will test your reflexes, muscle strength, other nerve changes, and pain spread.

Your spine specialist might order an x-ray to help diagnose your condition. You will stand up and turn to the side during the x-ray of your low back. The x-ray will show the slip of the vertebra over the one beneath it—the spondylolisthesis. For more information about your spine, your doctor can order a Magnetic Resonance Imaging test (an MRI).