Spondylolisthesis Flashcards
What is spondylolisthesis 3
- vertebral body slips out of place resting on the bone below
- Slippage can occur in 2 directions, anterior translation (anterolisthesis) or backwards translation (retrolisthesis)
- The disks between vertebrae and the facet joints (the two back parts of each vertebrae that link the vertebrae together) can wear down. Bone of the facet joints actually grows back and overgrows, causing an uneven and unstable surface area, which makes the vertebrae less able to stay in place
congenital spondylolisthesis
occurs when a baby’s spine doesn’t form the way it should before birth. The misaligned vertebrae put the person at risk for slippage later in life.
Isthmic Spondylolisthesis
happens as a result of spondylolysis. The crack or fracture weakens the bone. repetitive Pars interarticularis stress causes fracture in the L5 vertebra
Degenerative spondylolisthesis
the most common type, happens due to aging. Over time, the disks that cushion the vertebrae lose water. As the disks thin, they are more likely to slip out of place.
population 2
- young children in athletics- gymnastics and football places pressure on the lumbar spine,
- Aging over 50- degenerative changes weaken the spine
Symptoms 6
- Lower back pain
- Muscle spasms in the hamstrings
- Pain bending over
- Kyphosis
- Numbness weakness tingling in the foot
- Difficulty walking standing for long periods
imaging to confirm
- X-ray
- CT scan
- MRI- shows soft tissue and disc abnormalities
surgical approach
- spinal fusion – the slipped bone (vertebra) is joined to the bone below with metal rods, screws and a bone graft
- lumbar decompression – a procedure to relieve pressure on the compressed spinal nerves
non invasive approach 2
- NSAIDs
- Epidural steroid injections
conservative exercises 5
- pelvic tilts
- knee to chest
- bird dog
- glute stretch
- hamstring stretch
conservative activity
- cycling
- swimming
- elliptical
conservative activity
- cycling
- swimming
- elliptical
meyerding classification of spondylolisthesis
Grade I: O-25%
Grade II: 25-50%
Grade III: 50-75%
Grade IV: 75-100%
Grade V: > 100%
If there is more than 100% slippage, it is known as spondyloptosis