LUMBAR SPONDYLOLYSIS AND SPONDYLOLISTHESIS

Course overview

SPONDYLOLYSIS REFERS TO A POSTERIOR DEFECT IN THE VERTEBRAL BODY AT THE PARS INTERARTICULARIS. USUALLY, THIS DEFECT IS DUE TO TRAUMA OR FROM A CHRONIC REPETITIVE LOADING AND HYPEREXTENSION. IF THIS INSTABILITY RESULTS IN TRANSLATION OF THE VERTEBRAL BODY, SPONDYLOLISTHESIS HAS OCCURRED. THIS PROCESS REQUIRES A FRACTURE OR DEFORMATION OF THE POSTERIOR SPINE ELEMENTS CREATING AN ELONGATION OF THE PARS. THIS CONDITION OCCURS IN ALL AGES WITH THE UNDERLYING CAUSE VARYING BASED ON THE AGE GROUP. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF LUMBAR SPONDYLOLYSIS/SPONDYLOLISTHESIS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN IMPROVING CARE FOR AFFECTED PATIENTS.