SPONDYLOLYSIS

Course overview

SPONDYLOLYSIS IS A UNILATERAL OR BILATERAL DEFECT IN THE REGION OF THE PARS INTERARTICULARIS, (ISTHMUS OR BONE BRIDGE BETWEEN THE INFERIOR AND SUPERIOR ARTICULAR SURFACES OF A SINGLE VERTEBRA) IS MOST COMMONLY THE RESULT OF REPETITIVE TRAUMA TO THE GROWING IMMATURE SKELETON OF A GENETICALLY SUSCEPTIBLE INDIVIDUAL. THE PREVALENCE OF THIS CONDITION IS 4% BY AGE 6 AND 6% BY AGE 14. SPONDYLOLYSIS USUALLY IS ASYMPTOMATIC, BUT APPROXIMATELY 10% OF AFFECTED INDIVIDUALS PRESENT WITH SYMPTOMS INCLUDING INSIDIOUS ONSET, LOW BACK PAIN THAT IS EXACERBATED WITH ACTIVITY OR LUMBAR HYPEREXTENSION, AND MAY OR MAY NOT BE ASSOCIATED WITH A RADICULAR COMPONENT. THIS ACTIVITY OUTLINES THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF SPONDYLOLYSIS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN MANAGING PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.