What is Spondylolysis?

spondylolysis occurs when any defect in the spine causes weakness of vertebrae and repetitive stress or injury to the spine leads to a small crack or fracture at pars interarticularis. It causes back pain but it is treatable, usually without surgery, and with medication and physiotherapy. Spondylolysis can cause spondylolisthesis.

Signs & Symptoms of spondylolysis:

  • Acute and gradual onset of pain, Lower back pain, Tenderness on palpation, Back pain feels similar to muscle strain, Lumbar extension and rotation can increase the symptoms, The pain appears after intense athletic activities, Intense pain restricts activities of daily living or sporting performance, Symptoms become aggravated after a stressful event, Rest can relieves the pain.

Physiotherapy Management:

  • The goals of physiotherapy management are:
    • Allow sufficient time for healing to occur, Pain-free with daily activities, Increase abdominal and core strength,• Ensure normal hip and thoracic mobility, Gradually increase the flexibility of key upper/lower body muscles.
  • Facilitating the healing process:
    • isometric contractions of the surrounding muscles can promote additional blood flow and thus healing of the affected pars.
    • Therapeutic modalities such as TENS and High-intensity class 4 laser therapy will help in fracture healing.
  • Pain management by:
    • Cryotherapy, Combo-therapy, Super Inductive System therapy.
  • Range of motion exercise:
    • Gentle spine mobility exercises, Flexion rotatory manipulation.
  • Strengthening exercises:
    • bridges,4 points alternate arm or leg raises, Side-lying hip abduction or clamshells, Side Planks, Supine hamstring curls on the Swiss ball, Cat and camel exercise, Squats, Lunges.
  • Flexibility exercises:
    • Supine figure 4 piriformis stretching, Supine or side-lying hip flexor & quad stretching, Child’s pose latissimus dorsi stretch, Supine 90-90 active knee extension hamstring stretch, Supine pectoralis stretching in 90-90 shoulder position, Myofascial release.
  • Core stabilization exercises:
    • Deep abdominal co-contraction exercise: The aim of deep abdominal co-contraction exercises is to train muscles surrounding the lumbar spine which provide stability to the spine. Core stability exercises include:
      •  Crunches, Plank, Swiss ball exercise.
  • Aerobic exercises:
    • Light stationary biking, Deepwater jogging in the pool with a floatation vest.