Back Talking!

Spondylolytic spondylolisthesis. Wow that is a mouthful! Okay, now for a translation of the words, that should help to make things a little clearer. http://backtalkinghelp.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/5986930142_22d2caba3c_m.jpg ()Scotty Dog! Spondylo means vertebra, lytic means to burst, and listhesis means to slip. So the word translates to a burst and slipped vertebra! Yikes! that doesn’t sound very good! Actually, there are many people walking around with this and have no idea at all. Spondylolisthesis This condition has numerous causes, and in fact has been classified into 6 different categories. What we are going to discuss today is the lytic type that affects the pars interarticularis. The mechanism of injury for this type is thought to be from repetitive cycling of the vertebra between flexion and extension. This cycling motion creates either a stress fracture or a complete break through the posterior arch of the vertebra called the pars interarticularis. To understand this better, think of