Spondylolysis Essay

662 Words3 Pages
Lumbosacral spondylolysis typically occurs in young people,with a mean age at diagnosis in athletes of about 15-16 years. Patients with lumbosacral spondylolysis generally report low back pain aggravated by activity, particularly with hyperextension maneuvers such as in gymnastics. In general, patients present without a history of neurologic symptoms. Physical The physical examination of patient with lumbosacral spondylolysis frequently yields minimal findings. No tenderness to palpation is noted, but some discomfort can be elicited with deep percussion over the midline of the lumbar area. Range of motion is full.. In general, athletes may have an increased chance of having symptomatic lumbosacral spondylolysis • Separate ossification centers • Fracture during postnatal life • Stress fracture • Impingement of the articular process on the pars articularis • Weakness of supporting structures • Growth • Pathologic changes in the pars articularis • Dysplasia of the pars interarticularis However, mechanical factors are widely believed to be the cause or at least the trigger of the development of lumbosacral spondylolysis , especially when congenital abnormalities are present lumbosacral spondylolysis of 6.4% in white males, 2.8% in black males, 2.3% in white females, and 1.1% in black females. A pars defect is twice as common in boys than in girls, although high-grade slippage is 4 times more common in girls than in boys. Functional Anatomy Repetitive axial loading, especially in an extended lumbar spine is thought to be the most important contributing mechanism causing lumbosacral spondylolysis, leading to fatigue fracture of the pars interarticularis. Shear stresses on the isthmic pars are greater when the lumbar spine is extended. When repetitive extension stresses occur, the pars interarticularis becomes impinged from the inferior facet of the
Open Document