Comprehensive Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis Treatment

Spondylolysis is a fracture (crack) in a vertebra (spine bone) of your spine. Sometimes, the fracture causes the broken vertebra to slip forward, called spondylolisthesis. When this happens, it causes your spine to curve differently than it should. The vertebra’s new position may also press on spinal nerves, causing pain.  

We diagnose spondylolysis versus spondylolisthesis based on whether or not the broken vertebra has slipped forward. This is determined through diagnostic imaging.  

We treat spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis with the same approaches. Because symptoms vary, we develop a personalized treatment plan for each person — care designed just for you. We use medicines — including spinal injections to reduce pain — physical therapy and pain management therapies.  

If these approaches don’t relieve your symptoms, our spine surgeons use a variety of back pain treatments to restore the curve of your back and treat pinched nerves. These treatments include spinal fusion, anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF), transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF), oblique lateral interbody fusion (OLIF), posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF), anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) or posterior cervical fusion (PCF).  

What Is Spondylolisthesis?