However, as patients with isthmic spondylolisthesis age, spinal stenosis can occur just as in degenerative spondlylolisthesis, causing bone spurs to narrow the spinal canal and result in nerve compression.Ībout 4% to 6% of the U.S. This means that narrowing of the spinal canal is less likely than in other kinds of spondylolisthesis, such as DS in which the entire spinal bone slips forward. Symptoms of isthmic spondylolisthesis often arise in middle age.īecause a pars fracture causes the front (vertebra) and back (lamina) parts of the spinal bone to disconnect, only the front part slips forward. The stress fracture does not always cause the slip to occur, and very rarely does the slip progress significantly ad get worse over time. The normal disk degeneration that occurs in adulthood can then stress the pars fracture and cause the vertebra to slip forward. In most cases of spondylolytic spondylolisthesis, the pars fracture (also called spondylolysis) occurs during adolescence and goes unnoticed until adulthood. This type of spondylolisthesis is called isthmic spondylolisthesis. The fracture typically occurs in an area of the lower (lumbar) spine called the pars interarticularis.

Spondylolytic Spondylolisthesis (Isthmic Spondylolisthesis)Īnother common cause of spondylolisthesis is a crack (stress fracture) in the vertebra. In this X-ray taken from the side, vertebrae in the low back have slipped out of place due to degenerative spondylolisthesis. A higher incidence has been noted in the African American population. Women are more likely than men to have degenerative spondylolisthesis, and it is more common in patients over the age of 50. Spinal stenosis is a common problem in patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis. Ultimately, this narrowing and buckling lead to compression of the spinal cord (spinal stenosis). In some people, this can create instability and ultimately result in degenerative spondylolisthesis.Īs the spine continues to degenerate, the ligaments along the back of the spine may begin to buckle, resulting in nerve compression.Īs the slippage in the spine worsens, the spinal canal can also become narrowed.

As these disks lose height, the ligaments and joints that hold our vertebrae in proper position begin to weaken. As we age, the intervertebral disks in the spine lose height, become stiff, and begin to dry out, weaken, and bulge. Degenerative SpondylolisthesisĪs we age, general wear and tear causes changes in the spine. The two most common types in adults are degenerative and spondylotic/congenital. There are several causes/types of spondylolisthesis.

Xray lumbar spine bulging disk