What is Lumbar Spondylolisthesis?
Lumbar Spondylolisthesis is the slipping of back bone (vertebra) forward when compared to the vertebrae below. It can happen at any level of the spine column (neck, upper back, lower back), most common at lower back region.
What causes Lumbar Spondylolisthesis?
Lumbar Spondylolisthesis can be caused by:
– Trauma
– Repetitive hyperextension movement of spine
– Spondylolysis, a crack in the pars interarticularis of vertebrae
– Congenital
– Sport injuries, commonly in gymnastics, diving, weightlifting, martial arts, football.
Different Classifications of Lumbar Spondylolisthesis
Spondylolisthesis is classified according to the percentage of slip of the vertebra, based on Xrays measurements:
- Grade 1 is 0–25%
- Grade 2 is 25–50%
- Grade 3 is 50–75%
- Grade 4 is 75–100%
- Over 100% is Spondyloptosis, when the vertebra completely falls off the supporting vertebra.
Signs and Symptoms of Lumbar Spondylolisthesis
– Back Pain
– Worst after certain exercise, especially with extension movement
– Stiffness
– Numbness, tingling or weakness in the legs due to nerve root irritation.
– Severe of the nerves can cause loss of control of bowel or bladder function or cauda equina
Effective Treatments Solution for Lumbar Spondylolisthesis Back Pain:
–Pain Relief Therapy: Using pain relieving treatment modalites such as Ultrasound , electrical stimulation, TENS, laser, heat therapy to reduce pain, tissue repair and healing
– Physiotherapy: Your physiotherapist will understand about your back pain and perform physical examinations. Your back conditions will be diagnose and explain before implementing solutions to your back.
– Medical Exercise Therapy: Specific targeted exercises to relieve back pain, proper stretching to loosen back muscles tightness, correct muscle imbalance. Long term progressive exercises are important for chronic back pain to rehabilitate, strengthen deep abdominal, back and core muscles, exercises to improve dynamic spinal stability. All exercises are guided by therapist to correct possible incorrect compensatory movement and ensure proper posture alignment, technique and muscle activation.
– Stretch Therapy: Using a variety of different active or passive stretching methods to improve muscle length, reduce muscle tension
– Massage Therapy: Hands-on technique such as soft tissue release, deep friction massage, myofascial release, trigger points release to ease back pain and muscle tightness
–Shockwave Therapy: Advanced high energy pulses effective for chronic, persistent back muscle tightness, trigger points to stimulate healing
– Spinal Decompression Therapy: Using computerized system creates an anti-gravity, negative pressure to the thoracic and lumbar spine on the spinal disc, joints, nerves and muscles.
– Manual Therapy: Passive thoracic/ lumbar joint mobilisation, manipulation, manual traction, craniosacral therapy
– Education: Advice to improve posture, lifestyle modifications, ergonomics workstation adjustment, stress reductions
Our unique treatment approach for Lumbar Spondylolisthesis back pain
At heal360 Physioclinic, our physiotherapist and rehabilitation therapist experts has developed a proprietary signature program for the spine –Spine360™ Program
Our therapist will perform a thorough assessment and determine the potential cause of the problem, and will develop a management and best treatment program for your back pain: re-educate, re-train your spinal muscles, and give you a renewed, stronger spine and confident look!
