Spondylolisthesis

What is Spondylolisthesis?

It refers to the anterior translation of one vertebra over another. There are 3 common types of this condition:

Congenital, which means it presents from birth
Degenerative, which means it occurs related to ageing
Isthmic, which usually happen as a result of stress fracture of our vertebrae, common for people doing activities that involve repeated back movement (eg. soccer player and gymnast)

If the vertebrae slip too forward, this may cause compression of nerve roots that exit the spinal, leading to back pain and even pain and numbness down the leg.

What are the common symptoms?

Persistent lower back pain
Lower back stiffness
Neurological conditions eg. pins and needles, numbness and weakness down the leg
Difficulty with standing or walking for a long period of time

What would happen if you go to a doctor with this condition?

The doctor might send you for medical scan, look at the amount of anterior translation of the vertebrae
For conservative management, the doctor might ask you to take rest and prescribe pain relief medications to relieve the symptoms
For surgical management, the doctor may refer you to a surgeon

How can we help?

People may be diagnosed with “spondylolisthesis” by the doctors, and their X ray or scan may show signs of spondylolisthesis.

However, for the majority of these patients by treating remote points (such as the leg or the shoulder) we can immediately improve the signs and symptoms.

From our combined experience of over 100 years, many patients with spondylolisthesis managed to return to normal life and even professional sports after being advised by their doctors/specialists that surgery was the only solution.

By doing a head-to-toe examination and treatment direction test, we can often identify the real cause and make dramatic improvement in a few sessions.

Therefore, do not give up hopes if you are diagnosed with spondylolisthesis because there is still very high chance of solving your condition with simple hands-on treatments and exercises.

Our unique approach includes:

Comprehensive head-to-toe assessment to find out the causes of your discomfort and all related contributing factors
Written report with explanation of your condition and recommended treatment plan will be provided
100% Hands-on treatment targeting the real causes of your problem and address any mobility issues related to nerves, muscles and joints
Education on correct posture and modification of activities to improve your symptoms and prevent further injury
An individualized home exercise program is prescribed to enable self-management

What would happen if you leave it untreated?

Generally, the longer you have had the injury, the longer it will take to recover. Most of the time, you may assume things will get better by themselves with enough rest. But this is rarely the case, especially if your pain or other symptoms are stopping you from doing what you normally able to do. So, take action and get back doing what you love as soon as possible.