Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis
Q. How does spondylolisthesis differ from spondylolysis?
A.
The vertebra above has slipped forward over the one below. It develops from spondylolysis or from degenerative change.
📝 Detailed Answer
Spondylolisthesis is also called vertebral slippage. Symptoms arise as the vertebra above slips forward over the one below.
It usually appears in the 30s and 40s, and more often where muscle and ligament are relatively weak. The main symptom is low back pain, and if the forward movement compresses the nerve, spinal stenosis can progress alongside and bring numbness in the legs.
Some people develop a waddling gait with the knees held straight, or a visible change where a vertebra in the lower back protrudes.
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