Spondylolisthesis: The Possible Condition of Weight Lifting

Have you ever heard about Spondylolisthesis? Have you been experiencing any back pain that seems a bit odd? And does this pain accompanied by a feeling where you sudden lose strength in your legs in one big surge? That condition is called Spondylolisthesis. This is a type of back pain where the vertebra or the bone in your back moves forward which misaligns itself from the bone below it. This will cause your spinal cord to be squeezed and can normally happen on the lumbosacral area, which is in the lower back.

People get Spondylolisthesis by being part of physical activities like gymnastics, weight lifting, and some sports. According to study, men are more susceptible to this condition because of tough activities including work.

There are four types of Spondylolisthesis:

1) Developemental Spondylolisthesis –is the type of condition that came from childbirth and is not noticeable until adulthood.

2) Isthmic Spondylolisthesis – this is the condition that was resulted from stress of hard work and lifting heavy objects that causes the spine to wear out. There can be a defect in the formation of the bones and when the connection between the vertebrae weakens, it may suddenly lead to Spondylolisthesis.

3) Degenerative Spondylolisthesis – happens when arthritic adjusted in the joints to the vertebrae due to degenerative. This may happen later in life.

4) Traumatic Spondylolisthesis – is due to direct injury or trauma to our vertebrae. This can be caused by a fracture that can cause the front portion of our bone to slip forward that may misalign with the lower bone.

Symptoms of having a Spondylolisthesis:

1) Lower Back pain. This happens mostly during the workout, exercise or any actions that may involve lifting heavy objects. However, you can feel it worse right after those routines.

2) Weakening of the Legs. Nerve compression is the cause of weekend legs in where some people may feel pain, numbness, tightness of the hamstring, stiffness, pain in the thighs and buttocks, and at the same time with the lower back pain.

3) In rare cases you may also experience the loss of your bladder or bowel control.

4) Muscle Spasms can also be felt when this condition happens due to extreme nerve compression.

How are they diagnosed?

If you are already experiencing some of the symptoms of Spondylolisthesis, it is ideal that you visit a doctor for a physical exam to diagnose your condition. You may already have a hard time doing some simple exercise. Having an x-ray will help determine if your vertebra is misaligned, and through the results, the doctor will surely check if you have any bone fractures on the x-ray images. If it is indeed a Spondylolisthesis, then the doctor will surely suggest a way to treat it.