Month: July 2021

If the nonsurgical treatment discussed over the last 2 posts fails to adequately relieve the low back pain due to spondylolysis/pars fractures, then surgery might be indicated. It is important to note that not all patients have the same pain intensity, frequency or interference with activities.  The radiographs of the spondylolysis/pars fracture may look identical […]

  Frequently-Asked Questions: When should surgery be performed for spondylolysis/pars fractures?  There is no one answer for everyone, as every situation is unique.  Since nonsurgical management (mentioned in last blog post) may effective in minimizing or eliminating pain, it is necessary to see if this method is successful before undergoing surgery. If I have been […]

So far we have described the anatomy of the vertebra, the location of a pars fracture/spondylolysis, how it develops, and how we can diagnose it. Now we will discuss how to treat a pars fracture/spondylolysis. As mentioned in an earlier post the main symptom is low back pain, which typically increases with sporting/athletic activities, and […]

To summarize the previous post, the pars interarticularis likely never developed normally for individuals who get a spondylolysis or pars fracture.  With continued stress on this area during normal and athletic activities the abnormally-developed pars cannot handle the repetitive stresses applied and a crack develops. If the pars is bone, why doesn’t it just heal […]

Before we talk about what is Spondylolysis or Pars Fracture, we need to understand what is normal.   So, what is normal vertebral anatomy? As you below in the two drawings the vertebra of 3 parts: the vertebral body (which is in the front), the posterior elements (in the back; red circles), and the pedicles […]