Because I Was an Athlete

There’s a back problem that is most frequently seen in people who are athletically active in their teenage years. It’s called spondylolisthesis which is where one vertebrae slips over another. It’s often the result of a spinal crack or defect, but is common in people who have been ballet dancers or football players or involved in other sports activities. Spondylothesis happens when someone subjects the spine to repeated bending backwards.

The “cure” for spondylothesis is to let the fracture heal. That’s what the vertebrae slipping is usually due to – a fracture in the spine. It can usually be corrected with a brace and cessation of athletic activities. Sometimes surgery is required and the two vertebrae are fused. Sometimes people go for years with slipped vertebrae. The fracture isn’t corrected early in life, because there’s little pain to indicate a problem exists. Unfortunately, this can result in back problems when you get older, because the spine heals incorrectly.

Tags: Athlete, Ballet Dancers, Cessation, Crack, Football Players, Fracture, Other Sports, Slips, Spine, Spondylolisthesis, Spondylothesis, Sports Activities, Teenage Years, Vertebrae

Filed under: Sports Physical Therapy