Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis Symptoms

Spondylolysis and spodylolosthesis can be a source of low back pain. Having one of these conditions does not mean you are certain to have back problems, but it does put you at higher risk. These conditions can cause mechanical pain - the kind that comes from within the moving parts of the spine. They can also cause compressive pain, which is from pressure on the nerves of the low back.

Pinched or irritated nerves produce compressive symptoms. This occurs in spondylolysis when a lump of tissue forms around the crack where the body has tried to heal itself. The lump can cause pressure on the spinal nerves where they leave the spinal canal. A pinched nerve can also happen in spondylolisthesis when the vertebra slides forward and squeezes the nerve. The forward slip of the vertebra also makes the spinal canal smaller, leaving less room for the nerve roots. Pressure on the nerve can produce pain that radiates down to the foot. It can also cause numbness in the foot and weakness in the muscles supplied by the nerve.