Spondylolisthesis?

Hi guys, have any of you had spondylolisthesis?

It’s where one (or more) vertebrae (usually lower vertebrae) slip forward out of position.

If you’ve had it - what symptoms did you have?

Did you experience a shortening of your torso causing your ribs to become closer to the top of your pelvis? So that bending far to the side causes discomfort as it makes the bottom rib rub against the top of the pelvis?

alternate, quit obsessing about your symptoms. We know it’s you, even if you made a new fake name–all your posts sound the same. You don’t have spondylolisthesis.

The main reason I think whatever condition I have is height-loss related (although I am 24 and am not in significant back pain) is that in the morning (when people are taller), I can bend extremely sideways freely and my ribs will not touch on my pelvis. In the evening, however, I can’t bend freely to the extreme side as my ribs will touch on my pelvis. This ‘touching’ did not use to happen, even in the evening - so I am assuming some sort of height loss has taken place in the spine and I’m wondering what sort of condition could cause that without putting me in back pain?

Since your apparent height changes from the morning to the evening, you can’t have a permanent condition like spondylolisthesis.

In the morning, people are taller because the discs the spine are able to rehydrate and fill with fluid while no compression is being applied to them. During the day, due to our upright posture, gravity and other compressive forces squeeze some of the fluid back out of the discs. This makes us shorter at the end of the day. This also makes the spine more flexible. Think of a hose filled with water versus a flaccid hose; which bends more easily?

This might account for the change in mobility you get from morning to evening. If it isn’t affecting you in any other way (no pain, no loss of function), then I would stop worrying about it so much. Extreme sidebending in the frontal plane is an unnatural motion anyway and feels awkward for most people.

Cheers smallmike, I get a tightness (not really a pain) around my abdomen anyway - whether I’m just waking up or in the evening, so it may not be height related - feels like the rectus abdominus and/or obliques are constantly spasming.

This would indicate overactive abs, but my abs and glutes must be weak (despite all the resistance work I do on them) because I’m in anterior pelvic tilt. Anterior pelvic tilt = overactive lower back and hip flexors, and weak abs and glutes.

Man, I’m just confused and don’t know how to make it go away.

I have a spondylolisthesis. Those symptoms do not sound like those that would be experienced from it. The most likely symptoms would be back spasms and pain and weakness in the lower back. It can’t happen unless one of the facets joints is broken between vertebrae (usually between L5 and the sacrum).

A spondylolisthesis can only be diagnosed through a scan so go see a doc. It’s a rare injury and the symptoms feel like a number of other back issues, if they are present. There is no way to self diagnose it.

natrondninja, thanks for your response - have you not experienced abdomen/rib pain, and/or a discomfort in bending sideways because the space between your ribs and pelvis has been reduced?

No, I haven’t experienced any of those symptoms.

Does a spondy have to be severe before it causes torso shortening?

If you have severe spondylolesthesis, is it possible to have it without realizing you have it because there is no (or very limited) actual back pain?

Severe spondylolesthesis causes anterior pelvic tilt, and I have anterior pelvic tilt, but I’m, not sure whether or not it’s caused by severe spondylolesthesis. It also causes tight hamstrings - but I’m not sure how tight is classified as tight? My hamstrings are not that flexible, but I can touch the floor with my knees straight…

I have spondylolisthesis and do not or did not have not those symptoms. I went to the doctor and was diagnosed after I had numbness and weakness in my right leg. The numbness was caused by pressure on a nerve caused by the movement of my spine. I am lucky that it was only minor, but the doctor suggests I keep getting checked to make sure it doesn’t get any worse.

[quote]batch1 wrote:
I have spondylolisthesis and do not or did not have not those symptoms. I went to the doctor and was diagnosed after I had numbness and weakness in my right leg. The numbness was caused by pressure on a nerve caused by the movement of my spine. I am lucky that it was only minor, but the doctor suggests I keep getting checked to make sure it doesn’t get any worse. [/quote]

thanks, have you experienced any height loss at all? Maybe if you measure yourself you may detect a difference?

I’ve been diagnosed with it. My main symptoms are lower back pain when doing certain exercises (good mornings, squats, dead lifts, etc.) and my legs get numb or have poor circulation at times (namely in my feet). Always gets worse specifically after dead lifting…which is why I tend to do them from pins and start just below the knees. Lessens the negative aftermath somewhat.

Spondy’ sucks. Big. There’s my contribution.