What Causes Spondylolisthesis?

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Spondylolisthesis is a medical condition that occurs when one of the bones in your back, known as your vertebra, slides over the bone that is below it by sliding forward. Spondylolisthesis most often occurs in the lower portion of the spine, the lumbar region or lumbosacral area. In many cases, spondylolisthesis is actually capable of leading to your spinal cord or your nerve roots becoming squeezed and this can cause many further issues including back pain, weakness in the legs, and numbness in the legs and even possibly losing control over your bowels and your bladder in rare and severe cases. If you begin to experience any of these symptoms, speaking to a physician is recommended.

Understanding what causes spondylolisthesis is an important part of determining whether or not you are actually dealing with spondylolisthesis, or perhaps some other back related issue.

The bones located in your spine all come together at a number of small joints that are responsible for keeping these bones lined up while still making it possible for them to move. The spondylolisthesis condition is caused when there is a problem with ...
... one if not more of these little joints, allowing for one of the bones in your spinal column to move out of its alignment. Spondylolisthesis is actually capable of being caused by a number of different potential problems pertaining to the small joints located in the back, including:

You may have a defective joint that you have had since birth, in the form of a congenital effect

You may have a joint that has been damaged as a result of an accident or some other form of physical trauma

You may be dealing with a vertebra that has a stress fracture, which is a fracture that is caused as a result of overusing the joint

You may be dealing with a joint that has become damaged by way of arthritis or an infection

Spondylolisthesis is capable of affecting children as well as teens that are involved in sporting activities. Some sports like weight lifting and gymnastics are capable of overusing the bones in the back to the point where stress fractures are caused in the vertebrae, and this can eventually result in problems relating to spondylolisthesis.

Adult are also capable of developing spondylolisthesis, especially those who are older because of the fact that stress fractures can be caused as a result of wear and tear experienced by the bones in the back. Spondylolisthesis is actually also capable of occurring without the presence of stress fractures in situations where the disc and the joints are worn down and allowed to move freely and eventually slip out of place.

When spondylolisthesis occurs, there are some common symptoms that may prevent themselves, and some will lend clues to what causes spondylolisthesis. These symptoms include buttock or back pain, pain that is running from your lower back down your legs, difficulty with walking, weakness or numbness in the legs, loss of bowel or bladder control and pain in the legs, back or buttocks that becomes worse with bending or twisting.