The degenerative form of spondylolysis is associated with other degenerative spinal diseases. The wear and tear of the intervertebral discs begins as early as in the 1920s of a person. It can lead to a protrusion of the intervertebral disc (protrusio) or a herniated disc (nucleus pulposus prolapse).
The increasing water loss of the intervertebral discs leads to a decrease in height of the intervertebral body section (osteochondrosis). The consequences/development are an overload of the small vertebral joints, a malfunction of the spinal ligaments and a creeping instability of the spinal motion segment, consisting of two vertebral bodies and the intervertebral disc between them. The base and top plates of the vertebral bodies are subjected to more stress due to the lowered intervertebral disc.
The body reacts to this by compressing the bone in the area of these structures (sclerotherapy), which can be seen on X-rays. The body tries to counteract the creeping instability of the spinal column by producing bony attachments on the vertebral bodies (osteophytes/exophytes) that seek support in the surrounding area. If the development of instability is very advanced, a wear-related curvature of the spine can develop, further weakening the statics of the spine (degenerative scoliosis).
The altered spinal column statics also changes the points of origin and attachment of the muscles and ligaments of the spinal column, with some muscles and ligaments becoming too close and shortened and others being stretched too much. Both of these factors lead to the weakening of these structures through the loss of function. Painful muscle hardness (muscle hard tension/myogelosis) can result.
An incongruent position of the vertebral body joints in relation to each other leads to premature cartilage abrasion of the joint partners. The same processes that are well known for knee or hip joint arthrosis then take place. The result is joint inflammation, swelling and thickening of the capsules, and even more quickly than in the large joints, joint deformation.
The overall picture of a vertebral joint arthrosis (spondylarthrosis) has emerged. Instability-induced shifts in the vertebral bodies (degenerative spondylolisthesis/pseudospondylolisthesis), thickening of the vertebral joint structures, bony spinal canal attachments, disc protrusions and thickening of the vertebral ligaments (ligamentum flavum) can ultimately lead to a considerable narrowing of the spinal canal (spinal canal stenosis) and pressurize the spinal cord itself or the outgoing nerve roots. Recessus stenosis refers to a pressure on the nerve root in the lateral recessus, usually caused by degenerative changes in the upper vertebral joint process (superior articular process).
In the infantile/adolescent form of spondylolisthesis, it has been proven that, in addition to a congenital weakness of the interarticular portion, an important reason for its development is spine-straining activity in competitive sports. These include : The reason for this is a particular hyperextension in combination with a rotational load or an axial compression load on the spine in these sports. Recurrent micro-injuries in the area of the vertebral arches occur and ultimately lead to spondylolysis, which in turn can lead to spondylolisthesis. Spondylolysis induced in this way is thus a type of fatigue fracture (stress fracture), which, however, usually does not grow together spontaneously, but forms a type of false joint (pseudarthrosis).
- Weightlifting
- Javelin throws
- Gymnastics (triple jump, acrobatics)
- Trampoline jumping
- High jump
- Breaststroke and Dolphin Swimming
- Ballet
- Wrestling
- Rowing
