Spondylolysis Associated with Degenerative Joints in the Spine

Spondylolysis is defined as a defect or stress fracture in the pars interarticularis of the vertebral arch. While the cause of spondylolysis is unknown, many factors are thought to contribute to its development. A recent study set out to determine the effects of this condition on the facet joints in the lumbar spine, which help make it possible to flex, twist, and bend. Researchers evaluated the radiographs of 107 patients with L5 spondylolysis and compared them with those of individuals without the condition and found that the patients with lumbar spondylolysis had more severe degenerative changes of the facet joints than those without spondylolysis. The findings suggest that individuals with spondylolysis are at a greater risk for developing degenerative joint issues in the lumbar spine. —Clinical Spine Surgery, July 2017