Three of the main causes of Sciatica are Herniated Disc, Piriformis Syndrome, Spinal Stenosis and Isthmic Spondylolisthesis.

In this article we are going to look in more detail at Isthmic Spondylolisthesis but you may also find the following information very useful:

Causes of Sciatica – Herniated Disc

Causes of Sciatica – Piriformis Syndrome

Causes of Sciatica - Spinal Stenosis

If you are suffering from Isthmic Spondylolisthesis, then you should know that this condition could easily lead to sciatica, and if you contract this condition, then you will undoubtedly suffer from severe back and/or leg pain.

In some cases, if this condition is not treated it could become degenerative, and you might start to experience severe back pain in addition to hamstring tightness. Luckily this is a curable condition and there is quite a bit of information available.

What is Isthmic Spondylolisthesis?

As a spinal issue, Isthmic Sponulolisthesis is a direct result of vertebrae instability. One vertebrae will actually slip over another, and this will normally happen at the fifth and sixth , and oftentimes it is the result of genetic defect. Keep in mind though that it does not always shave to be a genetic defect.  There may very well be other causes which we will detail below.

Causes of Isthmic Spondylolisthesis

The most common cause of this condition is a fracture in a small bone between vertebrae, and this occurs due to the fact that the bone is extremely thin. It honestly doesn't take much to break it, and this can become a serious issue.

This is not a congenital problem, though it does tend to happen to young children. Though it is a serious issue it may not cause any pain for several days.

Adolescent athletes may also experience this problem, and they are in fact in a rather high risk group.

As the condition involves one vertebrae covering another, it is fairly easy to diagnose, and it is normally measured in grades. These grades are:

• Grade 1 25% slippage

• Grade 2 25%-50%

• Grade 3 50% to 75%

• Grade 4 More than 75%

Grade 4 is the most severe and most painful, but most patients will never actually reach it. In fact, the majority of patients will only suffer from grade 1.

Symptoms of Isthmic Spondylolisthesis

The following are a few of the resulting symptoms:

• Nerve breakdown is the cause of sciatica

• Pain begins in the thighs and will move to the rear area

• When one exercises, intense pain will be the result so long as they are suffering from this issue

• Severe leg pains

• Massive muscle spasms

• Tightening hamstrings

• Irregular gait

Some individuals will find that their abdomen protrudes and they contract conditions such as waddling gait and shortened torso.

Treatment of Isthmic Spondylolisthesis

Regular treatment will be required and recommended by most doctors, let's take  a look at the most common treatments

• Steroids taken orally

• NSDAIDS

• Physical Therapy

• Chiropractic treatment

• Epidural

Surgery is an option, but many would rather use it as  last resort. It is a complex procedure, and surgery always entails risk. Doctors will typically wait until the condition degrades before they even consider surgery.

Our Recommendation

Once the slippage has happened or you have been diagnosed with a progressive form of Isthmic Spondylolisthesis,  it is recommended that you seek professional help from a qualified expert who will be able to advise you of the best possible treatment for your particular condition.

Using Muscle Balance Therapy principles will help you to assess you own particular muscle imbalances so that you can ascertain a program that will work for you.

Muscle Balance Therapy - Further Information

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