Low Back & Pelvis
Spondylolysis
Also called: Pars stress fracture
A stress fracture of a small bony bridge (pars interarticularis) in a lumbar vertebra — the classic cause of low back pain in young athletes who arch and rotate: gymnastics, dance, football linemen, volleyball, baseball. Caught early, it heals; ignored, it can become a chronic defect.
Common signs
- One-sided low back pain in an adolescent athlete
- Worse with arching (back extension) and rotation
- Pain with sport, eases with rest
- Tight hamstrings commonly accompany it
Seek help now if
- Leg neurological symptoms
- Night pain or systemic symptoms
- Pain not improving with appropriate rest
Any of these: call 911 or get to an emergency room first. Everything else can wait.
What to do first
- Get this evaluated promptly — an extending athlete's back pain lasting more than 2–3 weeks deserves imaging, not 'play through it'
- Relative rest from extension/rotation sport while healing is assessed
- A structured return-to-sport pathway protects the investment
If it's become chronic
- Acute (active) stress reactions heal with load management over roughly 2–3 months plus rehab
- Chronic non-healing defects are managed with core control, hip mobility, and sport technique — many athletes return fully
- Monitor for slippage (spondylolisthesis) during remaining growth
Natural healing options we use
- Chiropractic care for the surrounding regions (hips, thoracic) while the pars unloads
- Anti-extension core programming (dead bugs, planks, carries)
- Hamstring and hip flexor mobility
- Bone-healing nutrition: adequate calories, protein, calcium, vitamin D
About imaging
X-rays first; MRI (or CT in select cases) grades whether the stress injury is active/healing — this determines rest duration.
Daily self-care
- Respect the rest window — it's shorter than re-injury
- Daily core and hip program
- Gradual, criteria-based return to sport
More in Low Back & Pelvis
Lumbar Sprain/StrainLumbar Disc HerniationSciatica / Lumbar RadiculopathyLumbar Facet SyndromeLumbar Degenerative Disc DiseaseLumbar Spinal StenosisSpondylolisthesisSacroiliac
Please read: this page is education, not a diagnosis. A proper examination is how a condition gets confirmed and a plan gets built. See our medical disclaimer.