Spondylolysis
Spondylolysis is a very common injury in people under the age of 26 years of age. This condition is defined as being a fracture to the pars interarticularis region of a vertebrae, most often in the lumbar spine. The "pars" region of a vertebrae is the space between the superior and inferior articulating facet joints. It often occurs in athletes that participate in football, gymnastics, and weightlifting. All of these sports put an excess amount of stress on the lumbar vertebrae as a result of the hyperextension, often followed by an axial load on the lower back region. The added stress on these vertebrae is a directly linked to the anterior or posterior slippage of a vertebrae (spondylolisthesis). Spondylolisthesis and Spondylolysis generally occur together, being that an anterior/posterior translation of a vertebra is commonly followed by a fracture to that same vertebra(e).