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I recently posted about this subject under Pars Fracture and received a couple helpful replies (Thank you).   I know this condition is referred to by a few different terms and was wondering if there are anymore experiences with Spondylolysis?   My son was recently diagnosed with a CT scan and he's been told most cases are managed with bracing and therapy before return to sport.   My concern after researching this condition is that there are a lot of documented cases where the injury or related complications come back.  I read about this topic from a 2013 thread so I guess I'm looking for some more "recent" experiences people can share about how their players fared after having this condition and then dealing with the rigors of college/pro ball.    I appreciate any feedback.   

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I thought I would never post on this forum again, but I'll help here if I can. My son was diagnosed with this condition. Prognosis was all over the place. From he will never play again to he will play in pain to this can be fixed. All the "spine specialist " we saw gave a negative outlook. Found a chiropractor who knew how to deal with it. A brace for a couple of months. Exercises and PT. That was many years ago. Now in last year of college ball. Many challenges but this wasn't one of them. The most the kid complains about is a stiff back if he stands for long periods of a time.

The kid has a bilateral grade 2. Same as Andre Agassi. Winner of a few major tennis tournaments.

@4arms posted:

I recently posted about this subject under Pars Fracture and received a couple helpful replies (Thank you).   I know this condition is referred to by a few different terms and was wondering if there are anymore experiences with Spondylolysis?   My son was recently diagnosed with a CT scan and he's been told most cases are managed with bracing and therapy before return to sport.   My concern after researching this condition is that there are a lot of documented cases where the injury or related complications come back.  I read about this topic from a 2013 thread so I guess I'm looking for some more "recent" experiences people can share about how their players fared after having this condition and then dealing with the rigors of college/pro ball.    I appreciate any feedback.   

As always with posts like this don't take this as medical advice.

1) There's a few different kinds of spondylolysis, but 2nd most common would be isthmic, usually from heavy loaded extension. Think pitching and hitting, two movements that can be done repetitively at a high intensity.

2) It doesn't tend to get worse with age, and its progression is not associated with LBP (meaning you're not doomed with LBP moreso compared to someone who doesn't have this as you age): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12768144/ and to add on to that, there's no association between those get back pain more frequently and those who don't get it as frequently with regards to spondylolysis https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/p.../pdf/nihms506376.pdf

3) It seems the mean return to sport is ~5.5 months in elite adolescent athletes: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/p...2001_Article_326.pdf and whether or not it heals has no impact on return to sport. This would lend credence to "Hey, if this hurts, especially in extension during hitting and/or throwing and other activities, perhaps we back off those activities for awhile, then gradually reintroduce them later down the line."

Thanks Xfactor,

it seems as though the overwhelming amount of cases regardless of severity tend to be treated with a non-surgical approach unless it progresses where it affects discs and nerves.  I think where I’m struggling is the unknown of how a college program will take handling a player with a condition that is manageable but might need to restrict certain work loads depending on flare ups.  This seems to be a very frustrating injury on all levels of play and while I want to handle it in the most efficient way possible I’m also not crazy about the idea of someone potentially recommending surgery to fix it if it doesn’t heal naturally being he’s only 16.  I know most of this is more appropriate for medical professionals but it definitely helps hearing positive stories on athletes who managed this successfully and went on the play for many years.  

@4arms posted:

Thanks Xfactor,

it seems as though the overwhelming amount of cases regardless of severity tend to be treated with a non-surgical approach unless it progresses where it affects discs and nerves.  I think where I’m struggling is the unknown of how a college program will take handling a player with a condition that is manageable but might need to restrict certain work loads depending on flare ups.  This seems to be a very frustrating injury on all levels of play and while I want to handle it in the most efficient way possible I’m also not crazy about the idea of someone potentially recommending surgery to fix it if it doesn’t heal naturally being he’s only 16.  I know most of this is more appropriate for medical professionals but it definitely helps hearing positive stories on athletes who managed this successfully and went on the play for many years.  

Surgery doesn't need to happen. However, there are procedures that need to be followed. Mainly PT to strengthen the muscles of the back to better support the spine. The two little bones that help support the vertebrae in my son's back have broken and will never heal. The vertebrae have also moved slightly, which freaked me out and I made sure the chiropractor knew it. He was like "your elbow isn't held together by bone, only muscle and it doesn't come apart". Good point, and all that didn't stop a P5 school from giving him a scholarship.

I'm going to PM you with the name of the chiropractor who worked with my son. When everyone else told the kid sucks to be you, deal with it, this man told him he'd fix him and did. I know he'd be glad to help.

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