ILC's Treatment for Spondylolysis /
Spondylolytic Spondylolisthesis

Spondylolysis / spondylolytic spondylolisthesis may occur acutely during adolescence, or it may occur during adolescence and recur around middle age.
In the acute phase during adolescence, it is extremely important to keep the spine at rest and promote healing.
In order to promote this healing, our rehabilitation facility provides acupuncture, moxibustion, nutritional guidance, physical therapy, and correction of chronic body movements that may have caused the damage.

In the acute phase immediately after the onset of symptoms, acupuncture and moxibustion are used to relieve pain and promote healing. In addition, since nutrition is extremely important for bone fusion, a nutritionist will provide nutritional guidance according to the physical condition of the patient.

Once symptoms have settled and the bone has healed appropriately, exercise therapy is performed to correct the chronic triggers.

In the case of low back pain around middle age, the bone itself is not the problem, but the symptom recurs due to decreased stability/increased stress in the area where the spondylolisthesis has occurred.

Possible reasons for this recurrence are:

• Decreased stability due to disc degeneration
• Decreased core strength
• Increased stress on one part of the back

The Cellgel method is needed to reestablish disc stability, and exercise therapy is needed for the remaining causes.

For Adolescents

In order to understand the severity of the spondylolysis and/or spondylolisthesis, a consultation will be held with the doctor based on the MRI imaging findings.
After the initial injury, a rest period of about 4 weeks will be given in consideration of the condition of the bones.
During the rest period, we will evaluate the hip, ankle, and other potentially problematic body parts.
After 4 weeks, the patient is gradually allowed to move around; the entire body, including the thoracic spine, is evaluated by moving the body slowly.

For Adults

In order to understand the state of spondylolysis and/or spondylolisthesis, a consultation is held with the doctor to determine which part of the spine is under stress based on imaging findings and the condition of the intervertebral disc.
Using the findings as a reference, we will evaluate the aggravating and mitigating factors of the symptoms in the posture and movements of daily life while actually moving the body slowly.

Aggravating factors are defined as movements that should not be performed, and mitigating factors are symptoms that can be alleviated by doing certain body movements. We will comphehensively evaluate these factors with muscle strength and stiffness, and explore the nature of the symptoms.

In addition, since inflammation is very closely related to the state of the physical body, we will also conduct a medical interview and evaluate the level of oxidative stress to evaluate the factors contributing to inflammation.

Treatment methods for lumbar spondylolysis in adolescents

The main treatment is stretching, core training, and corrective programs. The following are actual examples from the rehabilitation program.

• 1. Initial Period (Weeks 0 to 4)
  • Core muscle (endurance) training + postural modifications
  • Stretching of hamstrings and gluteal muscle groups on back
  • Mobility of glutes and hamstrings
  • Dietary guidance and implementation
• 2. Middle Period (Weeks 5 to 12)
  • Initial training + lower limb strength training
  • Stretching of Achilles tendon and hamstrings while standing
  • Dietary guidance and implementation
• 3. Final Period (After week 13)
  • Initial + middle period training + jogging
  • Form modification for sports
  • Aerobic exercise using aerobic bikes and other machines
  • Dietary guidance and implementation

Spondylolytic Spondylolisthesis

This is more common in adolescents and middle-aged women.
Due to the vertebrae sliding forward, nerve compression and low back pain may occur.
A common treatment is to stimulate blood circulation with acupuncture and heat therapy to control pain and promote healing.

• 1. Rehabilitation for Adolescents
  • Wearing a corset
  • Stretching
  • Inhibit excessive movement during sports, improving form
  • Correcting habitual movements to avoid injury
• 2. Rehabilitation for Adults
  • Weight adjustment
  • Correcting posture, especially middle back
  • Gaining core muscle strength for intervertebral stability
  • Improving range of motion of thoracic spine and hips

Postoperative rehabilitation is performed with considerations to pain and numbness due to physical compression.
We also provide dietary guidance, posture, form modification in sports, and lifestyle guidance.
In addition to physical therapists, we also have personal trainers on staff to provide comprehensive care.

The treatment period for spondylolysis often takes several months to six months, as the bones need to completely heal.

Even after treatment is completed, the patient is able to lead a normal life immediately; a period of rest and rehabilitation is often required.
Rehabilitation often takes two to three months even with early detection and early treatment, indicating that a lot of time is required for treatment of lumbar spondylolysis.
However, this is a rough estimate of the length of treatment and rest period when spondylolysis is detected early, so if it is detected late and is advanced, it will take even longer to heal.

If the spondylolysis develops into spondylolisthesis (slippage), the healing of the bones does not occur normally and it takes time to stabilize, so the treatment period is longer than that for spondylolysis.
In addition, if the patient has neurological symptoms such as numbness and pain, it will take even longer.
Even after the Cellgel treatment, the patient may not be able to lead a normal life immediately, but may have to rest for a period of time depending on the condition.