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
If any of these is sudden or severe, call 911 or go to an emergency room. For the others, get examined before you start self-care.
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
The longer road
- 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 (SI) Joint DysfunctionPiriformis Syndrome / Deep Gluteal PainCoccydyniaPregnancy-Related Pelvic Girdle & Low Back PainAdult Degenerative ScoliosisAdolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis
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.