This is a condition where one vertebra might slip forward or backward in relation to the rest of the spine. Spondylolisthesis has no particular target area – it can occur in the cervical, the lumbar or the thoracic area.
If your spine moves forward, the condition is known as anterolisthesis while a backward slippage of the vertebra defines the condition of retrolisthesis. There are five major types of lumbar spondylolisthesis and these can start with pain as the initial symptom.
The pain might increase following a workout or any daily life exercise. Movement gets restricted over time, as the spondylolisthesis moves from Grade 1 to Grade 2. The maximum offset in the spinal canal is at Grade 4, where the vertebra is completely off balance with the lower vertebra.