Bilateral spondylolysis in a school karate kid

Spondylolysis, or isthmic lysis, is the dissolution of the continuity of the pars interarticularis, which is the bone bridge between the inferior and superior articular surfaces of a single vertebra. The prevalence of spondylolysis in the general pediatric and adolescent populations ranges from 4.4 to 4.7%. Many factors have been theorized, but there is general agreement that young athletes practicing sports involving high levels of axial loading of the lumbar spine are at a higher risk. Although asymptomatic spondylolysis is more prevalent, clinicians generally face the challenge of diagnosing the condition earlier and prior to its aggravation. Commonly the course of the condition is favorable under conservative treatment allowing the patient to resume his prior activities. We present a case of bilateral spondylolysis in a 13-year-old boy with a history of chronic low back pain.