Incidence and etiology of lumbar spondylolysis: review of the literature

Lumbar spondylolysis is a defect of the pars interarticularis known to occur as a stress fracture. Its incidence varies considerably depending on ethnicity, sex, and sports activity. However, there are few literature reviews describing its incidence in different ethnic groups or in people who engage...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of orthopaedic science : official journal of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association 2010-05, Vol.15 (3), p.281-288
Main Authors: Sakai, Toshinori, Sairyo, Koichi, Suzue, Naoto, Kosaka, Hirofumi, Yasui, Natsuo
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
African Americans
Athletic Injuries - epidemiology
European Continental Ancestry Group
Female
Fractures, Stress - epidemiology
Fractures, Stress - ethnology
Humans
Incidence
Japan - epidemiology
Lumbar Vertebrae - injuries
Male
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Orthopedics
Review Article
Rheumatology
Spondylolysis - epidemiology
Spondylolysis - ethnology
United States - epidemiology
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Summary:Lumbar spondylolysis is a defect of the pars interarticularis known to occur as a stress fracture. Its incidence varies considerably depending on ethnicity, sex, and sports activity. However, there are few literature reviews describing its incidence in different ethnic groups or in people who engage in different sports. We reviewed the most relevant articles on spondylolysis published in scientifi c journals. First, we focused on its incidence in various ethnic groups distributed by sex, the familial occurrence, and in patients with relevant diseases. Second, we focused on the incidence of spondylolysis in relation to the sports practiced by the patients. Although placing special emphasis on the incidence of lumbar spondylolysis in the general population in Japan, we also reviewed the Japanese and English literature to investigate its incidence among those who engage in different sports. The incidence of lumbar spondylolysis in the general Japanese population was 5.9%. Most studies report that the incidence in higher in male subjects than in female subjects. We found that Japanese rugby and judo players were prone to suffer lumbar spondylolysis, at an incidence of about 20%. However, the incidence for Japanese professional soccer and baseball players was much higher, at 30%, which was more than fi ve times the incidence in the general Japanese population. The incidence of lumbar spondylolysis varies depending on ethnicity, sex, family history, relevant disease, and sports activity.
ISSN:0949-2658
1436-2023
DOI:10.1007/s00776-010-1454-4