Inter-Disciplinary Conservative Management of Bilateral Non-United Lumbar Pars Defects in a Junior Elite Golfer

The prevalence of spondylolysis amongst adolescent athletes presenting with low back pain has been reported as high as 47-55%. Youth athletes participating in sports involving movements combining compression, extension and rotation appear most susceptible. As such, young golfers are a high-risk gro...

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Main Authors: Simon L Brearley, Orlaith Buckley, Patrick Gillham, Bryan Clements, Daniel Coughlan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: North American Sports Medicine Institute 2021-02-01
Series:International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.26603/001c.18873
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author Simon L Brearley
Orlaith Buckley
Patrick Gillham
Bryan Clements
Daniel Coughlan
author_facet Simon L Brearley
Orlaith Buckley
Patrick Gillham
Bryan Clements
Daniel Coughlan
author_sort Simon L Brearley
collection DOAJ
description The prevalence of spondylolysis amongst adolescent athletes presenting with low back pain has been reported as high as 47-55%. Youth athletes participating in sports involving movements combining compression, extension and rotation appear most susceptible. As such, young golfers are a high-risk group, particularly given the high shear and compressive forces associated with the golf swing action. This is compounded by a culture which encourages very high practice volumes, typically poorly monitored. Although non-operative interventions are deemed the gold-standard management for this condition, surgery is indicated for more severe presentations and cases of ‘failed’ conservative management. The case presented herein outlines an inter-disciplinary, non-operative management of a 17-year old elite golfer with a moderate to severe presentation. A 4-stage model of reconditioning is outlined, which may be of use to practitioners given the paucity of rehabilitation guidelines for this condition. The report highlights the benefits of a graded program of exercise-based rehabilitation over the typically prescribed “12 weeks rest” prior to a return to the provocative activity. It also supports existing evidence that passive therapeutic approaches should only be used as an adjunct to exercise, if at all in the management of spondylolysis. Finally, and crucially, it also underlines that to deem non-surgical rehabilitation ‘unsuccessful’ or ‘failed’, clinicians should ensure that (long-term) exercise was included in the conservative approach. # Level of Evidence 4-Case Report
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institution Kabale University
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publisher North American Sports Medicine Institute
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series International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy
spelling doaj-art-d1a9458e219a4ecab619d894978eb0372025-02-11T20:27:23ZengNorth American Sports Medicine InstituteInternational Journal of Sports Physical Therapy2159-28962021-02-01161Inter-Disciplinary Conservative Management of Bilateral Non-United Lumbar Pars Defects in a Junior Elite GolferSimon L BrearleyOrlaith BuckleyPatrick GillhamBryan ClementsDaniel CoughlanThe prevalence of spondylolysis amongst adolescent athletes presenting with low back pain has been reported as high as 47-55%. Youth athletes participating in sports involving movements combining compression, extension and rotation appear most susceptible. As such, young golfers are a high-risk group, particularly given the high shear and compressive forces associated with the golf swing action. This is compounded by a culture which encourages very high practice volumes, typically poorly monitored. Although non-operative interventions are deemed the gold-standard management for this condition, surgery is indicated for more severe presentations and cases of ‘failed’ conservative management. The case presented herein outlines an inter-disciplinary, non-operative management of a 17-year old elite golfer with a moderate to severe presentation. A 4-stage model of reconditioning is outlined, which may be of use to practitioners given the paucity of rehabilitation guidelines for this condition. The report highlights the benefits of a graded program of exercise-based rehabilitation over the typically prescribed “12 weeks rest” prior to a return to the provocative activity. It also supports existing evidence that passive therapeutic approaches should only be used as an adjunct to exercise, if at all in the management of spondylolysis. Finally, and crucially, it also underlines that to deem non-surgical rehabilitation ‘unsuccessful’ or ‘failed’, clinicians should ensure that (long-term) exercise was included in the conservative approach. # Level of Evidence 4-Case Reporthttps://doi.org/10.26603/001c.18873
spellingShingle Simon L Brearley
Orlaith Buckley
Patrick Gillham
Bryan Clements
Daniel Coughlan
Inter-Disciplinary Conservative Management of Bilateral Non-United Lumbar Pars Defects in a Junior Elite Golfer
International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy
title Inter-Disciplinary Conservative Management of Bilateral Non-United Lumbar Pars Defects in a Junior Elite Golfer
title_full Inter-Disciplinary Conservative Management of Bilateral Non-United Lumbar Pars Defects in a Junior Elite Golfer
title_fullStr Inter-Disciplinary Conservative Management of Bilateral Non-United Lumbar Pars Defects in a Junior Elite Golfer
title_full_unstemmed Inter-Disciplinary Conservative Management of Bilateral Non-United Lumbar Pars Defects in a Junior Elite Golfer
title_short Inter-Disciplinary Conservative Management of Bilateral Non-United Lumbar Pars Defects in a Junior Elite Golfer
title_sort inter disciplinary conservative management of bilateral non united lumbar pars defects in a junior elite golfer
url https://doi.org/10.26603/001c.18873
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