Lumbar · Non-surgical treatment in Delhi NCR
Spondylolisthesis
Also called: Vertebral slip · Listhesis · Pars defect · Spondylolysis
The one spinal condition where stability, not mobility, is the priority. Treatment must be prescribed by a clinician who knows exactly what not to do.
Quick answer
How is Spondylolisthesis treated?
Spondylolisthesis is the forward slippage of one vertebra over the one below, most often at L4-L5 or L5-S1. Grade 1 and 2 slips are managed non-surgically at Back2Health with stability-first rehabilitation, careful low-force decompression, super-inductive multifidus strengthening and strict avoidance of extension-loading — surgery is only considered for high-grade or progressive slips.
Symptoms patients describe
- Low back pain that worsens on standing, walking or arching backwards
- A 'step' or shelf palpable in the lower back
- Hamstring tightness and a shortened stride
- Leg pain or numbness if the slip narrows the nerve exit
- Relief on sitting or lying with knees bent
Why it happens
- Pars interarticularis stress fracture, common in cricketers, gymnasts and fast bowlers
- Degenerative facet joint failure after 50
- Congenital malformation of the facet joints
- Repeated hyperextension loading in sport or heavy work
- Post-traumatic or post-surgical instability
Assessment
How we confirm the diagnosis before touching your spine.
No two patients with the same MRI need the same plan. This is the examination sequence used at the first visit.
- 01Standing and flexion-extension X-ray to grade and check for movement between positions
- 02Stork (one-leg hyperextension) test
- 03Palpation for the step deformity and segmental instability
- 04Core and gluteal endurance assessment
- 05Neurological screen for nerve involvement
Treatment protocol
How Back2Health treats spondylolisthesis.
Phased, measured and time-bound. Your exact schedule is set after the first assessment.
Phase 1 — Settle and protect
Weeks 1–3
Remove extension load, laser and soft-tissue work for the guarding musculature, and teach neutral-spine control in daily activity.
Phase 2 — Stabilise
Weeks 4–8
Super-inductive therapy for deep multifidus recruitment, graded anti-extension and anti-rotation core work, hip strengthening and hamstring lengthening.
Phase 3 — Return to load
Weeks 9–14
Sport- and work-specific loading, lifting mechanics, and a long-term stability routine with periodic re-testing.
Technology used for this condition
Realistic outlook
Grade 1–2 slips rarely progress in adults. With a strong deep-core system most patients return to full activity, including sport.
When not to wait
- Increasing slip on repeat imaging
- Progressive leg weakness or bladder symptoms
- Adolescent athlete with acute onset back pain in extension (possible active pars fracture)
Answers
Spondylolisthesis: common questions.
Is spinal decompression safe with spondylolisthesis?+
It can be, at low force and with careful positioning, but stability work leads the plan. Dr. Shiv Bajaj grades your slip from flexion-extension imaging before any traction is applied.
Can I go to the gym with spondylolisthesis?+
Yes, with modifications. Deadlifts, overhead pressing and back extensions need technique correction or substitution until your deep core can protect the segment.
Book an assessment
Get your spondylolisthesis properly diagnosed.
Bring your MRI or X-ray. You'll leave the first consultation knowing exactly what is wrong, whether decompression is right for you, and how many sessions it should take.
Related lumbar conditions
Herniated Disc (Slipped Disc)
The most common cause of severe, radiating back and leg pain in desk-based adults. Between 80–90% of herniations resolve without surgery when intradiscal pressure is reduced early and the supporting spine is rebuilt.
Bulging Disc
The stage before a herniation. Catch it here and you avoid the far harder problem later — decompression plus posture correction can restore disc height rather than merely masking pain.
Sciatica
Sciatica is a symptom, not a diagnosis. The entire clinical value lies in identifying which structure is compressing the nerve — and treating that, not the leg.
Spinal Stenosis
Stenosis is a space problem. We cannot remove bone, but we can create space by restoring segmental motion, decompressing the disc and reducing the soft-tissue and inflammatory contribution — which is often the difference between 100 metres and 2 kilometres of walking.
Chronic Lower Back Pain
Chronic back pain is rarely one thing. Our value is diagnostic precision — finding which of the four or five candidate structures is actually driving your pain.