Management of Lumbar Spondylolysis in Adolescent Athletes | Ep 20 w/ Dr. David Matusz

Is that adolescent athlete's back pain a simple muscle strain, or is it a stress fracture waiting to worsen? In our 20th episode of the Sports Medicine Research Rundown, host Tim Tyler and co-host Rob Shapiro are joined by Dr. David Matusz to dive deep into the management of lumbar spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis in young athletes.

We break down the critical differences between these conditions, the gold standards for imaging, and why the "single leg hyperextension test" might actually be setting your patients back. Plus, we critically review Jeffrey Troy’s recent article analyzing over 200 cases of symptomatic spondylolysis to determine the most effective, evidence-based treatment algorithms.

Episode Highlights:

• 00:00 - Welcome to Ep 20 & Introduction of Dr. David Matusz

• 01:50 - Defining Spondylolysis vs. Spondylolisthesis

• 06:20 - Red flags and the gold standard for imaging (MRI vs. CT vs. X-Ray)

• 11:15 - Why L5 is the most common site for pars injuries

• 16:30 - Review of the Jeffrey Troy article: Management of Lumbar Spondylolysis in Athletes

• 24:40 - Non-operative physical therapy protocols & criteria-based progression

• 34:10 - Reintroducing lumbar extension safely for return to sport

Guest: Dr. David Matusz, Chief of Orthopedic Spine at Lenox Hill and surgeon at Spinal Associates of New York City.