Judith G
”I am a 79 year old woman with Stage I spondylolisthesis at L 4-5, and severe neck pain. Sometimes I could not walk more than 60 feet before pain made me stop. After eight weeks of acupuncture treatment from Lok-Kwan the pain in the right buttock muscle diminished from intolerable to almost nothing. Same with the pain in the neck. I continue to gain strength, balance and comfort from treatment to treatment.”

Acupuncture with manual bodywork is a viable non-invasive treatment option for Spondylolisthesis.

Spondylolisthesis is the forward slippage of one vertebra over the bone below it, most commonly occurring at the L4–L5 or L5–S1 levels of the lower back. The condition is primarily categorized as isthmic, involving stress fractures in the pars interarticularis (prevalent in young athletes), or degenerative, which results from age-related instability in older adults. To determine severity, specialists utilize the Meyerding Classification system, grading the slip from Grade I (less than 25%) to Grade V (complete displacement).

Treatment initially focuses on conservative care, prioritizing core stabilization through exercises like pelvic tilts, bird-dogs, and dead bugs. Patients must strictly avoid movements that cause lumbar hyperextension or high vertical compression, such as heavy overhead presses, deep barbell squats, and high-impact sports like gymnastics or football. If symptoms remain refractory after six months, surgical options like spinal fusion or decompression are considered.