Conservative management of symptomatic degenerative and isthmic spondylolisthesis in adults: A scoping review

Abstract

With Lower Back Pain (LBP) affecting a large proportion of the population at one point in their life, it is important to explore the potential causes of such pain. Under the umbrella term of LBP, there is Spondylolisthesis (SPL) which affects around a tenth of the population. With such a proportion of the population being affected by the condition, it is important to explore and be aware of the different conservative management options available.

The following thesis has been separated into four sections. The first section is a literature review which provides important background knowledge to understand the anatomy of the lumbar spine and how it relates to the progression of SPL. The literature review also provides key definitions to better understand SPL, a broad background of the models of pain, LBP, epidemiology and clinical symptoms of SPL. It also explores the different management interventions available for SPL and how they may benefit individuals with SPL.

The second section outlines the methodology that is used in this thesis. It provides a background of scoping reviews and compares them to the more well-known systematic reviews. Subsequently, the rationale, aims, and objectives of this scoping review are discussed. Finally, the methodological framework is outlined and explored within the context of this scoping review.

Section three contains a manuscript of the present study formatted for submission to the Spine Journal for publication. The manuscript provides a detailed account of the methods used to identify the articles in this scoping review. It follows on to provide the detailed findings identified during the charting of the information. Section three finishes with an in-depth discussion of the three emerging themes from the literature. The last section of this document comprises all the appended resources, including evidence such as the Unitec Ethics exemption approval and details around the characteristics of the studies included. To promote transparency during the review process and prevent duplication, the scoping review protocol was developed and registered on the Open Science Framework website