02/19/2026
4 Spine Conditions That Students Always Confuse
Spondylosis vs Spondylitis vs
Spondylolysis vs Spondylolisthesis
SPONDYLOSIS
Degenerative spine disease
• Mechanical pain
• Worse with activity, better with rest
• Middle-aged or elderly
SPONDYLITIS
Inflammatory spine disease
• Pain worse at rest & night • Morning stiffness > 30 min
• Young adults, autoimmune
SPONDYLOLYSIS
Pars defect / stress fracture
• Seen in young athletes
• Pain with extension
• Repetitive stress cause
SPONDYLOLISTHESIS
Vertebral slip
• Back pain + leg pain
• Step deformity may be present
• Develops from lysis or degeneration
Suffix Trick:
OSIS = Degeneration LYSIS = Defect
ITIS = Inflammation
LISTHESIS = Slip