PM&R Meeting Abstracts

Official abstracts site for the AAPM&R Annual Assembly and the PM&R Journal.

MENU 
  • Home
  • Meetings Archive
    • AAPM&R Annual Assembly 2022
    • AAPM&R Annual Assembly 2021
    • AAPM&R Annual Assembly 2020
    • AAPM&R Annual Assembly 2019
  • Resources
  • Advanced Search

Prolotherapy for Spondylolisthesis-induced Lower Back Pain: A Case Report

Mengdong He, MHS (UCLA David Geffen SOM/ UCLA Medical Center/VA Greater Los Angeles Health, Los Angeles, California); Tracey Hunter; Quynh Giao Pham

Meeting: AAPM&R Annual Assembly 2022

Categories: Pain and Spine Medicine (2022)

Session Information

Session Title: AA 2022 Posters - Pain and Spine Medicine

Session Time: None. Available on demand.

Disclosures: Mengdong He, MHS: No financial relationships or conflicts of interest

Case Diagnosis: Chronic lower back pain due to anterolisthesis

Case Description or Program Description: A 48-year-old male with a history of myofascial pain and migraines presented with several years of chronic low back pain localized to the left sacroiliac joint and buttock with intermittent radiation down the left leg. The radiographic imaging of his lumbar spine demonstrated an anterolisthesis at L5-S1. The patient began a multi-modal treatment program including physical therapy, kinesiotherapy, aquatic therapy, chiropractor therapy, acupuncture, massage therapy, and activity modification. Due to limited symptom relief, the patient decided to seek prolotherapy (dextrose/lidocaine injections) in addition to his prior treatments.

Setting: Outpatient Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation clinic

Assessment/Results: Following the first prolotherapy injection, the patient reported approximately full pain relief compared to the pre-injection pain level (5-7/10). Over the next 3 years, the patient received 12 additional injections for recurrent pain at a lower level (3-4/10), endorsing further pain reduction with each visit. In addition, the patient reported his level of function has significantly improved.

Discussion (relevance): This case report is among the first to demonstrate a significant reduction of spondylolisthesis-induced lower back pain and improvement of function in the setting of adjunctive prolotherapy. While the mechanism of prolotherapy is not fully understood, prior research has found that dextrose can potentially promote a controlled inflammatory state that induces connective tissue growth and repair. This may have strengthened the ligaments surrounding the slipped vertebrae and contributed to the patient’s pain relief and restored function.

Conclusions: Prolotherapy could be a potential treatment for patients with lower back pain caused by spondylolisthesis and refractory to conventional therapies and improve their quality of life. Future experimental studies are needed to evaluate its efficacy in pain reduction and function improvement among patients with spondylolisthesis.

Level of Evidence: Level V

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

He M, Hunter T, Pham QG. Prolotherapy for Spondylolisthesis-induced Lower Back Pain: A Case Report [abstract]. PM R. 2022; 14(S1)(suppl 1). https://pmrjabstracts.org/abstract/prolotherapy-for-spondylolisthesis-induced-lower-back-pain-a-case-report/. Accessed May 29, 2025.
  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

« Back to AAPM&R Annual Assembly 2022

PM&R Meeting Abstracts - https://pmrjabstracts.org/abstract/prolotherapy-for-spondylolisthesis-induced-lower-back-pain-a-case-report/

Leading the Way. Baltimore, MD & Virtual. October 20-23, 2022. #aapmr22

PM&R Journal

View issues of PM&R on the Wiley Online Library »

American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Visit the official site for the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation »

AAPM&R Annual Assembly

Visit the official site for the AAPM&R Annual Assembly »

  • Help & Support
  • About Us
  • Cookies & Privacy
  • Wiley Job Network
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Advertisers & Agents
Copyright © 2025 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Wiley