anyone with a spondylolisthesis?

Core strength! I have had it for years, I was young when it was first diagnosed and had pain. I did belly dance, martial arts, and aerial and it doesn't bother me at all anymore. I can even do backbends again with no problem (I don't recommend this, I have been stable for over a decade and don't do that often.) Exercises I find useful are just tightening the abs, like sucking in and then working towards a belly roll. Tightening each section and releasing it. That is a lighter one to start to build strength. There are also exercises on the floor that really help the lower abdomen, but I'm not sure how comfortable for back pain they would be. I lie on the floor and pike my legs straight up. My workout partner stands facing the back of my legs and holds her hands above my feet and I have to lift my lower half straight up to touch her hands. Another one is having your partner stand in the other direction and push your legs to the floor while you resist the motion. At the gym there is an apparatus that you prop yourself up on your forearms and from there you can lift your legs which helps quite a bit and might not cause too much back pain. There are other machines at the gym that can take some pressure off that part of the back that work the upper abs and obliques. Planks are always a great core strengthener. I DO NOT recommend sit ups, I do remember those making my back hurt more. I hope this gives you some ideas and things to try.

I know this is an old post, but I'm hoping I can get some advice here too! I have Spondy grade 2 we have done pt(made worse), epidural didn't work and right now I am just trying to pay some on my bills down to try another epidural. My problem is I don't have JUST spondy, but also a buldging disk that is sitting on never to either side causing severe pain in my back and legs and numbness in my toes. Right now I'm going to work on that with my doc, but I'm really looking for advice on exercises for my arms that won't aggravate my back worse....Any advice??

Thanks Misty

PS I am also looking for new friends so anyone with the same condition or that can offer me support and or advice please add me!

I have spondylolisthesis L5/S1 grade 1. I got this problem 6 months back and didn't knew that I have this problem for 3 months. One day in gym without asking my trainer I lifted weights in wrong way and got my back hurt and then my trainer told few stretch exercises for back. After doing those exercises my pain got little relief and took bed rest for one day. Later i continued my daily gym exercises but still I'm not aware that there is a problem in my spine. I didn't had any pain on my normal activities, but I used to get small pain in lower back, buttocks and thighs when sitting for long time. One day I ran to catch a train and that day I had miserable pain. Then I decided to check with doctor and diagnosed with spondylolisthesis L5 over S1 grade 1.

Doc said this cannot be fixed, only thing is go to PT and if there is unbearable pain then I need to have spine fusion surgery, but that will not be necessary if I be careful and change my lifestyle accordingly.

I couldn't find any good PT who is experienced in spondy nearby my place, so I just googled some spondy exercises and following them. After doing daily stretches, almost my pain went away but again now it started. So decided to go to gym again and concentrate more on back and abs strengthening exercises.