Spine

Spondylolisthesis

Spondylolisthesis is graded by the percentage of vertebral translation on a standing lateral radiograph, with low-grade and high-grade slips separated at 50 percent because that is the distinction that drives management.

What you are actually deciding

Measure on a standing film — the slip partially reduces when the patient lies down, so supine imaging understates it. The Meyerding grade describes translation only, and in high-grade slips the slip angle and spinopelvic parameters matter more for planning.

Patient-reported outcome measure1

ODI Calculator10 items
Oswestry Disability IndexThe Oswestry Disability Index measures how far low back pain restricts ten everyday activities, scoring each section from 0 to 5 and expressing the total as a percentage from 0% (no disability) to 100% (maximum disability).

Clinical calculator1

Meyerding Calculator
Meyerding Classification of SpondylolisthesisThe Meyerding classification grades spondylolisthesis by the percentage of anterior translation of one vertebral body over the one below, measured on a standing lateral radiograph, from grade I at 25% or less through to grade V, spondyloptosis, beyond 100%.

Thresholds that apply here

Published change thresholds across the instruments above. Check the population matches your patient before using a value — a threshold derived in a different cohort will mislead you.

Instrument	Type	Value	Subscale	Population
ODI	MCID	10 percentage points	—	Chronic low back pain
ODI	MCID	12.8 points	—	Lumbar spine surgery
ODI	MCID	30% change from baseline	—	Low back pain, IMMPACT consensus recommendation
ODI	MDC	10–15 points	—	Chronic low back pain

See the full threshold database for every instrument on the site.

Patient-reported outcome measure1

Clinical calculator1

Thresholds that apply here

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