Which population would most likely suffer from an acute traumatic pars fracture?

• A. Diver
• B. Basketball player
• C. Football player
• D. Marathon runner

Answer: (C)

A lumbar pars interarticularis fracture (spondylolysis) is often driven by sudden, forceful extension and rotation of the spine. When it’s acute, the injury comes from a single high-energy event that loads the lower back in hyperextension. Football players frequently experience this during blocking and tackling, where the trunk is driven backward or twisted with great force, placing a sharp stress on the pars and making an acute fracture more likely.

Marathon running tends to produce overuse or fatigue-type stress injuries from repetitive loading over time rather than a single traumatic moment. Divers and basketball players can incur back injuries from hyperextension too, but the pattern most classically linked to an acute pars fracture is the abrupt, high-energy extension seen in football.