What is Lumbar Facet Joint pain?
Facet joint pain, or facet joint syndrome as it is sometimes called, is a condition that affects the joints that sit either side of your lumbar vertebrae.
If these joints are overloaded from a sudden injury, or become irritated from degeneration or overuse, it can cause a significant amount of pain, loss of movement and function.
Facet joint pain is one of the most common causes of low back pain and neck pain. It can affect anywhere along the spine, but usually affects the lumbar spine (low back) as this region of the spine bears a large amount of stress and weight, making it vulnerable to injury and degeneration. The most common site of facet joint pain in the lumbar spine is at the L4-L5 level followed by L5-S1.
Lumbar Facet Joint Anatomy
The spine is a long column of moveable bones called vertebrae. Each vertebra functions as a three-joint complex; like a tripod it has a large disc in the front and two facet joints in the back that sit either side of the vertebra. This design keeps the joints stable and strong, while also allowing the spine to bed and twist.
The surfaces of the joints are covered in a very smooth layer of cartilage which minimises joint friction. A fluid filled capsule surrounds each joint, and provides lubrication.
Like any other joint in your body, the job of your facet joints is to provide healthy, normal movement and, along with the intervertebral disc and ligaments, provide stability for each spinal segment. The intervertebral discs also act as shock absorbers and reduce the impact going through the spine.
The lumbar spinal nerves exit just above the facet joint at each level, and provide sensory and motor control to the lower part of the body.
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