What is a articular facet?
A joint is where two or more bones are joined. The joints in the spine are commonly called Facet Joints. Other names for these joints are Zygapophyseal or Apophyseal Joints. Each vertebra has two sets of facet joints. One pair faces upward (superior articular facet) and one downward (inferior articular facet).
What is facet mean in medical terms?
(făs′ĭt) 1. Anatomy A small, smooth, flat surface, as on a bone or tooth.
What is a facet in the spine?
In your spine, the joints connecting each of your vertebrae are known as facet joints. Other names for facet joints include zygapophyseal or apophyseal joints, or your doctor may refer to them as simply facets.
What are facets in the body?
The spine, much like any other part of the body’s skeleton, has joints – in the spine, these joints are called facets. Also known as zygapophyseal joints[1], facets run the length of the spine and are what we feel popping when one “cracks” their neck or back.
What is the function of Facet?
Function. The biomechanical function of each pair of facet joints is to guide and limit movement of the spinal motion segment. In the lumbar spine, for example, the facet joints function to protect the motion segment from anterior shear forces, excessive rotation and flexion.
What does articular mean in anatomy?
Definition of articular : of or relating to a joint articular cartilage.
What causes facet disease?
Causes of Facet Syndrome Facet syndrome can be caused by trauma, such as a whiplash injury of the neck. Abnormal postures can overload spinal tissues, including the facet joints, and cause inflammation and pain in these joints.
How do facet joints cause pain?
Facet joint syndrome is an arthritis-like condition of the spine that can be a significant source of back and neck pain. It is caused by degenerative changes to the joints between the spine bones. The cartilage inside the facet joint can break down and become inflamed, triggering pain signals in nearby nerve endings.
Where are the facets joints?
The facet joints are the connections between the bones of the spine. The nerve roots pass through these joints to go from the spinal cord to the arms, legs and other parts of the body. These joints also allow the spine to bend and twist, and they keep the back from slipping too far forward or twisting without limits.
What is the function of articular processes?
The functional significance of the articular processes is obviously to limit rotation, which can take place in the lumbar segment of the vertebral column during any asymmetrical movement of the body.
What is superior articular facet?
Superior articular facet (facies articularis superior) is a posterior facing, slightly concave surface on the superior articular process. It articulates with the inferior articular facet on the vertebra above.
