What are Facet joints ?

Facet joints are small synovial joints, similar in nature to the knee joint, that connect adjacent spinal bones. Their orientation varies along the spine: in the upper lumbar region, they are aligned in the sagittal plane, while at the lumbosacral (LS) junction, they adopt a coronal orientation. On axial spine MRI scans, these joints appear “Comma-shaped”. If the intervertebral discs undergo degeneration, facet joints may become overloaded, leading to arthritis. This condition can result in lateral recess stenosis, where narrowing of the spinal canal causes nerve compression and associated symptoms. 

#SpineDRx #BringingBackHealth #FacetJoints #SpinalHealth #LumbarSpine #SynovialJoints #MRI #LateralRecessStenosis #DegenerativeDiscDisease #SpinalAnatomy #Orthopedics #Arthritis #PainManagement