Everyone has them, but most people don’t know what they are called. But every time we move, our Facet Joints come into play. The proper name of a facet joint is a Zygapophysial Joint, but most people refer to them just as Facet Joints.
What is a Zygapophysial Joint?
The Facet Joint and it's Position in the Spinal Column
In those terms, it sounds like a Zygapophysial Joint is pretty complicated. You can see from the image however that it is not. The synovial capsule in the facet joint acts as a cushion between the corresponding processes (extensions of bone). Cartilage lines the joint to allow the bones to move smoothly against one another.
The Human Vertebrae
What Does a Facet Joint Do?
The Facet Joints help to provide stabilization to the spinal column as well as guiding movement. They are crucial for the control of forward and backward bending (flexion). The joints also provide a degree of limitation to the rotation of the spine. In the lumbar region of the spine, which is the lower section, the facet joints provide stability and keep the back experiencing too much medial flexion. The joints however do not have a large factor in the control of lateral flexion (side to side bending). In the cervical region of the spinal column, which is the upper section, the facet joints help to control flexion, but they also facilitate the rotation of the neck.
As I mentioned before, most people don’t even know that they have a Zygapophysial Joint. It’s not until people begin to experience back pain that they even learn of the Facet Joint. Facet Joint Syndrome and Arthritis of the Facet Joints are the two major problems people experience with their facet joints.