Lumbar facet syndrome

The facet joints are small joints located in the posterior part of the entire spine that play a fundamental role in the functions of stabilization and reinforcement of the spine. In addition to these functions, they facilitate and allow rotation and flexion-extension movements.

Over the years, overexertion, environmental or hereditary factors of each person cause the intervertebral disc that separates the vertebrae to wear so that the distance between the vertebrae decreases, this factor is very important because it directly affects the facet joints promoting wear so that they collide and become inflamed causing pain. If the alteration is not corrected, the joints will continue to wear out, producing what we know as facet syndrome in the lumbar area.

It is usually caused by degeneration of the facet joints of the lumbar region. This fact contributes to this fact:

• Degeneration of the intervertebral disc: discoarthrosis, disc protrusion or disc herniation.
• Trauma
• Overweight
• Antero listhesis or retrolisthesis

Symptoms appear when there is pain in the lumbar region due to wear and tear of the facet joints.

This pain has some peculiar characteristics that help to differentiate it from other types of low back pain:

• It is located in the spine in what is called the paravertebral area.
• It may radiate to the buttocks, groin and back of the thigh and increases with twisting and hyperextension movements.
• It is accentuated by standing for long periods of time, causing a forward lean, as this produces pain relief by relieving pressure on the affected joints.