What is facet arthropathy?
The facet joints connect the posterior elements of the vertebral
bodies to one another. Like the bones that form other joints in the
human body, such as the hip, knee, or elbow, the articular surfaces
of the facet joints are covered by a layer of smooth cartilage,
surrounded by a strong capsule of ligaments, and lubricated by
synovial fluid. J
Just like the hip and the knee, the facet joints can also become
arthritic and painful, and they can be a source of back pain. The
pain and discomfort that is caused by degeneration and arthritis of
this part of the spine is called facet arthropathy, which simply
means a disease or abnormality of the facet joints.