Hi everyone, Danny here from Miami Physiotherapy. I am here today for a short talk on the facet joint movements in the spine.
Loosely in the lower spine, you have predominantly flexion and extension, and in the thoracic spine, in the middle, it’s side flexion, and in the cervical spine in the neck, it’s mostly rotation, although there is some protraction and retraction at the top end.
Facet joints are orientated accordingly to allow for easy movement in each plane. Sometimes through over compression, whether it be from trauma or from age, the facet joint’s cartilage can become damaged, and that in turn can create inflammation in the joint capsule that holds the fluid inside. The body tends to overreact and so excess amounts of fluid can be produced, which causes pain and reduces movement.
Physiotherapists are trained to identify the severity of the pathology and restore optional or functional movement. If you’re struggling to obtain adequate range of motion in your spine, please contact the team at Miami Physiotherapy – Falcon or Lakelands, for an in-depth analysis of your spinal movement.
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