lumbar facet joint degenerative arthropathy

see also:

• sciatica
• spondyloarthropathies

• lumbar facet joint degenerative arthropathy is a common cause of low back pain increasing in prevalence with age

• lumbar disc disease - reduction in disc height results in increased weights placed upon the facet joints and increasing wear
• overuse injury - repetitive twisting
• poor posture
• obesity
• in addition the facet joints can be involved in other arthritic conditions such as ankylosing spondylitis (AS), rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, spondyloarthropathies

• midline lumbar back pain which may radiate to buttocks, groin and/or thighs but not below knees (this would suggest sciatica)
• often worse in the morning with morning stiffness or stiffness after rest
• pain usually worse during spinal extension (bending backward) or twisting, and often improves when leaning forward
• may have focal tenderness
• may cause narrowing of neural foramina outlets causing sciatica and may cause spinal stenosis

• CT scan or MRI
• diagnostic local anaesthetic injection may confirm source of pain

• usually conservative
• steroid injections may help in short term