Lower Lumbar Facet Joint Complex Anatomy

Low back pain is often associated with osteoarthritis of the lower lumbar facet joints. Each facet joint has several structural components that interact to form a spinal segmental movement complex. The components of this complex are usually studied independently. In this descriptive cadaver study, the anatomy of the joint capsule and its relationship with the multifidus are described and compared to other studies. The sizes of the boney facets and the ligamentum flava of L3 ? S1are compared for gender, sidedness and to other studies. Finally, the interaction of these components of the joint complex, relative to joint motion and wear, are discussed.