Spinal Surgery and Disorders

Spinal Osteoarthritis

The lumbar spine is a common for osteoarthritis. The axial skeleton demonstrates the same classic alterations of cartilage loss, joint instability, and osteophytosis characteristic of symptomatic disease in the appendages. Despite these similarities, questions remain regarding the lumbar spine facet joints as a source back pain. The facet joints undergo a progression of degeneration that may results in pain. They have sensory input from two spinal levels that makes localization of pain difficult. The presence of anatomic changes in osteoarthritis is not inadequate to determine those individuals who experience pain from the disorder. Several articular and periarticular structures may be the source of pain in osteoarthritis regardless of the location of affected joint.