You probably know what joints are, but how about facet joints? Joints connect two or more bones in the body to let you, the living, breathing, human, move in a healthy way. Now facet joints are the same thing, except they do that for your spine. Facet joints connect the vertebrae to each other. Some doctors who want to impress you might refer to facet joints as zygapophyseal or apophyseal joints, but for our purposes we’ll refer to them as facets. Next Level Physio offers Physical Therapy for Facet Arthropathy in NJ, we've got you covered! 

What is Facet Joint Syndrome?

Now that you have the gist of what facet joints are, let’s address facet joint syndrome. This can be the result of normal life (i.e., aging) but could also result from a traumatic injury. Whiplash from a car accident, other auto accidents, or sports injuries are common culprits for facet joint syndrome. 

Did you know that almost 16 million American adults experience persistent or chronic back pain? Facet joint syndrome is actually the leading cause of back pain. Although the facet joints that are found in the lumbar spine (lower back) are typically the most susceptible to facet joint syndrome, facet joints in the cervical spine (neck) and thoracic spine (mid-back) can also cause pain related to the condition.

Signs and Symptoms of Facet Joint Syndrome

Where your facet joint pain lies will determine the specific symptoms you might experience. Some of the most common symptoms of facet joint syndrome include:

  • Difficulty moving your head or low back
  • Headaches (due to limitations in neck)
  • Pain in the neck, midback, and/or lower back
  • Stiffness in the buttocks and/or thighs
  • Inflammation
  • Difficulty initiating movement
  • Feeling a “kink” in your back
  • Standing hunched over
  • “stuck” in a position

How to Treat Facet Joint Syndrome Without Surgery

When you come to Next Level Physio with back pain, the first thing we do is conduct a comprehensive physio evaluation of your overall health, including your physical health. In addition to getting a baseline for where we’re starting physically, we’ll also spend the time to ask you crucial questions about your levels of activity and lifestyle habits. All of this information helps us properly diagnose potential facet joint syndrome to determine the best course of treatment without medication or surgery.

As with all of our physiotherapy methods, we take a nonoperative approach to treating facet joint syndrome. From core strengthening exercises to low back stretches to more intensive remedies, our team will create a personalized treatment plan for your facet joint syndrome to help you get back on the road towards pain-free living. 

Next Level Physio Physical Therapy for Facet Joint Syndrome 

Back pain is more than just a pain; it can disrupt your entire life…

That’s where Next Level Physio comes in. Our team of physios are dedicated to helping you get back to pain-free living, all without medications or surgery. In addition to facet joint syndrome, we also treat the following conditions: 

  • Sports injuries
  • Prehab and Post-surgical rehab
  • Knee and back pain
  • shoulder and elbow pain
  • Wrist and hand pain
  • Ankle and foot pain
  • Sciatica/back pain… and more

Just some of the methods we use to help our physical therapy patients include: 

  • IASTM Technique
  • BFRT- Blood Flow Restriction Training
  • AlterG anti-gravity treadmill
  • Therapeutic Exercise
  • Australian Manual Therapy
  • Cupping, and more

Click here to schedule an appointment and a free consultation.