Facet joint

Facet joint
A thoracic vertebra. The facet joint is the joint between the inferior articular process (labeled at bottom) and the superior articular process (labeled at top) of the subsequent vertebra.
Median sagittal section of two lumbar vertebrae and their ligaments
Details
Identifiers
Latinarticulationes zygapophysiales
MeSHD021801
TA98A03.2.06.001
TA21707
FMA10447
Anatomical terminology
Illustration highlighting facet joint articulation between two vertebrae

The facet joints (also zygapophysial joints, zygapophyseal, apophyseal, or Z-joints) are a set of synovial, plane joints between the articular processes of two adjacent vertebrae. There are two facet joints in each spinal motion segment and each facet joint is innervated by the recurrent meningeal nerves.