The clinical phenomenon of restricted vertebral motion can be attributed to factors that influence the capacity of paired facets, of the motion segment under investigation, to open and close. When we speak of the capacity of facets to and , we are referring primarily to the accordion-type movement that occurs during flexion (forward-bending) and extension (backward-bending), not separation-type movement. Under normal conditions, interverterbral facets open during flexion and close during extension (Click here to visualize normal flexion and extension from a -- -- -- .
Because of the orientation of the apophyseal joints, the shape of the vertebral disks, and the universal joint characteristics of the vertebral bodies, sidebending and rotation are coupled to the same side (Type II Mechanics).
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