Many theories have been presented regarding the pathologic changes that underlie low back pain. The subject is still far from settled, although year by year knowledge of the condition improves. To any one who studies the skeleton, the vertebrae particularly, and their anatomy, the importance of the articular facets in the function of the spinal column must be obvious. Further study of a series of spinal columns will reveal that in many of them are changes around the articular facets which must produce symptoms. The articular facets must be regarded as the only true joints in the spinal column.1As true joints, hyaline cartilage covers their surfaces and synovial membrane lines their articular capsules. This articular capsule is more redundant and loose in the cervical region than in the lower portion of the spinal column. It has seemed to me that many of the aches and pains which are