Vertebral injuries may also involve the soft tissues and supporting structures between the vertebrae. Typical examples of this are the unifacetal and bifacetal cervical vertebral dislocations that occur in hyperflexion injuries.
The pars interarticularis is a clinical term to describe the specific region of a vertebra between the superior and inferior facet (zygapophysial) joints (Fig. 2.40A). This region is susceptible to trauma, especially in athletes.