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Bone spurs are abnormal growths that can form around joints or tendons in response to bone deterioration. They can cause pain and limit mobility, and may require surgical removal. They are often found in arthritic or damaged bones, and can be caused by aging or trauma.
Sometimes, your body’s attempt to repair it can be worse than the damage itself. This is the case with a condition known as bone spurs or osteophytes. They are abnormal growths usually found in arthritic or damaged bones, especially around joints or tendons. When the body detects bone deterioration, regardless of the cause, it often creates extra bone tissue to strengthen the area. This extra material hardens to form spurs, which can interfere with a joint’s natural range of motion or pinch the nerves surrounding the bone.
Many adults live with undiagnosed bone spurs every day and have few or no medical problems. Sometimes an aging body will generate them in an effort to provide more stability to weakened joints and limbs. These osteophytes may be noticed as small lumps under the skin or may cause clicking noises in the affected joints. The elbows, spine, knees, shoulders and ankles are especially prone to dewclaws, although any bone in the body can develop them.
A common ailment caused by bone spur formation occurs in the ankle bone. The thick body builds them into the ankle to create a more stable platform for walking. These growths can interfere with your natural gait, putting extra pressure on the bone and inflaming the nerves and tendons connected to it. The result is a medical condition known as plantar fasciitis. Patients are advised to rest and take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce pain due to weight bearing on the ankle.
Bone spurs are also commonly found between individual vertebrae. Osteoarthritis sufferers often lose flexibility in the spine as the condition destroys the cartilage between the vertebrae. The body tries to limit the damage by creating spurs on the ends of each vertebra. The result is similar to forcing two mismatched puzzle pieces together. Bone spurs rub against nerves, cartilage and vertebrae, causing significant pain and even more loss of mobility. The solution is often to surgically remove these pieces of bone and replace the damaged cartilage discs.
Bone spurs can also break into smaller pieces and become lodged deep within the joints. If they reach certain critical areas of the joints, they can be the equivalent of spikes stuck in the gears of machinery. This often happens with knee or shoulder injuries caused by trauma. The original surgery to correct the joint will be successful, but pieces of bone can break off and infiltrate the joint again. You may need to have another procedure done to remove these bone spurs. This can be done through open surgery or with the use of minimally invasive arthroscopic tools.
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