Bone Spur Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Understanding
Osteophytes or bone spur are protrusions or bony lumps that grow on bones or around joints. This condition often appears in addition to joints that have osteoarthritis (stiffness and pain in the joints).
Osteophytes can actually grow in any bone, but are more common in:
- backbone
- neck
- bahu
- knee
- lower back
- fingers or toes
- foot or heel
Symptoms
Usually, osteophytes don’t cause symptoms, unless they rub against bone or other tissue, restrict movement, or pinch nearby nerves. Like the following example:
- In the spine, osteophytes can cause pain and stiffness in the back.
- In the neck it can pinch nearby nerves and cause pain, paresthesias (a prickling, burning, tingling sensation), numbness, or weakness in the arms.
- In the shoulder, it can limit space for tendons and ligaments, and it may be associated with tendonitis or tears in the rotator or shoulder joints.
- The hips and knees can limit movement and are often associated with arthritis.
- In the knee, it can cause pain when you bend or straighten your leg.
- On the fingers and toes it can cause lumps of bone and calluses or calluses.
Reason
Osteophytes usually occur because the body performs a natural reaction to repair painful bone conditions on its own. However, excessive bone growth occurs due to pressure, friction, and prolonged stress for a long time.
Osteophytes often grow near joints affected by osteoarthritis. Just as in osteoarthritis, which wears down cartilage so that joints become stiff, osteophytes make joint damage more severe and allow new bone to grow around it. Another cause of spinal osteophytes is ankylosing spondylitis (arthritis of the spine).
Bone lumps can also appear on the feet due to:
- ligaments (the connective tissue that connects bone to bone) that tightens on the soles of the feet due to the constant use of high heel shoes
- stress on the feet as in dancers or runners or in people with excess body weight
- shoes that don’t fit properly
Diagnosis
The doctor will conduct an examination by asking about a history of other disorders around the joints such as joint pain or stiffness. A physical examination will also be carried out in the affected area. The doctor will also check joint movement and muscle strength.
X-ray radiological examination is often done to see the condition of arthritis in the joints and osteophytes. While MRI is needed because it is better to check the condition of the ligaments and tendons.
Treatment
Osteophytes rarely require treatment except for pain associated with arthritis. For this reason, painkillers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen are often used. Ibuprofen can also reduce inflammation and swelling because it belongs to the class of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Those with osteophytes are also advised to reduce pressure on their knees or hips if they also have arthritis. Likewise, efforts to lose weight will greatly help reduce the stress on the joints if the body weight of the osteophytes is excessive. Meanwhile, using shoe pads or adding padding can help with osteophyte problems in the feet.
Certain physiotherapy methods are also good for strengthening the muscles around the joints and increasing the range of motion of the joints. Surgery is rarely performed but can help with arthritis problems in the hip, knee, or thumb.
Osteophytes do not always need to be removed unless the growth irritates the spinal cord and restricts joint movement.
Prevention
Preventing the growth of osteophytes is by minimizing stress on the bones and joints, by making lifestyle changes such as:
- Avoid repetitive activities that put too much stress on one joint.
- Avoid high-intensity sports that can cause irritation and injury to the bones.
- Do weight training regularly to keep bones strong.
- Maintain an ideal body weight to reduce the risk of developing arthritis.
- Consumption of foods that contain lots of vitamins, minerals, and especially calcium for healthy bones.
- Drink plenty of water to keep your spinal discs and joints healthy.