A bone spur, or ostephyte, is a bony growth, or callus that is formed on a normal bone, from repetitive motion in joints over time, usually larger than it needs to be. The most common areas are feet, hips, hands, shoulders, and spine. Repetitive movement causes an injury to the bone and the spur grows to protect it. Most of these are painless and people are not even aware they have them until they have an x-ray for another reason.
Bone spurs are usually round, but they can cause extreme pain if they rub on a tendon, ligaments, or nerves. Some bone spurs occur naturally in the aging process, especially in the spine and feet. If the spurs are causing pain or damaging other tissues treatment may be needed. Some treatments in use are rest, ice, NSAIDS, weight loss, orthotics for feet, corticosteroid injections, or even surgery.
If you feel you have spurs that are causing difficulty talk to your doctor about what treatment options are right for you.
