A bone spur, also known as an osteophyte, is a benign, bony outgrowth that develops along the edges of a bone. Although bone spurs can form on any bone in the body, they are typically found on joints: where two or more bones come together. It’s also not uncommon for a bone spur to develop where muscles, tendons and ligaments attach to bones.Bone spurs can form on many parts of your body, including your:

  • Hands
  • Shoulders
  • Neck
  • Spine
  • Hips
  • Knees
  • Feet (heels)

Most bone spurs don’t cause problems. But if they rub against other bones or press on nerves, you might experience pain and stiffness.

What Causes Bone Spurs?

Most often, they form after an injury to a joint or tendon. When your body thinks your bone is damaged, it tries to fix it by adding bone to the injured area. This creates bone spurs.

Often arthritis causes the damage that produces a bone spur. The cushioning between your joints and the bones of your spine can wear down with age. Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and gout can also damage your joints.

Other causes of bone spurs include:

  • Injuries
  • Overuse – for example, if you run or dance a lot over a long period of time
  • Genes
  • Diet
  • Obesity
  • Bone problems that you were born with
  • Narrowing of the spine (spinal stenosis)

Symptoms of Bone Spurs

Bone spurs do not always produce obvious symptoms. You could have one and not know it. When symptoms do occur, what you experience depends on the location of the bone spur. A bone spur can be painful. If the bone spur is located in a joint, there can be restricted range of motion in that joint.

Specific symptoms depend on where the bone spur is located.

For example:

  • Fingers. Bone spurs look like hard lumps under the skin and can make the joints in the fingers appear knobby.
  • Shoulder. Bone spurs can rub against the rotator cuff, which controls shoulder movement. This can lead to shoulder tendinitis and can even tear the rotator cuff.
  • Spine. Bone spurs on the spine can cause spinal stenosis, or the narrowing of the spinal canal, pain and loss of motion. When bone spurs pinch the spinal cord or nerves, it can cause numbness or weakness in the arms and legs.
  • Hip. Depending on where in the hip a bone spur is located, it can reduce the hip joint’s range of motion, and moving the hip is painful.
  • Knee. Bone spurs affect the bones and tendons that allow the knee extend and bend with ease. Moving the knee is painful.

Bone Spur Diagnosis and Treatment

To diagnose a bone spur, a doctor will conduct a physical exam and feel around the affect joint. Some bone spurs can be felt. X-rays can show whether or not a bone spur is present and responsible for symptoms. If necessary, a doctor may use other imaging studies such as an MRI or CT scan to determine if there are complications to surrounding structures affected by the bone spur. Typically a physical exam and x-ray provide enough information to make an accurate diagnosis.

Bone spurs are treated conservatively at first. The pain and inflammation associated with a bone spur is typically treated with one or more of the following:

  • Over the counter pain relievers (acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen sodium)
  • Rest
  • Ice
  • Orthotics
  • Stretching exercises

If the aforementioned treatment options are not effective, a cortisone injection is administered to relieve pain and inflammation. In severe cases, such as a bone spur that has greatly reduced your range of motion or is pressing on nerves, surgical removal may be necessary.