Where Do Bone Spurs Occur
Bone spurs develop in areas of inflammation or injury in nearby cartilage or tendons. Common locations for bone spurs are in the back, or sole, of the heel bone of the foot, around joints that have degenerated cartilage, and in the spine adjacent to degenerated discs. Congenital types commonly occur around the growth areas of the shoulder and knee.
What Causes A Bone Spur
Bone spurs typically occur because of continued stress or rubbing of a bone for a prolonged period of time. This can be due to osteoarthritis or inflammation such as tendinitis. Normally there is a layer of cartilage along the edges of bones where they come together to form a joint. With osteoarthritis, this cartilage layer becomes worn away, and the bones can rub directly against each other. New bone forms in response to the stress or inflammation. It is the bone’s method of trying to stabilize or protect itself.
There are other medical conditions that are commonly associated with bone spurs. These include a condition known as plantar fasciitis. This is an inflammation of the fascia or connective tissue on the bottom of the foot where it attaches to the heel bone or calcaneus. Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis and ankylosing spondylitis are both inflammatory disorders that affect the body’s ligaments and cause bone spurs in the spine.
Bone spurs do not always cause symptoms. Many people have bone spurs but do not know it. However, if bone spurs rub against other bones or nearby soft tissues they can cause pain or a loss of normal motion in a joint. This is most common in the hips, knees, shoulders, hands, and feet.
If the bone spurs rub against tendons or ligaments, they can cause pain or a tear. This is a common complication in the shoulder and can lead to a rotator cuff tear.
Prevention And Prognosis Of Bone Spur In Knee
While in a lot of cases, bone spurs cant be prevented, there are some ways you may be able to reduce your risk of developing them. If you maintain a healthy weight by eating well and exercising regularly, if you limit repetitive stress on the knees, and if you wear proper safety equipment when engaging in sports, you will significantly reduce stress on the knee joints.
In most bone spur on knee cases, the prognosis is pretty good if treatment is applied within a reasonable amount of time. As we pointed out, there are situations where the bone spur will grow and become more painful, requiring surgery.
Thousands of Americans suffer from bone spurs every year. When someone experiences the kind of knee pain that makes it difficult to carry out normal day-to-day tasks, such as walking, it is time to seek medical attention. In the case of recurring bone spurs, you shouldnt assume youre an expert. Just because you might have been down this road before doesnt mean that you can take matters into your own hands. For the best possible outcome, see a doctor as soon as possible.
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How Can Bone Spur Of Knee Be Prevented
Bone Spurs of Knee is a condition that cannot be prevented in most individuals. However, in some cases, following certain guidelines may help reduce the risk of developing bone spurs.
- Maintain a healthy body weight through a healthy diet and regular exercise
- Limit activities that may involve repetitive stress on the knee wear appropriate safety equipment when participating in any sports. Significant stress on the knee joints may lead to the development of bone spurs
How To Treat Bone Spurs
Treatment for bone spurs generally depends on the severity of the pain being experienced. If pain is mild, doctors may recommend medication to reduce the inflammation of the tissue surrounding the bone spur . In some cases, doctors may recommend physical therapy to help increase joint motion and strengthen surrounding muscles, which may help alleviate some symptoms.
Bone spurs which are causing more severe pain may either be treated by cortisone injection or by surgery. The goal of surgery is to remove the bone spur altogether and alleviate any associated irritation. Bone spurs may reoccur sometime after surgery if the initial cause of the spur is not found and corrected.
If you suspect you may have a bone spur, consult with your doctor.
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Tips For Pain Management
Take the following steps to help control your bone spur pain:
- Lose weight, if youre overweight or obese, to relieve the burden on your joints.
- Wear shoes that offer good foot support to cushion your feet and other joints when you walk.
- Start physical therapy to learn exercises that will strengthen the muscles around the joint and stabilize it, too.
- Maintain proper posture when standing or sitting to help preserve back strength and keep your spine properly aligned.
- Use over-the-counter painkillers, such as ibuprofen, when inflammation and pain flare up because of a bone spur. Ask your doctor before taking an anti-inflammatory drug.
How Is Bone Spur Of Knee Diagnosed
Bone Spurs of Knee may be diagnosed by the following observations and tests:
- A complete physical examination with thorough evaluation of medical history
- X-ray of the knee: X-rays are noninvasive medical tests that use radiation to produce images of the bone
- Computerized tomography scan of the knee: A CT scan takes a series of X-ray images from several different angles. These images are then merged to create cross-sectional images of bones and soft tissues with the body
- Magnetic resonance imaging scan of the knee: An MRI is a more detailed scan that uses radio waves and a magnetic field that generates thorough images of interior bones and soft tissues
- Electromyography : An EMG shows the electrical activity of the muscle during rest and muscle contraction. This test may be performed if the signs and symptoms indicate that there is muscle or nerve damage
- Nerve conduction velocity studies: Nerve conduction velocity shows the speed at which electrical signals move through the affected nerve. Slow nerve signal speed may indicate nerve damage
Many clinical conditions may have similar signs and symptoms. Your healthcare provider may perform additional tests to rule out other clinical conditions to arrive at a definitive diagnosis.
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Complications Of Bone Spur In Knee
Bone spurs can make a person feel downright miserable, but thats not all. They can come with complications. Some people also experience permanent damage to the nerves in the knee, while others have to go through more than one treatment because surgery only brings relief temporarily and the bone spur grows back. With no treatment, bone spurs can cause severe pain and impact surrounding structures like tendons and nerves. In many cases, people with bone spurs in the knee have extreme pain when they walk.
Unfortunately Bone Spurs Arent Preventable
There are no ways to prevent the development of bone spurs. However, you can take self-care steps at home to keep your bones and joints healthy and decrease your risk of injuries.
- Exercise regularly. Regular exercise is the best thing you can do to maintain strong, healthy joints, muscles and bones. Low-impact exercises like walking, swimming, bicycling or yoga can help you stay active while reducing stress and pressure on your joints and soft tissues.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Excess body weight places more stress and pressure on weight bearing joints. Talk to your doctor about ways you can maintain a healthy, stable weight.
- Wear supportive footwear. Reduce the risk of heel spurs by wearing shoes that fit correctly and provide good heel and arch support. Additionally, supportive shoes will reduce pressure on your knees, hips and back.
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Is It Possible To Regrow The Knee Cartilage
Is it possible to reverse degenerative arthritis of the knee? While this is a common question by people experiencing bone to bone knee pains, efforts to regrow knee cartilage have achieved limited success. Of the existing regenerative options, stem cell therapy remains the best. However, the treatment therapies are not FDA approved, thus not recommended. In the case of unbearable knee pains, most people will opt for full knee surgery, in which the whole surface of the joint is resurfaced using artificial materials.
What Are Treatment Options For Bone Spurs
Bone spurs are treated only if they are causing symptoms. Initial treatment is directed toward decreasing inflammation and avoiding reinjury when possible. Local cold application can help when the location of the bone spur is accessible. Anti-inflammatory medications, administered both orally and by local steroid injection , are commonly used, depending on the location of the spur. Local mechanical measures, such as orthotics, or shoe inserts, and local bone spur pads might be considered, depending on the location of the bone spur. Bone spurs that are causing irritation of nerves, tendons or ligaments and that are resistant to conservative measures can require surgical operations for treatment.
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What Are Symptoms Of Bone Spurs
Some people have bone spurs and dont even know it. Spurs start to create symptoms when they:
- Put pressure on nearby nerves.
- Restrict movement.
- Rub against other bones or tissues.
When that happens, you may feel some:
- Knobby or bumpy areas, especially in the fingers or toes.
- Numbness and weakness, especially in the legs if the spine has spurs.
- Pain near the affected joint, like heel pain.
- Reduced range of motion .
- Stiffness.
- Tendinitis .
- Tendon tears .
What Are Bone Spurs
Bone spurs, also known as osteophyte, are basically an abnormal growth of bone or an outgrowth of a small bone in the affected area. They are often found to appear among the joints of the bones or even among ligaments and tendons that play a part in attaching the bones. Affected areas can be the neck, above or on the sides of the foot, the shoulders, the toe, the wrists, knee and heel. They sound scary, we know, after all who would want an outgrowth of bone, right? So, should you be worried about having it?
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Bone Spurs Are Actually Your Bodys Way Of Trying To Heal Damage
Bone spurs typically develop around areas of joint, cartilage, tendon or ligament inflammation and injury in the body. When the body detects an injury or inflammation, it triggers a cellular response to repair the damage by producing excess bone in the area.
Common areas for bone spurs include the hands, shoulders, hips, knees, feet, ankles and spine. Inflammatory injuries like achilles tendonitis and plantar fasciitis can lead to the development of bone spurs on the heels. Degenerative arthritis is a leading cause of bone spur development on weight-bearing joints in the spine, knees and hips.
In Some Cases Surgery Is Necessary
In some cases, bone spurs that are directly pressing on nerves cause significant pain, weakness and loss of movement. If pain and symptoms cant be treated with conservative treatment options, then surgery may be necessary. Many bone spur removal surgeries can be performed with minimally invasive techniques.
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Best Alkaline Foods/worst Acidic Foods
So followingan alkaline diet is extremely important if you want to be free of bone spurs.Certain foods are acidic producing while others are alkaline boosting. Youdefinitely want to avoid the acidic producing foods, and instead, startconsuming more of the alkaline boosting foods.
Refined foods, processed foods,junk food, alcohol and processed dairy are all highly acidic. Raw foods,particularly fresh fruits and vegetables are highly alkaline. Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kvass,kimchi, yogurt, kefir and kombucha are also alkaline producing and containessential good gut bacteria. Lemon or lime water is alkaline boosting as wellso adding a couple of slices of these fruits to your drinking water can provideadditional alkalinity.
What Is Bone Spur Of Knee
- Bone spur is an abnormal bone growth that can develop on the surface of bones. Usually, bone spurs are not painful by themselves, but may cause pain when they rub against the nerves and press surrounding tissue
- Bone spurs may develop on the surface of any bone. It most commonly involves the bones of the feet, elbow, and spine. Joint damage caused by degenerative joint disease, such as osteoarthritis, is the primary cause of bone spur in the joints
- Individuals with Bone Spurs of Knee rarely experience any signs or symptoms. However, in some cases, individuals may experience pain in the knee
- A majority of Bone Spurs of the Knee grow very slowly and are stable. However, in some cases, the growth is more rapid and unpredictable. In these cases, the healthcare provider may recommend surgery to remove the bone spurs
- Over-the-counter oral medications, such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen, are recommended if the condition is painful. Surgery may be required, if Bone Spurs of the Knee reduce an individual’s range of motion in the affected knee joint, presses on nerves, or if the pain is not controlled by medication
- The prognosis of Bone Spurs of Knee is usually good and conservative methods are usually effective in treating many individuals. However, occasionally, a recurrence of the condition is noted
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What Is The Prognosis Of Bone Spur Of Knee
- In a majority of cases, the prognosis of Bone Spurs of Knee is usually good and symptoms are resolved with suitable conservative treatment
- However, there is still a risk that the bone spur will continue to grow. in these cases, a healthcare provider will recommend surgery to treat the condition
- Occasionally, recurrent bone spurs may be observed and the relief obtained from surgery may only be temporary
Bone Spur Treatments And Home Care
To relieve pain and bring down swelling, you can try one of these over-the-counter pain relievers:
- Ibuprofen
- Naproxen sodium
These can cause side effects, especially if you take them in large doses or for a long time. If you’ve taken them for more than a month, ask your doctor if you can try a different treatment.
Other therapies for bone spurs include:
- Rest
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How To Prevent Bone Spurs With These Precautions
- Rest is a must in this condition. Relaxing your hands also helps to treat bone spur in hand
- Wear thick socks and shoes having enough cushion so that they do not rub against your feet while walking. It also helps in case you have developed a bone spur on top of the foot, a bone spur on big toe and with Achilles bone spur condition
- Watch what you eat and make sure you have a healthy diet
- Regular exercise is the key. Walking and stair-climbing are the best exercises for bone health
- Maintain your weight and shred off those extra kilos. It is also the solution to get rid of bone spurs in back
How To Dissolve Bone Spurs Naturally
Bone spurs, if youve had them, can be extremely painful or barely noticeable, or somewhere in between. Each patients case is unique, which is why its essential to learn about bone spurs, how to dissolve them, and your treatment options in full before leaping to start surgery. Our medical director, Dr. Steven Burns, DPM, FACFAS, always considers each patients unique needs and lifestyle before suggesting surgery and typically coordinates a more conservative treatment option before surgery as an option. Why? Bone spurs can be dissolved and pain can be alleviated without taking a scalpel to your feet. For many, surgery can be more disruptive than the bone spur itself.
So, what are bone spurs? What do you need to know? Osteophytes, or bone spurs, are calcium deposits found on the bone, particularly on or around joints. Over time, the cartilage that cushions your foot and toe joints break down due to wear and tearthis is called osteoarthritis. Your body develops these calcium deposits as an attempt to replace the cartilage that has been lost.
For some, bone spurs on the feet and toes can cause limited mobility, severe joint pain, and numbness. For others, bone spurs can go unnoticed for years because of the lack of symptoms. Each case is unique, which is why its crucial to meet with a podiatrist for professional evaluation and diagnosis.
To alleviate your pain and to start treating bone spurs conservatively, follow our tips below.
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Causes Of Bone Spurs In The Knee
The most common cause of loss of cartilage in the knee joint that can lead to the development of bone spurs is knee osteoarthritis, which affects more than 45% of Americans at some point in their lives.
Cartilage loss in the knee joint can also result from injury to the knee, including anterior cruciate ligament ruptures, meniscus tears, and patellar dislocations that increase the risk of cartilage damage and knee osteoarthritis in the future. Anyone who overuses their joints, including athletes, military personnel, and those with physically demanding jobs, may be at an increased risk of developing osteoarthritis.
Bone spurs occur in osteoarthritis due to the increased pressure in the joints that results from damaged cartilage. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition that causes joint damage as a result of the body attacking its own joints, resulting in widespread systemic inflammation. Because of this, bone spurs do not typically develop in patients with rheumatoid arthritis as commonly as they do in patients with osteoarthritis.