Bone Spurs
First, let’s begin by clarifying that bone spurs in-and-of themselves do not necessarily cause pain. There has been a significant amount of medical and scientific research demonstrating that there are many individuals living with bone spurs that do not have any symptoms of pain or discomfort.
Simply put, bone spurs are the build-up of additional bone in areas of repetitive stress.
One example of repetitive stress that may cause a bone spur includes instability or excessive movement of a joint. In order to help stabilize your joint, your body will actually purposefully create new bone around the joint in order to decrease the available space in which the bone can move, and resultantly reduce excessive movement.
Additional examples of a repetitive stress that may cause a bone spur includes excessive compression, pushing, or pulling at a specific region of the bone.
So, if you are experiencing pain and a bone spur was found, the question you should be asking is: What is the repetitive stress that may have caused the bone spur? It is likely that the repetitive stress that caused the bone spur is actually the cause of your symptoms, rather than the bone spur itself.
Treatment of Bone Spurs
Bone spurs in-and-of themselves do not have specific stages of healing, as they form very slowly due to repetitive stresses, and do not go away unless you have surgery.
But this is not something that should alarm you. As previously mentioned, bone spurs themselves are not necessarily painful.
The decision to have surgery for this condition is made between you and the surgeon, however surgeons will often not recommend surgery unless the bone spur is making contact and rubbing against other muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and/or blood vessels which may create additional trauma unless the bone spur is removed. Although this may occur, it is not common.
If you are experiencing pain in regions where a bone spur has been found, than the focus must initially be on determining and reducing the cause of the excessive stresses which may have led to the bone spur in the first place.
TAKE ACTION!
- If you believe you have undergone a bone-related injury, be sure to consult with a licensed healthcare provider specializing in this field in order to receive a definitive diagnosis rather than attempting to “guess and test.”
- If you have been diagnosed with a bone spur, remember that the situation is not necessarily hopeless. Please remember that there are highly beneficial and effective non-invasive treatment approaches. These approaches include determining and reducing excessive stress that is likely occurring at the site of the bone spur.
- If you have not done so already, please be sure to read the following article on enhancing bone health and recovery:
Bones
Bones provide the basic shape and framework of our body, protect internal and vital organs, and allow for movement by proving an attachment for muscles. On this page you will learn exactly what causes bone injury, the process of healing after bone injury, and how to ultimately enhance the health and performance of your bones.
Summary
Bone spurs are most commonly a result of excessive repetitive stress placed upon your bone at the location of the spur. This excessive repetitive stress is often due to your daily activities and/or the way you move. Although surgery is the only known way to fully rid yourself of a bone spur, it is most commonly not necessary. That is because bone spurs in-and-of themselves are not painful. However, the repetitive stress placed upon the bone is. Therefore, treatment must focus on determining and reducing the cause of the excessive stresses which may have led to the bone spur in the first place.
Dr. Eugene Ketselman PT, DPT, Cert. MDT, CSCS
Dr. Eugene Ketselman is a licensed Physical Therapist, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Performance Coach, and owner of Convergent Movement and Performance; Home of where Physical Therapy, fitness, and performance training converge! Dr. Ketselman's mission is to help motivated athletes and active adults excel in their passions by maximizing physical performance and reducing setbacks from pain and injury.
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