bone spur

A bone spur is an overgrowth of bone most commonly seen at a joint (the place where two bones come together and allow for movement). Generally abnormal motion at the level of the joint over the course of time will cause the spur to form. You can also have spurring of bone as a result of excessive tension on a bone from a tendon where it attaches into the bone.

Trauma as severe as a fracture or the every day "wear and tear" that occurs to an area of bone will cause a bone spur to form. Bone diseases such as osteomyelitis (bone infection) and Charcot foot may also cause bone spurs to form.

Normal aging will also cause bone spurs to form.

Most adults have bone spurs somewhere in their body. The good news is just because you have a bone spur does not necessarily mean you will have pain nor does it mean anything need be done about it. They are generally only a problem when they cause pain. Pain is usually the result of the spur pressing on a nerve, tendon, muscle, or getting in the way of the function of a joint. Another problem occurs when the bone spur actually breaks off and becomes lodged in the joint. This will cause the joint to “lock” causing pain and loss of function.

Look at the x-rays below. These are typical bone spurs also known as exostosis.

Bone spurs in the toes will generally cause corns or even inflame the surrounding tissue causing a bursitis to form. A corn in between the toes (soft corn) more often than not is the result of a bone spur on one toe pressing into the adjacent toe, especially in closed shoes, thus causing excessive pressure and the formation of a corn.

A small red swollen area either on the top of one of the toes especially the fifth toe may often be the result of a bone spur which is irritated by shoe wear and causes a bursitis to form.

Pain on the top portion of the big toe joint commonly known as hallux rigidus is the result of bone spur formation usually on both the first metatarsal bone and the base of the proximal phalanx (the base of the big toe).

Bone spurs on the top of the foot can usually be palpated (felt) due to the fact that the skin is very thin on the top of the foot and there is virtually no muscle there either.

The most famous bone spur on the foot is probably the heel spur. Heel spurs can occur both on the bottom of the heel and the back of the heel although the classic heel spur is the one occurring on the bottom of the heel.

Treatment in the foot may be as simple as changing the type of shoe that you wear to a less restrictive (translated: less stylish) which takes pressure off the spur. Sometimes orthopedic padding over the area will keep shoe pressure off the area and relieve the pain.

Cortisone injections and anti-inflammatory medication (in short doses) may be helpful.

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