Feet Bone Spurs

Foot bone spurs, also referred to as osteophytes, tend to be the most common cause of intense pain in the foot. Bone spurs are not just restricted to feet, in fact, they can occur in any part of the skeletal system. Other than the feet, this growth of extra bone on the normal bone is most often observed over the spine, shoulders, hands as well as knees. Normally, bone spurs in feet are very smooth, but when exposed to footwear or clothes they can cause a lot of pain as this exposure causes the excess bone to rub on the other bones nerve endings or the soft tissues in the individuals body.

Causes of Foot Bone Spurs
Bone spurs are caused as the response to the repair mechanism of the human body, wherein the body tries to repair itself, and in turn builds an extra bone. Bone spurs in feet can occur when a particular area of the body is continuously exposed to excessive pressure or stress. Here's a list of activities which can cause feet bone spurs.

• Activities which put excess stress on the feet, such as running or dancing.
• When the long ligament at the bottom of the foot tightens due to excessive stress on the feet owing to standing or walking for a long time.
• In overweight people, too much of pressure on the feet owing to excess weight of the individual which in turn puts excess pressure on the joints.
• Pressure on the heel owing to poor fitting footwear, such as tight shoes or high heel sandals, which can lead to heel spur.

Other than these, feet bone spurs also occur as a result of aging related disorders, such as osteoarthritis, wherein the capacity of the body to adapt the excess stress depreciates considerably.

Symptoms of Bone Spurs in Foot
In some cases, a small bump or a bit of swelling is noticed in the part of the body wherein bone spurs occur, but there are no obvious symptoms of bone spurs in foot. Due to the lack of obvious symptoms of bone spurs in the body, at times the person suffering from bone spurs can go for a long period of time, without realizing that he is suffering from that particular disorder. Only when the affected area is exposed to rubbing or pressure, the enormous amount of pain that the individual suffers can give a rough idea that something is wrong with the particular area, which may be a foot bone spur. As the foot is exposed to a lot of pressure from our day-to-day activities, the pain caused from the foot bones can make an individual take prompt medical help. And eventually an X-ray of the affected area can confirm, if the person is suffering from bone spurs in the foot.

Foot Bone Spurs Treatment
While bone spurs in feet usually recover on their own, sometimes they need to be treated, especially when they cause excessive pain or start damaging the surrounding tissue. Knowing what causes bone spurs can help in treating bone spurs to a large extent. For instance, if the spur has occurred as a result of excessive pressure on the feet due to excess weight of the individual, it can be treated by initiating weight loss exercises which will eventually decrease the pressure on the joints. If the disorder has been caused due to poor fitting footwear, changing footwear or adding some sort of cushioned padding can ease the problem. Deep tissue massage and stretching of the affected area also helps in treating feet bone spurs. If the pain persists, even after trying these simple methods of bone spur treatment, the medical practitioner may advice administering a corticosteroid injection to relieve the individual from enormous amount of pain and inflammation. Bone spurs on foot can be also removed surgically, but this is most often considered as the last resort to get relief from the disorder.

Feet bone spurs can cause a lot of pain and inconvenience to the person suffering from this disorder. Furthermore, lack of obvious symptoms makes the diagnosis of feet bone spurs a bit more difficult, which in turn delays the treatment. Therefore, the best way to tackle bone spurs in feet is to avoid them, which can be done by keeping a check on activities that cause feet bone spurs.