While bones are strong, they are not immune to injury or everyday wear and tear. Bone spurs are tiny pieces of bony projections that develop along the edges of your bones. This overgrowth is typically the result of joint arthritis, trauma, or stress to a ligament or a tendon. As you can imagine, bone spurs can be painful and restrict the range of motion that your foot has. However, bone spurs may also cause no symptoms and go undetected for years.
Symptoms Depend on Location
If you have a bone spur in your knee, you may find that it is painful to extend and bend your leg. Bone spurs that develop on your spine may narrow the space that your spinal cord is in, even pinching your spinal cord or its nerve roots that will cause weakness and/or numbness in your arms or legs. Bone spurs located in your feet are most commonly found on the heel due to plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendonitis as well as within the toe joint.
Should You Visit a Doctor?
If you feel like you cannot move a joint in your foot without pain, you should seek professional medical assistance. It is also a good idea to seek medical help if you have excessive pain or swelling in one or multiple joints. When you visit Alpine Foot Specialists, our podiatrists will likely take an X-ray in order to see how much damage your is. From there, our doctors will help recommend a treatment plan that suits your needs.
Call us today if you are in pain!