The spine can be damaged by bone spurs.
The Mayo Clinic defines bone spurs, or osteophytes, as " ... bony projections that develop along the edges of bones. The bone spurs themselves aren't painful, but they can rub against nearby nerves and bones and cause pain." Nearly 40 percent of the population will require medical treatment for bone spurs.
Exercise
Most bone spurs go undetected because they do not create any pain, according to the Mayo Clinic. However, spurs on the heels (also known as plantar fasciitis) do create pain for most people. These projections are created by chronic inflammation caused by exercise, running or even walking.
Age
Normal aging creates spurs when the body loses the ability to repair damage and instead adds new bone mass to edges of healthy bone structure.
Disease
Osteoarthritis, degenerative joint disease, arthritis and chronic disease can cause damage to the cartilage between the bones in the joints, including elbows, wrists, knees and ankles. The body attempts to repair the damage and creates additional spurs.
Accidents
Damage to bones, especially those that provide major support to the body such as the spine, frequently leads to spurs when the body attempts a natural repair by providing additional joint surface to distribute the body weight. Cedars-Sinai Health System isolates sport-related and automobile injuries as major accident factors.
Obesity
Pressure on the bones caused by inability to carry an excessive amount of weight can damage bones, leading the body to attempt repairs that create bone spurs. These typically are found in the feet.
Heredity
The Cedars-Sinai Health System lists heredity and structural genetic problems as causes of bone spurs.
Tags: bone spurs, body attempts, bone spurs, Cedars-Sinai Health, Cedars-Sinai Health System
