What is a bone spur?

Patients are frequently concerned that their foot pain may be due to a "bone spur." While spurs can cause pain, there are numberous other conditions that can contribute to pain in the foot. Bone spurs are a common manifestation of osteoarthritis. Spurs are small outgrowths of a mixture of bone and cartilage which typically develop around the periphery of the joint, such as around the sides of the kneecap. Spurs commonly develop on the bottom of the heel as a result of excessive stretching of the Achilles tendon on the bottom of the foot. While spurs can cause chronic pain, a spur can exist as a part of an osteoporotic joint and may be only an incidental finding on x-ray.  more