Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow Spurs FormSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How Spurs Form
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Bone spurs in the knees can cause pain, stiffness, and loss of joint mobility. These bony projections form along the margin of the knee joint. Referred to medically asosteophytes, bone spurs can develop as a result of aging, joint degeneration, mechanical instability, and chronic diseases likeosteoarthritis.
Bone spurs in the knee can be diagnosed with an X-ray. The treatment may involve weight loss, over-the-counter or prescription medications, cortisone shots, physical therapy, or, in severe cases, surgery.
How Do Bone Spurs in the Knee Form?
Rather than breaking down and rebuilding bones as would normally occur—a process referred to as remodeling—bone will start to form into jagged projections known as osteophytes.
Osteophytes most commonly develop at the margin (edge) of joints where the loss of cartilage causes bone to rub against bone. The most common sites for bone spurs are the knee, neck, shoulder, lower back, fingers, big toe, foot, or heel.
The knee is frequently affected because it is weight-bearing and exposed to ongoing stresses that can progressively wear away cartilage.
Signs and Symptoms
In the early stages, osteophytes may cause few, if any, symptoms. However, as a bone spur starts to impact adjacent structures, a person may experience:
Common causes of knee osteophytes include:
Knee osteoarthritis is the condition most commonly associated with knee osteophytes, with symptoms typically occurring after age 50.Even so, bone spurs of the knees can happen earlier in life as an aftermath of an injury.
A 2021 review of studies from the Netherlands found that low-grade (early-stage) knee osteophytes are seen as often in people under 30 as those over 50. In younger people, this was largely attributed to mechanical knee problems and wasn’t necessarily indicative of an increased risk of knee OA in later life.
When Do Bone Spurs Develop With Arthritis?Bone spurs start to form quite early with arthritis, usually during stage 2.Arthritis occurs in four stages, usually starting in a person’s late 40s to early 50s. These stages are described as minor (stage 1), mild (stage 2), moderate (stage 3), and severe (stage 4).Bone spurs account for many of the key symptoms of stage 2, including joint pain and stiffness.
When Do Bone Spurs Develop With Arthritis?
Bone spurs start to form quite early with arthritis, usually during stage 2.Arthritis occurs in four stages, usually starting in a person’s late 40s to early 50s. These stages are described as minor (stage 1), mild (stage 2), moderate (stage 3), and severe (stage 4).Bone spurs account for many of the key symptoms of stage 2, including joint pain and stiffness.
Bone spurs start to form quite early with arthritis, usually during stage 2.Arthritis occurs in four stages, usually starting in a person’s late 40s to early 50s. These stages are described as minor (stage 1), mild (stage 2), moderate (stage 3), and severe (stage 4).
Bone spurs account for many of the key symptoms of stage 2, including joint pain and stiffness.
The diagnosis of knee osteophytes starts with a review of your medical history to get a better sense of the possible causes as well as the nature and severity of your pain or disability.
A physical examination would follow to check the range of motion of your knee and determine what specific movements cause pain. This can help pinpoint the location of the problem and if other structures liketendonsandligamentsare affected.
The diagnosis of bone spurs can be confirmed with anX-ray of your knee. Other imaging tests likecomputed tomography (CT)ormagnetic resonance imaging (MRI)may be used to make treatment decisions or look for damage to tendons or ligaments.
If a bone spur does not cause symptoms, no treatment is necessary. Bone spurs that cause pain, inflammation, swelling, and stiffness will typically require treatment to manage symptoms and prevent progression.
Lifestyle and Home Remedies
When pain and disability are severe,RICE therapyis typically used to manage symptoms. This involves rest,ice application, compression of the knee with acompression bandage, and elevation of the joint above your heart to ease swelling and pain. Crutches may be recommended to avoid placing weight on the knee.
The treatment of bone spurs may also involve weight loss if you have extra weight orobesity. This alleviates pressure on the knee joint which, in turn, helps slow or stop the progression of abnormal bone remodeling.
Pain Relievers
Over-the-counter and prescription painkillers are commonly used in the first-line treatment of knee pain from bone spurs. Options include:
Opioid painkillersare generally avoided due to their high risk of abuse and addiction.
Cortisone Shots
Cortisoneis a type of drug known as acorticosteroidthat can be injected into the knee joint space to reduce pain, swelling, and inflammation.
The injection is done underlocal anesthesiato numb the knee prior to the insertion of the needle. The shot usually starts working within two to three days and may provide relief for anywhere from six weeks to six months.
Physical Therapy
Treatment is typically focused on strengthening the muscles around the knees and hips to help offload pressure from the knee joint. This can help ease pain and prevent bone spurs from forming or progressing.
Surgery
Knee arthroscopyis the most common form of surgery used to remove bone spurs and repair damaged cartilage.
The surgery is performed underregional or general surgeryusing several small incisions to accommodate specialized surgical tools and a lighted fiber-optic scope called an arthroscope. The process of cutting or scraping the spur away is known as debridement.
What Happens If a Bone Spur Is Untreated?Sometimes a bone spur will not progress and, if symptoms can be managed, may have little impact on your life.But if bone spurs are developing due to a degenerative condition like osteoarthritis, it is usually an indication that treatment is needed to avoid disease progression.Left untreated, severe knee OA can lead to chronic pain, joint disfigurement, and the loss of mobility and quality of life. In such cases, atotal knee arthroplasty(also known as a knee replacement surgery) may be the only option for treatment.
What Happens If a Bone Spur Is Untreated?
Sometimes a bone spur will not progress and, if symptoms can be managed, may have little impact on your life.But if bone spurs are developing due to a degenerative condition like osteoarthritis, it is usually an indication that treatment is needed to avoid disease progression.Left untreated, severe knee OA can lead to chronic pain, joint disfigurement, and the loss of mobility and quality of life. In such cases, atotal knee arthroplasty(also known as a knee replacement surgery) may be the only option for treatment.
Sometimes a bone spur will not progress and, if symptoms can be managed, may have little impact on your life.
But if bone spurs are developing due to a degenerative condition like osteoarthritis, it is usually an indication that treatment is needed to avoid disease progression.
Left untreated, severe knee OA can lead to chronic pain, joint disfigurement, and the loss of mobility and quality of life. In such cases, atotal knee arthroplasty(also known as a knee replacement surgery) may be the only option for treatment.
Summary
Bone spurs in the knee are usually from osteoarthritis. The loss of cartilage in the knee joint that causes bone spurs to form can progress to irreversible damage to the knee joint bones.
If you have severe knee pain, stiffness, and decreased range of motion and strength, talk to your provider. They can help you manage your symptoms and prevent more damage to your knee.
14 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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