A bone spur occurs when an area of bone builds up on your body. While bone spurs can form on any area of bone, they are most painful when they rub against bone or nerves, notes MayoClinic.com. Common places where bone spurs occur include the knees, spine, neck, shoulders, feet and fingers. Because pressure from exercising can cause bone spurs to become more painful, it's important to know what types of exercises and movements can help to reduce pain.
Warm Up and Cool Down
Exercises to restore flexibility can be beneficial in treating bone spurs, according to Dr. John H. Schneider of Spine-Health. Before you exercise, perform a warm-up that both gets your blood pumping and emphasizes flexibility. Begin with three to five minutes of medium-paced walking or jogging or jumping jacks. Spend the next few minutes stretching, emphasizing stretches around the area of your bone spur. For example, if your bone spur is on the knee, stretch the back and front of the leg and the calf muscles. Be sure to stretch both sides of the body, which keeps your flexibility levels even. While this may add some extra time to your workout routine, you should perform a similar cool-down routine when you have concluded your exercise session. This helps to reduce post-workout bone spur pain.
Have a Rest Period
While regular activity is important for your body's health, rest periods also should be a priority for those with bone spurs. Alternate the types of activity you perform on a daily basis, such as walking one day then swimming the next. This helps to reduce inflammation surrounding the bone spur that occurs with frequent activity, says Dr. Schneider. If your bone spur pain is very severe on a day you are scheduled to exercise, consider resting a day and taking an anti-inflammatory medication to reduce pain and swelling.
Reduce High-Impact Activities
High-impact activities involve the foot striking the ground. This shock is absorbed via the foot and radiates up the leg. If you experience bone spur pain in the foot, knee, lower back, etc., high-impact exercises can cause pain and discomfort. For this reason, you may wish to avoid running or step aerobics, which are activities that place high impact on the body, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
Wear Proper Footwear
Sometimes reducing bone spur pain during exercise can be as simple as replacing your shoes. Exercising in old or worn-out shoes means the shoe does not have the cushion necessary to reduce impact to your body. Your shoes should fit properly --- not too large or small --- and cushion comfortably.
