Bone spurs develop in the spine as a result of conditions like arthritis or degenerative disc disease that can lead to increased bone-on-bone contact between the vertebrae. A spinal bone spur has the potential to be disruptive to your life by compressing the spinal cord or nerve roots in the spinal column. Resulting symptoms of pain, tingling, numbness and weakness can make it difficult to complete normal activities, such as yard work or exercise.

If you’re physically active, the psychological stress of missing out on regular exercise can be just as difficult as the pain and discomfort a bone spur can cause. You may be glad to know that while rest is an important part of treatment for spine conditions, exercise is also beneficial if done properly and with the supervision of your doctor or physical therapist.

Types of exercises for bone spur symptom relief

While you may be anxious to get back to your normal routine, it is critical to wait until your doctor clears you for exercise if you’ve been diagnosed with a spinal bone spur. You will likely be asked to avoid any high-impact activities such as running or contact sports that could potentially worsen your condition. When you are ready to start moving, most doctor-recommended exercises will be restorative and therapeutic in nature, with the goal of strengthening supporting muscles and improving posture to potentially reduce the pressure being placed on spinal nerves.

Specific forms of exercise you may be recommended include:

• Physical therapy exercises
• Restorative yoga
• Water aerobics
• Short walks
• Pilates

Listen to your body and stop exercising at the first sign of discomfort — it is important for your long-term recovery prospects to err on the side of caution.

Considering bone spur surgery

When combined with treatments like medication, hot and cold compression and a healthy diet, exercise can provide the relief necessary from a spinal bone spur to help you comfortably engage in an active lifestyle. However, surgery can become an option if weeks or months of conservative methods do not improve symptoms.

USA Spine Care provides minimally invasive spine surgery that is a safer and effective alternative to traditional open neck or back procedures. Our highly skilled surgical team performs our procedures on an outpatient basis using muscle-sparing techniques. To learn more, contact us today.

We are pleased to offer a no-cost MRI review to determine if you are a potential candidate for one of our procedures.