A bone spur is a smooth bone growth that develops in the spine due to traumatic injury or loss in bone mass, resulting in pain, numbness, tingling, stiffness of the joints and a pins-and-needles sensation. For many patients seeking relief, part of a conservative bone spur treatment plan will include a series of low-impact exercises and stretches designed to ease bone spur pressure on the pinched nerve.

The exercises you undergo should always be reviewed by your doctor before adding them into your bone spur treatment plan in order to prevent the possibility of any further damage to your spine. To learn about the specific exercises that may be recommended to relieve your chronic symptoms, read the following article.

Developing a bone spur treatment regimen

Talk to your doctor about the following three common exercises for bone spur treatment to find out if they can help you find pain relief:

1. Increase your back strength. If you are looking for bone spur treatment for your lower back, work on strengthening your core muscles to help relieve pressure on your spine and subsequently your pinched nerve. One common exercise involves lying face down and lifting your chest off the floor, causing your lower back muscles to strengthen.
2. Lower back stretches. Lengthening your spine with lower back stretches will help to reduce the pressure on your pinched nerve caused by a bone spur. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and place your hands on your lower back. Slowly arch your chest upward and bend your back backward, lengthening your lumbar spine. You can also lie on your back and take turns bringing your knees slowly to your chest. This is often a recommended stretch for bone spur treatment, but consult your doctor before performing it.
3. Neck rotation. One stretch to add into your bone spur treatment plan for neck pain is a simple neck rotation. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and slowly bend your neck to the right, as if you are trying to touch your ear to your shoulder. Slowly make clockwise circles. Bring your head back to neutral. Slowly bend your neck to the left and make counter-clockwise circles.

Minimally invasive bone spur surgery

If you are not experiencing relief from bone spur exercises after several weeks or months, reach out to USA Spine Care. To date, our minimally invasive procedures have helped more than 75,000 patients find relief from chronic neck and back pain. We can provide you with a free MRI review* to determine if you are a candidate for our minimally invasive spine surgery.

To treat bone spurs, our highly skilled surgeons are able to use a small incision that does not unnecessarily disrupt the muscles or ligaments near the spine, thereby allowing for a shorter recovery and a lower risk of complication compared to traditional open spine surgery. Contact our dedicated team today with any questions or concerns you may have about our outpatient procedures.