Osteophytes, or bone spurs, are bony projections that tend to develop right along the bones edge. They often form where two bones come together at your joints. Some excruciatingly painful bone spurs can form on your spine. The main cause of these is the damage the comes from excessive wear and tear that comes from osteoarthritis. Most of the time the bone spur will not bother you at all and can go unnoticed for many years. Bone spurs may not require any treatment at all. Treatment all depends on whether or not they are affecting your health.
There are some cases, however, that these bone spurs can limit your range of motion and cause large amounts of pain. Symptoms will all depend on where they are located on the body. Bone spurs in the knee can cause discomfort when extending and bending your leg. These growths get in the way of the tendons that keep your whole leg working correctly.