Q: Hello, I would like to know what supplements you would recommend for bone spurs. A: As you may know, a bone spur forms as the body tries to repair itself by building extra bone. It generally forms in response to pressure, rubbing, or stress that continues over a long period of time. Some bone spurs form as part of the aging process. As we age, the slippery tissue called cartilage that covers the ends of the bones within joints breaks down and eventually wears away (osteoarthritis). Also, the discs that provide cushioning between the bones of the spine may break down with age. Over time, this leads to pain and swelling and, in some cases, bone spurs forming along the edges of the joint. Bone spurs due to aging are especially common in the joints of the spine and feet. Bone spurs also form in the feet in response to tight ligaments, to activities such as dancing and running that put stress on the feet, and to pressure from being overweight or from poorly fitting shoes. For ex…

Grant Cooper, M.D., co-director of the Princeton Spine & Joint Center in Princeton, NJ, has written several journal articles and books about arthritis and pain. In his years of treating patients with osteoarthritis (OA), he's made an interesting observation: patients with terrible-looking x-rays (bone-on-bone) may have no pain at all, while others reporting excruciating pain may have x-rays showing relatively little joint deterioration. What makes for the difference? According to Cooper, even with joint deterioration you don't need to be in pain. His keys for preventing and reversing arthritic pain are gentle exercise, including strengthening and stretching your muscles appropriately, learning how to perform daily tasks so that you're not over-stressing your joints, and an anti-inflammatory lifestyle, including good diet and anti-inflammatory supplements. A few sessions with a good physical therapist can be worth their weight in gold to learn specific exercises and new, less…