Q: I sprained my right ankle several times when I was a teenager. Recently I have gotten into running and now am experiencing increasing pain in the front part of my ankle. I also have less motion in the right ankle joint than the left. A doctor told me I had bone spurs and needed surgery. Why do bone spurs occur and what are my other treatment options?

A: Bone spurs may result from chronic repetitive trauma over many years due to an irritation of the lining of the bone that will produce extra bone. Severe sprains and old ankle fractures can also result in spurs forming.

There may be alternative therapies including flexibility and stretching exercises, rehabilitation, orthotics for your running shoes and possibly a change of shoe. Running on soft surfaces instead of cement may also decrease the symptoms.

I recommend that before returning to running you get a second opinion from an orthopedic surgeon or a sports foot specialist. There are other problems that also can result in pain in the front part of the ankle, which may be treated differently.

Dr. Harlan Selesnick is in private practice in orthopedic surgery and sports medicine at Doctors Hospital in Coral Gables, and serves as team physician for the Miami Heat and Miami Dade College, among others. The Jock Doc column runs every other week.

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