In terms of the outcome of osteophytes, osteophytes are a physiological compensatory function of the body and a defensive response of the body to adapt to changes in stress. It strengthens the bone joints that have lost their stability, thus facilitating the re-stabilization of the bone joints. Therefore it is physiological and should not be a disease; yet it may turn into a pathology. Because it may cause compression of peripheral vascular nerves, etc., the corresponding clinical symptoms appear. For example, lumbar spinal stenosis, spinal cord type cervical spine, diseased nerve root type cervical spondylosis, cervicogenic vertigo, etc. Although this accounts for only a small portion, it should also be pathological and should be said to be a disease. Therefore, it is important to divide it into two. It is obviously unfair to blame all the symptoms of any clinical manifestation on osteoporosis. Objectively speaking, only a very small number of symptoms are related to osteophytes. In addition, osteophytes are a clear indication that the articular cartilage of the joint in which they are located has been damaged or stripped, and should be “restrained” and “protected”. This in turn serves as a “warning” and “reminder” that it should be our friend, even though friends can sometimes do bad things. Osteomalacia occurs in the following two situations: 1. at the muscle ligament attachment: the spine is dehydrated due to the aging of the body, the spine becomes shorter, and the muscles and ligaments between the vertebrae become lax. Movement, due to the constant pulling muscle ligament attachment points (vertebral body edge), so that these parts of the bleeding, exudation, hyperplasia. And new small bones are produced for new stability. This is true for the spine and also for the heel bone. 2, knee and ankle joints after long-term wear, smooth articular cartilage surface degeneration, cracking, and even peeling. When the cartilage surface of the joint is worn, the bone under the cartilage is exposed, and the bone on the deep side will automatically proliferate in order to repair and form new bone. As a result, new small bones grow at the edges of the joint. This can be seen on X-rays. Because this is a degenerative phenomenon of aging, it is often referred to as proliferative arthritis, degenerative arthritis, and age-related osteoarthritis. However, strictly speaking, it is not an inflammation of the joints and bones, and the correct term should be osteoarthrosis. It is an indisputable fact that osteoarthrosis increases with age. According to autopsy studies, degenerative changes in the joints begin at age 20. by age 40, almost 90% of people with weight-bearing joints have more or less proliferative changes, but the vast majority are very mild. A group of older residents aged 55-64 years has been studied and found that 80% had some degree of osteoarthritis in one or more joints. In fact: osteophytes and joint degeneration aging itself can be divided into two categories: physiological aging and pathological aging. Physiological aging refers to the irreversible degenerative changes in the morphological structure and physiological function of the whole body that occur with increasing age, influenced by genetic factors, since the maturity of the organism, also called normal aging. Pathological aging refers to the accelerated and early aging caused by diseases or abnormal factors, which is also called pathological aging. However, physiological aging and pathological aging only have theoretical significance, but in practice it is difficult to distinguish them, and both often exist at the same time, influencing each other, promoting each other, causing a vicious circle and accelerating aging. Therefore, having osteophytes is an extremely common thing for the elderly and a reflection of getting older. If you have clinical symptoms, you should go to the hospital in time to find an experienced doctor to analyze appropriately whether there is a direct causal relationship between osteophytes and clinical symptoms; if you only have osteophytes without clinical symptoms, there is no need for treatment.