Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is an insidious disease. The age limit of the incidence is decreasing every year, so now the problem of treating cervical osteochondrosis is more acute than ever.
People who lead a sedentary and passive lifestyle finally realize that osteochondrosis has quietly crept up on them.
The causes of osteochondrosis are the inactivity of the muscles of the back and neck, as a result of which they weaken. Intervertebral discs without muscle support are heavily loaded.
A constantly sedentary lifestyle and poor posture lead to deformation of the intervertebral discs. Deformed intervertebral discs pinch nerve endings. As a result, a person feels pain in the back and cervical spine.
How to treat cervical osteochondrosis and prevent its manifestation? Doctors recommend special exercises that strengthen the muscles and tendons of the cervical, back and shoulder girdles. This is the safest way to treat osteochondrosis.
Benefits of Exercise
As mentioned above, the causes of osteochondrosis are a sedentary lifestyle, weakening of the muscular corset and curvature of the spine. At the initial stage of the disease, movement stops its further development. With regular physical activity, blood circulation improves, the muscles of the spine and neck area are tightened, the load on the spine is reduced, the distance between the intervertebral discs increases, the friction between the intervertebral discs decreases, and, accordingly, the frequency of pain decreases.
And if the disease has developed to such an extent that severe pain often occurs, then it is necessary to consult a specialist. He will prescribe an accurate diagnosis, the degree of the disease, a course of treatment and massage. After the treatment is completed, therapeutic exercises are prescribed, which you can do yourself at home. Such treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home will quickly make you forget about the disease.
Exercises should be chosen and dosed correctly. Otherwise, there is a risk of deterioration in your health.
Helpful Advice
Before you start training, you need to read the helpful tips.
- A set of exercises should be done regularly, regardless of the place: study, work, home, etc. To speed up progress, you should do the exercises every day at first. And in the future, when the condition improves, you can practice 2-3 days a week to maintain the result.
- If you feel pain or swelling, it's a signal that it's time to move around a bit. In this case, you need to get up, walk around, stretch, do exercises for osteochondrosis. You can take a little walk;
- You should constantly complicate the lesson. You can add other exercises to the complex or increase the number of repetitions;
- Regular exercise is good, of course, but don't forget your feelings. If you experience severe pain in the cervical spine during class, you must discontinue class.
- To increase the effectiveness of the treatment, you can have a massage more often and take contrast showers. These procedures contribute to additional muscle relaxation;
- Exercises should be carried out in an upright posture and attention should be paid to the execution technique. It will be a bit difficult at first, but thanks to proper execution, muscles will get stronger and it will be easier to practice.
A set of exercises (warm-up)
Before starting the exercises, be sure to start with a warm-up:
- You need to stand up straight, spread your legs shoulder-width apart, take a deep breath and exhale several times. After that, you need to perform neat right, left, forward, and back tilts. Tilting back should be done gently without causing pain. If bending back causes pain, you can refuse to perform it.
- The next warm-up rotates your head left and right until it stops. Despite its simplicity, this exercise can cause difficulties for people whose cervical spine does not allow to turn the head in one direction or another until the end. In such cases, turning your head to cause pain is not worth it. The exercise should be performed smoothly and without sudden movements.
- Finally, stand tall, roll your shoulders back, bring your shoulder blades together, and push out your chest. Then reduce the shoulder joints, round the back. The exercise should be done slowly, steadily, inhaling and exhaling.
types of exercises
This gymnastics, which consists of a set of exercises, is not difficult. You can do them at home, standing or sitting. The most important thing is to keep your spine straight and your shoulders relaxed. However, it is preferable to do them while standing, because in this position the spine is straightened as much as possible.
Gymnastics #1
Pressure on the hands with the head forward. Hands should be clasped in the lock and placed on the forehead. The hands folded in the lock push back on the head, and the head must resist and push forward on the hands. The neck should tighten. You need to stay in this position for 15-20 seconds. Then place a hand on the back of your neck and tilt your head back. At the same time, the working neck muscles are stretched. This exercise is useful for strengthening the muscles of the neck, which allows you to weaken cervical osteochondrosis.
Gymnastics #2
hand pressure on the back of the head. In this exercise, you need to interlock your hands in a lock and put them on the back of your head in this form. Then press the back of the head with your hands, and the head should resist the hands. Duration - 15 - 20 seconds. The muscles of the cervical spine are tensed. This exercise can be combined with the first for a harmonious workout.
Gymnastics #3
Tilt your head to one side. In this exercise, place your right (left) palm on your ear. You must try to reach the right (left) shoulder with your head and resist with your working hand. In this position you need to linger for 15 - 20 seconds. Then do the same on the other side.
Gymnastics #4
Turn your head to the side. This exercise requires you to turn your head to the side. To do this, place the right (left) palm on the right (left) cheek. Turn your head to the right (left) and the working hand resists. In each position you need to linger for 15 - 20 seconds.
Gymnastics #5
Stretch your neck with your hands. Performing this exercise can be difficult at first, but you can get used to it over time. Place your thumbs on the lower jaw and cover the back of the head with the remaining fingers. In this position, pull your head up, you can make swaying movements. That is, to simulate an attempt to pull the cork out of the bottle. You can't turn your head, it has to look straight ahead. The duration of the exercise is 15 - 20 seconds. The exercise should be repeated several times.
Gymnastics No. 6
Stand up straight and spread your arms out to your sides. The hands should be relaxed. Rotate the right and left shoulder joints alternately, then simultaneously. The body should be leaning forward. It is necessary to perform the exercise for 1 minute for each shoulder. This exercise is recommended for tension in the shoulder area.
Gymnastics №7
head rollThis exercise requires you to turn your head to your right (left) shoulder and tense your neck. Perform a head roll on both sides. At the end of the repetition, the head should be turned to the other shoulder. Try pulling your shoulder blades back. Perform the exercise carefully, the movement of the head must be controlled throughout the exercise. If you have any problems, you can simply turn your head to the side. The exercise should be repeated 10-12 times.
This is the whole complex of exercises for the prevention of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. It is not necessary to do all the exercises, you can choose only those that do not cause discomfort and pain. Office workers are advised to sit upright while working. In addition, you can hang on the horizontal bar in the morning. This stretches the spine and gives strength to the body. Swimming, figure skating, dancing, aerobics will also help prevent osteochondrosis and speed up the treatment process. If the classes are regular, and the person himself becomes more mobile, you can get rid of pain in the muscles and bones of the neck region.