Osteochondrosis is a disease that affects the intervertebral discs, ligaments and bone parts of the spine. The development of osteochondrosis is signaled by symptoms such as aching pains of various locations, increased pain during sudden movements, paresthesia (chills, tingling) and other sensory disturbances, dizziness, decreased muscle tone, limited movement, etc. If osteochondrosis has made itself known , it needs to be treated. Launched osteochondrosis not only delivers a lot of pain and limits mobility, but also leads to severe complications – protrusions, hernias of intervertebral discs, kyphosis. The problem is that it is rather difficult to force yourself to systematically perform anti-osteochondrosis gymnastics. But physical exercises in this case are absolutely necessary therapeutic and prophylactic measures, along with taking medications, massage, physiotherapy procedures, hygiene of poses and movements.
Gymnastics as prevention and treatment of cervical osteochondrosis
Cervical osteochondrosis is especially dangerous because it can cause a violation of cerebral circulation. When deformed, the cartilaginous discs begin to put pressure on closely located vessels and nerves, pinching and damaging them, and the proliferation of bone tissue of the cervical vertebrae can lead to a narrowing of the lumen of the vertebral artery. As a result, the supply of the brain with oxygen and nutrients is deteriorating. Oxygen starvation is manifested by headaches, dizziness, tinnitus, nausea, lethargy, blurred vision (“flies” and spots before your eyes, blurred image). The share of cervical osteochondrosis accounts for about half of all diagnosed cases of osteochondrosis. This is due to the high mobility of the cervical spine, due to which higher loads are placed on the cervical vertebrae, and, consequently, the likelihood of the development of degenerative processes increases.
Treatment and prevention Cervical osteochondrosis is a whole range of activities, including special gymnastics. Exercises for cervical osteochondrosis are designed to strengthen muscles, eliminate stiffness, restore mobility, and reduce pain. They can be performed only when the acute stage of the disease has passed. A prerequisite for work is smoothness and measured movement. Sharp tilts, turns, and rotations can aggravate the condition and trigger a new aggravation. If any exercise causes discomfort, you should temporarily abandon it. To train, overcoming pain in the spine, dangerous and unacceptable.
Complex exercises for cervical osteochondrosis
The following set of ten exercises. They are executed in order – one after the other. In each done three repetitions. You can start training only after consulting a doctor. In the presence of other chronic diseases, gymnastics may be contraindicated. It is also forbidden to practice during the acute phase of osteochondrosis. First, it is necessary to stop the pain and reduce inflammation with the help of drugs.
Complex exercises:
- Sit on a flat surface with pillows under your neck, arms and knees. Turn your head gently to the right and left. Raise your arms, then relax them and allow them to fall freely to the floor. Raise your head, turn around and look away. Relax the neck – let the head gently fall down. Repeat by turning in the opposite direction. While maintaining a relaxed state, take a full breath, then exhale.
- Sit on a chair. Straighten your back. Raise and lower shoulders.
- Stretch out again on the floor. Turn your head one way, then the other way. Sit down and repeat the turns.
- Take the position of “sitting on a chair.” Put your hands behind your head and, clasping your fingers, put it on your neck. Take your elbows back as far as possible. Open your hands, lower, relax.
- Initial posture, as in the previous exercise. Bend your arms and place your palms at the base of the neck above the collarbone. Cross your elbows so that your spinal muscles are stretched.
- Sit on your knees, bend over and place your forearms on the floor. Slide your arms forward, straighten your back smoothly. Keep your head straight.
- Lie on your stomach by placing your hips on the pillow. Try to close the shoulder blades. To enhance the effect, combine this movement with lifting shoulders.
- Turn on your back, bend your legs, stretch your arms to the sides. Gently lift your head, neck, shoulders, then back and relax.
- Do everything as in the previous exercise, just add a side turn to the side – right or left.
- Place a pillow under your belly, fix your feet. Stretch your arms at your sides. Raise your upper body, straightening your back, but not caving in.
It is advisable to perform the entire complex of exercises entirely. But the load can and even need to be dosed, if necessary. At first, instead of three repetitions, you can do one or two. And you need to remember about the main rule of prevention and treatment of osteochondrosis with the help of gymnastics: you can not engage in haste, making sudden movements and overcoming pain.
Exercises for the correction of the cervical spine
Corrective exercises can be added to the above set of exercises. It restores mobility, straightens the neck, increases metabolism in the problem area, accelerating tissue regeneration.
Corrective gymnastics for the neck:
- Place the fingers of one hand on the neck, covering them with the most prominent 7th vertebra. Place the fingers of the second hand on top. Press your fingers on the neck. Put your head back at the same time, but do not lift it.
- In this exercise, do not strain your neck and back. Inhale. When exhaling, bow your head to the side where you feel the most discomfort in the neck. Move your head smoothly, moving your chin parallel to the floor. Fix the pose for 10-15 seconds. Do not strain your neck. Making new repetitions, increase the slope. After returning to the starting position, rest for five seconds. At the end, perform a light self-massage of the neck area.
- Place one hand on the side of the neck on the side where it is least painful. Place the other palm on the opposite side (on the side of the head). Tilt your head to the “healthy” side. Fix the position for ten seconds. Increase pressure with each repetition.
Doing corrective gymnastics is necessary slowly and very carefully. In each exercise, you should do five repetitions. After each replay, you need to relax and breathe deeply. In order for prevention and treatment to be successful, it is necessary to do it regularly: daily at the beginning of treatment and twice a week after a noticeable improvement in the condition.