The lower back is considered the most mobile part of the spine, so it is more exposed to stress than others and is more often affected by osteochondrosis (more details here). Exercises are considered one of the effective ways to eliminate osteochondrosis symptoms in the lower back .
Such a pathology is characterized by very unpleasant and painful manifestations such as stiffness and severe pain in the sacrum and lumbar region.
Often, these signs deprive the patient of the ability to move normally, which significantly reduces the quality of life.
The positive effects of exercise for lumbar osteochondrosis
Gymnastic elements prescribed by a physiotherapist for osteochondrosis are aimed at alleviating the vertebral state and at relieving characteristic symptoms.
Gymnastic therapy can achieve very impressive results. Thanks to this treatment:
- EFFECT: normalization of blood supply;
- The motor ability of the spine increases;
- Eliminates spasms that promotes muscle relaxation;
- There is a strengthening of the lumbar-muscular corset;
- Pain symptoms are relieved;
- All metabolic processes are activated.
Such therapy is prescribed on an individual basis and only after a thorough diagnostic examination.
Gymnastic treatment at times speeds up the healing and restorative processes, helps to alleviate the joint-muscular condition. But similar results are achieved only if performed correctly in accordance with the medical prescription.
Contraindications
It should be noted that gymnastic therapy has several rather serious contraindications:
- One of the main requirements for implementation is remission. In other words, training is contraindicated in patients whose osteochondrosis is at an acute stage of development;
- It is categorically impossible to practice in the presence of intense pain syndrome. In such a situation, it is required first to carry out measures for anesthesia (pills, injections or electrophoresis, etc.) and only then begin therapeutic and gymnastic training;
- It is unacceptable to start gymnastic therapy at the final stages of pathological development, when only surgical treatment can correct the situation.
Otherwise, there are no contraindications to therapeutic exercises.
Execution rules
Such rules must be observed in order to maximize the therapeutic effectiveness of therapeutic and gymnastic exercises, and to significantly reduce the healing processes.
- Gymnastic treatment of the lumbosacral spine is indicated no earlier than 3 days after the exacerbation subsides;
- The principle of regularity should become the patient’s credo, since only everyday activities at the same time will help stop further tissue degeneration, relieve the inflammatory process and pain attack, and shorten the recovery and health period;
- At first, it is enough to devote only a few minutes to therapeutic and gymnastic exercises, gradually increasing their duration. A lasting result, according to observations, appears after about 5-6 months of regular gymnastic procedures;
- Execution of all elements smoothly and accurately will allow avoiding all kinds of pathological osteochondrosis complications;
- It is advisable to repeat each element at first no more than 3-5 times, after getting used to, gradually increase the number of repetitions to 10, or even more;
- Eliminate in advance the execution of too tense or abrupt elements, since they can provoke additional pain syndrome and complication of the disease;
- Exercises should be performed constantly, picking up no more than 8 elements that have a moderate load, you should not immediately start classes with a large number of different movements. In the future, when the state of the vertebrae becomes more stable, it is possible to supplement the main restorative elements with some special movements.
Workouts to be used
In lumbar osteochondrosis pathology, the main goal of the performed physical exercises is to stretch, form and strengthen the corset muscles of the press and back.
To avoid overloads and injuries, begin training by warming up the muscles, then proceed to perform simple exercises from a supine position. So the muscles are gradually prepared for more intense movements.
Then a complex of elements is performed on the stomach, which is replaced by a position on all fours, then sitting. You need to finish the workout with exercises performed while standing. Therapeutic gymnastics experts recommend to conduct classes with just such a sequence of execution, then the effectiveness and safety of gymnastics will be as high as possible.
Complexes for the treatment of the lumbar spine
We have already talked about the sequence of the exercises, which involves starting the training with movements performed in a lying position.
Lying down
- Lying on your back, perform slow alternating leg lifts with a sinking at the top;
- Legs bent at a right angle should be tilted to the floor, while lying on your back, perform the exercise on the left and right sides;
- Periodic tension of the press helps to reduce lumbar load and strengthen muscles;
- Perform slow pelvic lifts with a delay at the top point, when performing it is necessary to maximize the use of the lumbar muscles, avoiding overloading the cervical spine;
- Lying on your back perform pull-ups of the bent legs to the chest, when doing it, you need to grab your legs with your hands and freeze in a similar position for a few seconds, then slowly return to the starting position.
After completing these elements, you can start exercises on all fours.
On all fours
The complex in this position involves the implementation of the following elements:
- Perform movements that imitate attempts to crawl under some obstacle, resting your palms and knees on the floor;
- Slowly raise your head up, smoothly bending the spine down, then the head should be lowered, while arching the back like an arch;
- Do leg lifts with toe stretching, hold your leg in weight for a few seconds, then put it on your knee again. Carry out the same manipulations with the second limb.
At the end of this stage of the workout, you can move on to performing elements in a sitting position.
Sitting position
- Make oblique movements, trying to reach with your palms to your toes. Such movements contribute to the formation of corset muscles of the press and back;
- Sitting on the floor, you need to put your palms on your stomach, bend your legs and rest your chin on your chest. It is necessary to perform slow lowering-lifting of the body, holding the feet on a chair, sofa or wardrobe.
Standing gymnastics
The final part of the training involves performing therapeutic and gymnastic elements in a standing position:
- Perform head turns, trying to see the heels over the shoulder, such a movement provides a gentle stretch of the muscles of the lumbar zone;
- Make turns of the body, resting your hands on your hips. Movements should be performed to the maximum possible stop with a delay at the end point;
- Perform back bends, while reaching with your hands to the heels. Such an exercise improves the clinical picture of osteochondrosis and provides sufficient nutrition to the affected tissues.
When performing the listed exercises in accordance with the specified sequence, the vertebrae are not exposed to excessive stress, but the formation and strengthening of muscle tissues occurs.
Strengthening back muscles at home
The simplest and most useful for osteochondrosis lesions method of training the spine is considered to be conventional pull-ups or hanging.
The simplest horizontal bar can be easily built on your own in the interior doorway. Hanging on the bar should last no more than a minute. This time is quite enough for the spine to gradually begin to stretch.
In addition to the horizontal bar, it is useful to do strengthening movements while lying on the floor:
- Lying on your stomach, lift your body with your arms spread apart;
- Lying as in the previous exercise, place your palms behind your head. Perform simultaneous leg and body lifts, bending in the lumbar region and trying to tear the thigh off the floor.
Good results are obtained by regularly performing the scissors exercise: stretching your arms along the body, lie on your stomach, lift and cross your legs.
All exercises are aimed at relieving tension and eliminating pain symptoms, as well as a significant increase in the flexibility of the spine. The main thing is to carry them out correctly and with the appointment of a specialist.