Massage is one of the main ways to treat osteochondrosis. It relieves the patient of muscle pain and tension, restores mobility, restores blood and lymph flow in the affected area and prevents the progression of the disease.
It should be borne in mind that the degenerative-dystrophic process in osteochondrosis is chronic. Muscle tension caused by a complex of changes in the intervertebral discs will occur from time to time. Therefore, therapeutic massage for osteochondrosis should be carried out regularly courses.
During an exacerbation, intensive massage often causes severe pain in the patient. Therefore, the effect should not be carried out directly on the affected areas, but on neighboring areas (pain is relieved reflexively).
In general, it is recommended to carry out massage sessions after the stage of exacerbation has passed.
You should not start right away with tough tricks. Excessive exposure in an untrained patient causes muscle contraction and, as a result, pain.
The first massage sessions should not last more than 5-7 minutes. In the future, their duration can be brought up to 15 minutes or more.
The massage technique differs depending on which part of the spine is most affected.
Therapeutic massage for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
The patient should take a supine position. Muscles should be completely relaxed.
Initially, the effect is on the upper back. The first trick is stroking. The movements of the masseur’s hands are directed from the lower edge of the shoulder blades to the neck. Reception is repeated 6-7 times on each side.
Then they begin to squeeze, ordinary and double ring kneading. Each dose is repeated 3-4 times. The massage of the upper back is completed by stroking.
Next, massage the neck. The direction of movement is from head to back. Stroking is replaced by squeezing (3-4 times).
Then again move to the upper back. The main techniques – stroking and squeezing the fingertips. First, the area on both sides of the spinal column is exposed, then the shoulder area. Each reception is repeated 4-5 times.
The next stage is the impact on the same areas (neck and upper back) with the expansion of the range of techniques. Now, in addition to stroking and squeezing, kneading with the fingertips and the edge of the palm is used.
After this, grinding is added in its various versions (rectilinear, circular). The impact is directed to the region of the spinal column.
Then again massage the upper back, shoulders, neck. End the session by acting on the chest area.
As the pain decreases, massage techniques become more intense. If at the beginning of the course the main one was stroking, now more attention should be paid to rubbing.
Therapeutic massage for osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral
During a massage of the lumbosacral, the patient is lying on his stomach, arms are lowered along the body. In the absence of a couch, you can use a table, the main thing is that the support is rigid enough.
Initially, the effect is directed to the latissimus and long muscles of the back. The main goal of the first session is to relieve muscle tension and pain, so stroking (6-8 times) and gentle squeezing options (4-5 times) become the main methods .
At the next stage, the muscles of the buttocks and hips are massaged. The techniques of combined stroking and kneading are used.
Next, alternately massage the lumbar and gluteal muscles. After a series of stroking and squeezing, the complex of techniques is supplemented by grinding. It is carried out very carefully, the degree of intensity is selected individually taking into account the patient’s reaction.
After working out the gluteal muscles, they begin to massage the sacral section. When exposed to this area, stroking (4-5 times), squeezing (5-7 times), kneading (ordinary, with a palm edge, circular – all 3-4 times), shaking and stroking again are performed.
When massaging the sacrum, different types of grinding are used.
At the final stage, they return to the study of the lower back and gluteal muscles.
Therapeutic massage for osteochondrosis is carried out 2 times a day until the patient’s condition is relieved. The greatest effect is achieved in combination with various physiotherapeutic procedures.