Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is an insidious disease. The age threshold of incidence falls every year, so now the problem of treating cervical osteochondrosis is as acute as never before.
People who lead a sedentary and passive lifestyle eventually realize that osteochondrosis has quietly crept up on them.
The causes of osteochondrosis are the inactivity of the back and neck muscles, which weakens them. Spinal discs that are left without muscle support are heavily loaded.
Constantly sedentary lifestyle, improper posture lead to deformation of the vertebral discs. Deformed vertebral discs compress nerve endings. As a result, a person feels pain in the back, cervical spine.
How to treat cervical osteochondrosis and prevent its manifestation? Doctors recommend special exercises that strengthen the muscles and tendons of the neck, back and shoulder girdle. This is the safest way to treat osteochondrosis.
The benefits of exercise
As stated above, the causes of osteochondrosis are a sedentary lifestyle, weakening of the muscular corset and curvature of the spine. In the initial stages of the disease, exercise will stop its further development. Regular physical activity improves blood circulation, tones the muscles of the spine and neck, reduces the load on the spine, increases the distance between the vertebral discs, reduces friction between the vertebrae and, consequently, reduces the frequency of pain.
And if the disease has developed to such an extent that severe pain is often felt, it is necessary to consult a specialist. He will make an accurate diagnosis, the degree of the disease, prescribe treatment, massage. After the end of the treatment, therapeutic exercises will be prescribed that you can do yourself at home. Such treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home will quickly allow you to forget about the disease.
Exercises should be properly selected and performed in doses. Otherwise, there is a risk of health deterioration.
Useful tips
Before you start exercising, you need to read some useful tips.
- A set of exercises should be performed regularly, regardless of the location: study, work, home, etc. In the beginning, to speed up the progress, you should do the exercises every day. And in the future, when the condition improves, you can exercise 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 a little. In this case, you need to get up, walk around, stretch, perform exercises against osteochondrosis. You can take a short 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 about your feelings. If you feel severe pain in the cervical region during the lesson, you must stop the lesson;
- To increase the effectiveness of the treatment, you can go for a massage and take a contrast shower more often. These procedures contribute to additional muscle relaxation;
- Exercises should be performed keeping a straight posture and pay attention to the execution technique. It will be a little difficult at first, but thanks to proper execution, the muscles will strengthen and it will be easier to exercise.
Exercise set (warm-up)
Before you start doing the exercises, be sure to 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 have to perform neat tilts to the right, left, forward, back. Leaning back should be done carefully, without causing pain. If backbends cause pain, then you can refuse to perform them.
- The next warm-up is turning the head to the right and left to the limit. Despite its simplicity, this exercise can cause difficulties for those people whose cervical spine does not allow turning the head all the way in one direction or another. In such cases, turning the head is not worth causing pain. The exercise should be performed smoothly, without sudden movements.
- Finally, stand up straight, stretch your shoulders back, bring your shoulder blades together, stretch your chest. Then reduce the shoulder joints, round the back. The exercise should be done slowly, smoothly, with inhalation and exhalation.
Types of exercises
This gymnastics, which consists of a set of exercises, is not difficult. You can perform them at home, standing or sitting. The most important thing is to keep your spine straight and relax your shoulders. But it is preferable to perform them standing, because in this position the spine is straightened as much as possible.
Gymnastics #1
Hand press with head forward. The hands should be folded in a lock and placed on the forehead. The locked hands press back on the head, and the head must resist and press forward on the hands. The neck should be tightened. You must stay in this position for 15-20 seconds. Then place one hand on the back of your head and tilt your head back. At the same time, the working muscles of the neck are stretched. This exercise is useful for strengthening the neck muscles, which allows you to weaken cervical osteochondrosis.
Gymnastics #2
Hand pressure on the back of the head. In this exercise, you have to join your hands in a lock and place them in this form on the back of your head. Then press your hands on the back of your head, and the head should be supported by your hands. Duration - 15 - 20 seconds. In this case, the muscles of the cervical spine are tense. This exercise can be combined with the first one for a harmonious workout.
Gymnastics #3
Tilt your head to the 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. You must stay in this position for 15 - 20 seconds. Then do the same on the other side.
Gymnastics #4
Turning the head to the side. In this exercise you have to turn your head to the side. To do this, place your right (left) palm on your right (left) cheek. Turn your head to the right (left), and the working arm resists. You have to stay in each position for 15 - 20 seconds.
Gymnastics #5
Stretching the neck with hands. Performing this exercise can be difficult at first, but you can get used to it with time. Place your thumbs on your lower jaw, and cover the back of your head with the rest of your fingers. In this position, pull your head up, you can perform rocking 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 #6
Stand up straight and spread your arms out to the sides. Hands should be relaxed. Make rotations of the right and left shoulder joints alternately, then simultaneously. The body should be bent forward. The exercise should be performed for each shoulder for 1 minute. This exercise is recommended for those who feel tension in the shoulder area.
Gymnastics №7
The head is rolling. In this exercise you have to turn your head to your right (left) shoulder and tighten your neck. Perform a head turn on both sides. At the end of the repetition, the head should be turned to the other shoulder. Try to pull your shoulder blades back. Perform the exercise carefully, head movement must be controlled throughout the exercise. In case of discomfort, you can simply turn your head to the side. The exercise should be repeated 10-12 times.
This is a whole complex of exercises aimed at preventing osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. It is not necessary to perform all exercises, you can choose only those that do not bring discomfort and pain. Office workers are advised to sit up straight while working. In addition, you can perform hanging on the horizontal bar in the morning. This will stretch the spine, give the body strength. Swimming, figure skating, dancing, aerobics also help prevent osteochondrosis and speed up the healing process. If the classes are regular, and the person himself becomes more mobile, then you can get rid of pain in the muscles and bones of the cervical region.