Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is an insidious disease. The age limit of incidence is falling every year, so now the problem of treating cervical osteochondrosis is as acute as ever.
People who lead a sedentary and passive lifestyle eventually realize that osteochondrosis has been silent on them.
The causes of osteochondrosis are the inactivity of the muscles of the back and neck, due to which they weaken. Spinal discs that have been left without muscle support are overburdened.
A constantly sedentary lifestyle, incorrect posture lead to deformation of the vertebral discs. Deformed spinal discs pinch nerve endings. As a result, a person feels pain in the back, in the cervical spine.
How to deal with cervical osteochondrosis and prevent its occurrence? Doctors recommend special exercises that strengthen the muscles and tendons of the cervical uterus, back and shoulder girdle. This is the safest way to treat osteochondrosis.
Benefits of exercise
As noted 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. Due to regular physical activity, blood circulation improves, the muscles of the spine and neck area are stimulated, the load on the spine is reduced, the distance between the vertebral discs increases, the friction between the vertebral discs decreases and, consequently, the frequency of pain decreases.
And if the disease has progressed to the point where frequent severe pain is felt, it is necessary to consult a specialist. He will determine an accurate diagnosis, the degree of the disease, prescribe a course of treatment, massage. After the end of the course of treatment, therapeutic exercises will be prescribed, which you can do yourself at home. Such treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home will allow you to quickly forget about the disease.
Exercises must be chosen correctly and performed in batches. Otherwise, there is a risk of deterioration of your health.
Helpful hints
Before starting the exercise, you must read the useful tips.
- A set of exercises should be performed regularly, regardless of the location: study, work, home, etc. At first, to accelerate progress, you should do the exercises every day. And in the future, when the situation improves, you can practice 2-3 days a week to maintain the result.
- If you feel pain or swelling, that's a sign that it's time to move around a bit. In this case, you need to get up, walk, stretch, do 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, of course, good, but don't forget your feelings. If during the classes you feel severe pain in the cervical area, you must stop the classes.
- To increase the effectiveness of the treatment, you can massage and take a contrast shower more often. These procedures contribute to additional muscle relaxation.
- Exercises must be performed maintaining a straight posture and attention to execution technique. At first, it will be a little difficult, but thanks to the correct execution, the muscles will strengthen and it will be easier to practice.
A set of exercises (warm-up)
Before you start doing exercises, be sure to start with a warm-up:
- You need to stand up, spread your legs shoulder width apart, take a deep breath and exhale several times. After that, you need to perform neat tilts to the right, left, forward, backward. Leaning back should be done carefully, without leading to pain. If bending the back causes 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 difficulty for those people whose cervical spine does not allow them to turn their head all the way in one direction or another. In such cases, turning your head is not worth the pain. The exercise should be performed smoothly, without sudden movements.
- Finally, stand up straight, pull your shoulders back, bring your shoulder blades together, stretch your chest. Then lower the shoulder joints, round the back. The exercise should be done slowly, smoothly, under inhalation and exhalation.
Types of exercises
This gymnastics, consisting 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 up, since in this position the spine straightens as much as possible.
Fitness #1
Press on the hands with the head forward. The hands should be clenched in the lock and placed on the forehead. The hands in the lock push the head back and the head must resist and push the hands forward. The neck should tighten. You need to stay in this position for 15 - 20 seconds. Then put one hand on the back of the neck and tilt the 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.
Exercise #2
Hand pressure on the back of the head. In this exercise, you need to tighten your hands in a lock and put them in this form on the back of your head. Then put pressure on the back of the head with your hands and the head should resist the hands. Duration - 15 - 20 seconds. In this case, the muscles of the cervical spine are stretched. This exercise can be combined with the first for a harmonious workout.
Exercise #3
Tilt your head to the side. In this exercise, put the right (left) palm to the ear. You should try to reach the right (left) shoulder with your head and resist with your working hand. In this position, you need to stay for 15 - 20 seconds. Then do the same on the other side.
Exercise #4
Turning the head to the side. In this exercise, you have to turn your head to the side. To do this, put 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 stay for 15 - 20 seconds.
Exercise #5
Stretching the neck with the hands. Performing this exercise can be difficult at first, but with time you can get used to it. Place your thumbs on your lower jaw and cover the back of your head with your remaining fingers. In this position, pull your head up, you can perform swinging movements. That is to simulate an attempt to pull the cork from the bottle. You can not turn your head, must look straight. The duration of the exercise is 15 - 20 seconds. The exercise should be repeated several times.
Exercise #6
Stand up straight and spread your arms out to the sides. Hands should be relaxed. Rotate the right and left shoulder joints in turn, then simultaneously. The body should lean forward. It is necessary to do the exercise for each shoulder for 1 minute. This exercise is recommended for those who feel tension in the shoulder area.
Gymnastics №7
Head rolling. In this exercise, you need to turn your head to the right (left) shoulder and tighten your neck. Do a head roll on both sides. At the end of the repetition, the head should turn 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 the entire complex of exercises aimed at preventing osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. It is not necessary to perform all exercises, you can only choose those that do not bring 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 will stretch the spine, give strength to the body. 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 neck area.