We live in a time when information Technology are developing at a breakneck pace, and we are forced to spend more and more time sitting in front of the computer. Because of this, the spine suffers greatly: deformation of the intervertebral discs and loss of flexibility of the spine itself occurs.
Everyone knows that playing sports is good for your health. Specifically for the spine, the benefit is that it strengthens muscle corset spine. In addition, sport normalizes the functioning of other systems and leads to rejuvenation of the entire body.
Any sport should be done in compliance with the following recommendations:
1. Perform exercises 2 hours before bedtime and no earlier than an hour after eating.
2. It is necessary to play sports constantly (from childhood to old age).
3. Select exercises that suit your abilities, in accordance with your physical abilities and age.
4. If you already have problems with the spine, then you should start playing sports only after consulting a doctor.
5. If during or after exercise there is pain, increased fatigue, pale skin, trembling in the limbs, increased sweating - these are signals to reduce the level of activity or engage in another sport.
Sports good for the spine
Swimming
Many people know about the benefits of swimming for the spine. But what is the point? It is based on Archimedes' law: an object that is immersed in water loses as much weight as the weight of the water it displaces. That is, if we weigh 70 kg, then in water it is approximately 3 kg. Due to this, the spine is unloaded in the water, and the intervertebral discs are straightened.
Even by simply being in the water, the intervertebral discs will straighten and rest!
If you already have problems with the spine, then follow the following recommendations:
In case of stooping and hyperkyphosis (increased thoracic curve), it is better to swim on the stomach: the spine bends backward and, as a result, posture is corrected;
Conversely, if there is a flattening of the thoracic curve, then swim on your back;
If you have problems with the lower back, it is also better to swim on your back;
For older people or those who are just starting to swim, crawl, no-arm or back breaststroke are better suited.
If you don’t know how to swim, then no matter how strange it may sound, you still need to swim :) Move as you can and know how. You can use vests, sleeves, just lie on your back or stomach.
Race walking
Absolutely any walking is beneficial for a person. In order for the spine, and the entire body as a whole, to feel good, it is necessary to walk at least 5 km every day.
Race walking is more intense than usual, and like any other it involves a cycle of repeated movements. If when running we get a shock load on the spine, then when walking this does not happen.
During classes race walking muscles receive many complex movements: flexion and extension, and lateral bends, and body twisting. Cross movements of the arms involve the upper shoulder girdle. The effect on posture is formed due to uniform loads on different groups muscles.
Skis (not alpine)
Skiing requires the work of all muscle groups. They are activated at low temperatures, which means more energy is wasted. This will promote combustion extra pounds.
There is also no shock load on the spine in cross-country skiing. This sport involves significant power loads for muscles and joints, and as a result it has a huge strengthening effect.
Eastern gymnastic practices
Eastern types of gymnastics involve slow stretching followed by gradual tension. In such a situation, the negative impact on the spine is completely excluded. In addition, great attention is paid to technology correct breathing. And this increases blood flow and provides muscles and joints with nutrition and oxygen.
Soft oriental gymnastic techniques include the following types of exercises:
Formation exercises correct posture (correct posture learn not only to accept, but also to maintain for a long time, which forms the habit of controlling posture);
Exercises to increase the mobility of all parts of the spine (slowly bringing the muscles to the highest possible point with fixation for several seconds in the extreme position);
Exercises aimed at developing not only the back muscles, but also the abs, shoulder girdle(muscles of the shoulder girdle, abdomen, and back are involved in maintaining the spine).
Yoga class
There are, so to speak, and dangerous species sports for the spine. For example: running, wrestling, boxing, football, basketball, horse riding, etc. But this does not mean that you cannot do them. You just need to approach the exercises wisely and according to your strength. It is advisable to use the advice of professionals.
Be healthy!
If you are worried about back pain, this is not a death sentence, especially for those who respect sports and are friends with physical education. When it comes to pain syndrome due to osteochondrosis, then sports are not only relevant, but also simply necessary, because thanks to them a person can quickly get rid of the unpleasant manifestations of the disease, improve his physical fitness and forget about back pain for a long time.
Swimming, running, fitness and even yoga for osteochondrosis - all these and many others sports equipment will help the patient forget about alarming symptoms, speed up his recovery and stop the development of the degenerative process.
Sports will help you forget about back pain
So, is it possible to run with osteochondrosis? Is it possible to hang on a horizontal bar if you have osteochondrosis? Is it dangerous to go to gym if I have been diagnosed with spinal osteochondrosis? Doctors hear questions like these from their patients every day. Let's try to deal with this problem too.
Many people believe that playing sports only aggravates the pathological process of intervertebral disc degeneration, thereby provoking the progression of the disease.
Indeed, there are some restrictions and recommendations regarding sports with spinal osteochondrosis, and certain types sports exercises can significantly aggravate the disease, potentiating the development of persistent pain syndrome.
For example, bodybuilding and osteochondrosis, intense physical training and diseases of the spine, ailments of the musculoskeletal system and traumatic sports: hockey, skiing, rugby.
Skiing is prohibited if you have osteochondrosis.
Despite this, moderate physical activity has a very positive effect on a sore spine. Regular, low-intensity physical activity has an excellent effect on the condition of the vertebrae, strengthens the muscular corset of the back, improves blood circulation in the affected areas of the body, and increases internal tone and emotional mood. Scientists even developed special simulator for the treatment of osteochondrosis.
But what to do if a sick person does not have the opportunity to exercise regularly.
An excellent solution in this case would be race walking for osteochondrosis, which will replace the patient’s training and participation in any specific sport.
Current sports for osteochondrosis
Some sports, such as hammer throwing, weightlifting, pole vaulting, which involve strong physical stress on the spine, are naturally contraindicated for osteochondrosis.
You should also avoid those sports that are associated with a high risk of injuries to the vertebrae or back in general: skiing, hockey, golf, rugby.
For osteochondrosis, the following sports are considered relevant:
- yoga and pilates;
- fitness;
- running and race walking;
- swimming and water aerobics;
For more information about what is possible and what is not possible with osteochondrosis, watch the video:
Gym
It is advisable to visit the gym for osteochondrosis. Only the choice of exercise equipment and intensity of loads for training in the gym should be entrusted to an experienced specialist, who, after assessing the general physical condition person, the form and stage of development of his disease will make the final decision regarding the duration and quality of sports training.
Sports equipment for osteochondrosis should not exert strong pressure and stress on the back muscles, or provoke the formation of intervertebral hernias or sprained ligaments.
In recent years, exercise on an ellipsoid for osteochondrosis has become especially popular, as it can improve the condition of the back muscles, strengthen the paravertebral ligaments and prevent the muscle frame from losing its tone.
Yoga and Pilates
Yoga and Pilates for osteochondrosis are modern, non-traditional sports techniques that help strengthen the back muscles and abdominals, increase the flexibility of the spine, achieve improved posture and bring the mobility of the affected joints limited by the pathological process closer to normal values.
Yoga and Pilates can be done even at home
A huge positive quality of such exercise systems is that they can be practiced even by people who have no prior experience. sports training, both in the hall and at home.
Fitness
With osteochondrosis, you can engage in fitness, which helps warm up stiff back muscles, improves blood flow to the affected tissues, promotes proper nutrition and improves posture. Positive results, especially with moderate pain, can be achieved by practicing ball rolling for osteochondrosis.
Such exercises can help you get rid of back pain, prevent misalignment of the vertebrae and improve the flexibility of the spinal column as a whole.
Fitness for osteochondrosis is more suitable for young patients or middle-aged people who do not have diagnosed heart disease, hypertension and cerebrovascular accidents. Useful for osteochondrosis are push-ups, a horizontal bar for osteochondrosis, and the like.
Running and race walking
Running and race walking are one of the most common sports. You can run with osteochondrosis, but only strictly following the recommendations of doctors. Running should be done on a treadmill or specially equipped stadiums. You should not run too fast, raise your knees high and wear poor quality or uncomfortable shoes.
If you have osteochondrosis, you can go jogging, following certain rules
Race walking is a mandatory activity before each run to warm up the muscles and prepare breathing. Thanks to running, you can achieve significant results in the process of non-drug treatment and prevention of spinal diseases, speed up recovery, and improve your condition internal organs and systems.
Swimming
Swimming against osteochondrosis helps to cope well with the disease. This sport allows you to relieve tension from the back muscles and increase their tone in a very short period of time.
A swimming pool for osteochondrosis provides a real opportunity to lose weight. overweight, strengthen muscle layer, increase overall tone and restore vitality.
In addition, swimming is a sport in which the likelihood of spinal injury is minimized.
Are there any contraindications?
If a sick person asks a doctor whether it is possible to play sports with osteochondrosis, any experienced specialist will give him a positive answer. It is not only possible, but also necessary to engage in sports with spinal osteochondrosis.
Naturally, this must be done extremely carefully, without excesses and strong physical exertion, and also taking into account the form of the disease, the degree of neglect of the pathological process and the presence of complications.
There are no absolute contraindications for playing sports with osteochondrosis.
If you exercise carefully, it will only benefit you
But it should be borne in mind that the spine, burdened with a pathological process, is no longer able to sufficiently respond to intense physical activity, so sports with osteochondrosis should be a compromise, that is, it is better for a sick person to look for alternative options active species physical activity.
For example, running or high jumping can be replaced by race walking in a park or forest, exercises with stretching up and down, etc.
It is important to remember that if at the initial stages of development of the pathological process there are contraindications and restrictions in relation to sports training with osteochondrosis there is practically no, then with an advanced disease they may be under an absolute ban. Therefore, before attending any sports activities, you should definitely visit a doctor.
What sport is considered the best for osteochondrosis?
Choosing a sport for osteochondrosis is an individual process, which depends on the characteristics of each individual organism, the form and degree of the disease, the presence of complications and concomitant ailments in the patient. That is why it is better to entrust the determination of which sport will be more appropriate in a particular clinical case to a professional.
Your doctor will tell you how to choose a sport
In most cases, the ideal sport for spinal diseases is swimming or water aerobics, since during such activities all muscle groups are trained and strengthened.
In an aquatic environment, as is known, the load on the spine is minimized, all movements of the limbs are made very soft, which allows you to achieve quick positive results in the process of physiotherapeutic treatment and the prevention of diseases of the spinal column.
In particular, swimming for osteochondrosis allows you to get rid of extra pounds, strengthen your back muscles, get a huge boost of energy, and improve general condition and improve body tone.
Any physical activity with osteochondrosis is a kind of test for a diseased spine.
Naturally, they do not always have a negative effect and, in moderate quantities, can even improve a person’s general condition, relieve him of back pain, speed up the healing process, and the like.
It is also important to remember that in order to achieve maximum effect Regularity of exercise is important, so if a patient is not serious about sports with osteochondrosis, it is better for him not to start training at all.
Every person, especially those whose work involves low physical activity, is simply obliged to devote time to sports activities. But the most important thing is to find the right approach and choose exactly the type that suits you best, because if you are an office worker and take no more than ten steps to the cooler and back a day, then in the evening after training you can expect unpleasant consequences in the form of pain in the spine. That is why you should choose sports that do not harm your back.
Swimming
This is a wonderful sport that can be practiced at any time of the year: swim in open water in the summer, and go to the pool in the cold season.
In water, the human body is almost in a state of weightlessness, due to which the spine is unloaded and the intervertebral discs are straightened. For back problems, the crawl style is especially useful; it helps stretch the spine and makes it more flexible.
You need to swim at your normal pace. If you have been diagnosed with stooping and hyperkyphosis (increased thoracic curve), then it is better to swim on your stomach: in this position the spine extends and posture is corrected. If there is a flattening of the thoracic curve, then you need to swim more on your back (this is also recommended for problems with the lower back).
Even if you don’t know how to swim, still try to be in the water more often, move, do water aerobics, swim in armbands or inflatable vests.
Race walking
It is believed that for good health and maintaining the spine, it is necessary to take five-kilometer walks every day.
During race walking, the muscles perform a series of complex movements with each step: slight flexion and extension, lateral bending and twisting of the body. Cross movements of the arms involve the upper shoulder girdle.
The modeling effect on posture is formed due to uniform loads on various groups muscles.
In addition to strengthening the tissues and joints of the spine, this sport has other positive aspects: blood begins to circulate faster through the vessels and delivers more oxygen to the organs; blood pressure normalizes; blood cholesterol levels decrease; leg muscles are strengthened; fat is burned effectively.
All you need for this sport is good shoes and clothing that will not restrict movement.
Sports dangerous to the spine
The most undesirable sport for people with problem back is running.
I do not recommend running for people with joint arthrosis, scoliosis or back pain. Running and other jumps increase the axial load on the joints and spine, provoking the appearance or intensification of pain, and in the case of arthrosis, accelerating the destruction of the joint, says Professor, Doctor of Medical Sciences, kinesiotherapist Sergei Bubnovsky.
Each running step has a flight phase when the body is in the air for several seconds. When landing, the spine and legs bear a load exceeding five times the body weight. That is, first the spine is stretched upward, and then a huge weight is suddenly brought down on the body (if your weight is 60 kg, then upon landing you weigh as much as 300 kg) - the intervertebral discs are sharply compressed, and this is very harmful.
Also, doctors do not recommend that patients with back pain exercise professional wrestling, team sports such as football, hockey, basketball, etc., Latin American and other fast dances, tennis and badminton, fencing, alpine skiing, horse riding and cycling, when you have to bend low to the handlebars.
Problems with the spine can bother both older and older people today. young. Unfortunately, sometimes scoliosis, osteochondrosis and other diseases of the musculoskeletal system become an obstacle to playing your favorite sport.
Of course, sports involve heavy loads on the spine, but this does not mean that you have to stop all training.
You may want to consult an experienced physician or sports coach in order to choose suitable look physical exercise. With this approach, playing sports will only benefit your spine.
Kinesio taping is one of the methods used in sports and restorative medicine(rehabilitation). Elastic tape is applied to the damaged area. This tape is specially adjusted for the patient, taking into account the mechanism of movement of the affected area.
Some sports are unsafe for people undergoing spinal treatment. For example, weightlifting, wrestling, high jumping or javelin throwing are directly associated with enormous stress on the spine. People with spinal cord problems should avoid team sports that involve the risk of falls, jolts, impacts and collisions, and also involve a high pace of play.
No less dangerous are seemingly harmless activities - Latin American dancing, badminton, golf and tennis. The fact is that in the process of dancing or playing, the athlete must sharply turn his torso, and this increases the likelihood of complications. In addition, you should avoid skiing from the mountains, which can lead to injury to the spine, upper and lower limbs.
Horseback riding is not a good idea if you have back problems. This sport is quite dangerous, especially at the learning stage, because there is a risk of falling from the horse. While riding, the spine experiences a large impact load.
Swimming. The best choice for spinal diseases is swimming. In water, the load on the spine is minimal, while gentle movements can strengthen almost all human muscle groups, get rid of extra pounds and increase vitality. However, our recommendations do not concern jumping into water that is dangerous for the back, especially head down.
Jogging and walking. These forms health activities also great for people with spinal disorders. The time and place of training are selected individually: some people love to run in the morning, while others prefer to run in the evening in order to have a good sleep after training.
It is important to consider the quality of sports shoes for running or walking, because incorrectly selected sneakers can worsen the condition of the legs, feet and spine. Choose running shoes with soft, flexible soles. The route should run through areas with soft and level surfaces, for example, it is recommended to jog in the forest.
Yoga. Eastern types of gymnastics eliminate the negative impact on the spine. During training, slow stretching and gradual tension of the muscles are assumed, and great attention is also paid to breathing techniques that provide oxygen to the entire body.
Playing sports for people who have problems with the spine is quite acceptable. However, you will have to exclude traumatic sports that involve heavy loads. Best views sports for the spine are jogging on a soft base, walking, swimming and yoga.
Most effective way prevention of back pain - regular physical exercise! A good muscle corset and sufficient flexibility of the spine are the basis for the prevention of back pain. Playing sports for diseases of the spine is often quite acceptable, but with a very big reservation and correct selection type of sport. Of course, illness can force a person to give up his favorite sport. Refusing to submit to circumstances and continuing classes, you need to know that the disease can take an acute form.
Some sports, such as weightlifting, high jumping, wrestling and javelin throwing, place very high stress on the spine. Many athletes with spinal diseases are associated with a deterioration in their physical capabilities and a decrease in results in competitions.
The ancient Greeks said: “Pain is the guard dog of your health,” this is a kind of “SOS” for the human body. Therefore, listen carefully to yourself during and especially after playing sports. If there is pain in the head, heart or spine, you should try to relieve it at the very beginning - change your body position, take a walk, do exercises therapeutic exercises. If there is pain in the arm, leg, back, if you feel discomfort after some physical activity, - this indicates that the first clinical signs of spinal osteochondrosis have appeared. It is necessary to take timely measures, otherwise the pain will cause a whole range of changes in the body, which will require serious treatment in the future.
Hockey and soccer also pose a risk to the spine due to the impacts, impacts the player is exposed to, and falls. Team sports are at risk for spinal injuries due to the often high pace of play and frequent collisions. This means that individuals with spinal disorders are certainly at significant risk, since the nature of such sports and the focus on the game lead to the athlete forgetting to protect his back. In general, we can say that a person with a spinal disease should give up such sports. |
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Alpine skiing sports are one of the most dangerous sports, even for normal and completely healthy people. Descending from a mountain, even with proper shock absorption with your feet or balancing on a board, does not save you from multiple microtraumas of the spine as a result of every second compression (squeezing) of the vertebrae along the vertical of the skier’s entire spinal column. What can we say about those who suffer from spinal diseases? In this case, mountain skiing should be avoided. On the one hand, it does not have a super-strong healing effect on the body, and on the other, there is a significant risk of injury to the upper and lower extremities and an increased risk of falls with unpleasant consequences for the spine. |
Tennis, badminton and golf develop flexibility of the spine and strength of the back muscles and therefore can be recommended during periods of calm illness. However, we should not forget that for people suffering from diseases of the spine, these sports are already fraught with unpleasant consequences, since during the game people have to sharply turn their torso in different directions, both along the axis of the spine, and making various bends in all directions, which, without doubts, may provoke an exacerbation of the disease.
Despite the risk, many people with spinal disorders continue to play tennis or golf and do not feel that their condition has worsened significantly. At the same time, many, receiving great satisfaction from playing such sports, begin to go to doctors and visit a massage therapist.
From the point of view of spinal safety, running is not the most preferable sports activity, because running causes a strong shaking of the whole body. In each running step, there is a flight phase when both feet do not touch the ground and the body seems to float in the air. When one leg lands, it bears a load of five times the body weight. If you weigh 75 kg, the load on your foot when landing will be 375 kg.
With each step, you “throw” your spine upward as if you were stretching an accordion, straining your tendons and muscles, and when you land, your spine compresses and puts pressure on the intervertebral discs with each vertebra; a huge load also falls on the knee joints.
If you cannot imagine your life without running, then jogging on a soft base is recommended for people with spinal diseases. Avoid running on hard surfaces. It is best to run on a path covered with sawdust, or on any other soft and level surface, wearing sports shoes with soft and flexible soles. Use shock-absorbing insoles and special sports shoes that reduce shock loads on the spine. Hard soles increase the risk of injury to the legs, feet and spine.
The currently fashionable shaping can lead to severe complications of spinal osteochondrosis. Almost every woman after 30 years has pathological changes in the spine, and unregulated physical exercise, strengthening them, can bring harm rather than benefit. There are movements, such as rotation, that are simply anti-physiological in nature and lead to the intervertebral disc beginning to twist and burst.
Therefore, before you decide to improve your figure, you need to consult a chiropractor. Depending on the physiological curves of the spine of a particular person, it is enough to exclude some exercises, and there will be no harm from these activities.
Walking in the forest, cycling, swimming or skiing are very suitable forms of recreational activities for people with spinal diseases.
Swimming is an ideal sport for people who experience back and spinal pain.
In water there is practically no load on the spine, movements are usually soft, injuries do not occur often, since collisions and blows to the back are very rare in water.
Skiing, given its powerful health benefits, is another recommended sport. They increase blood circulation and well stimulate the activity of the heart, lungs and muscles.
There is also a beneficial effect on the bones of the skeleton.
You can also practice the following sports and gymnastics:
Thus, each of those who suffer from back pain should try to find a suitable sport that would not worsen the condition of your spine.