Exercises for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. Exercises for osteochondrosis of the cervical, lumbar or thoracic spine Osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae gymnastics

Therapeutic exercises for osteochondrosis cervical region the spine is the main way to stop this disease. Any doctor will confirm this. With a diagnosis of Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, video gymnastics normalizes joint mobility and tone muscle fibers, will strengthen the neck muscles, and also increase the elasticity of blood vessels and blood supply to the vertebral bodies and intervertebral discs.

Cervical exercises for osteochondrosis in combination with rhythmic breathing will restore normal cerebral circulation. This will entail an improvement in mental performance - it will prevent memory loss and help improve the memorization process.

The vast majority of people consult a doctor when they have neck pain that can no longer be tolerated. If they are not caused by other reasons, for example, myositis or a fracture, then when clarifying the diagnosis using an X-ray or MRI image, as a rule, a polysegmental type of disease will be detected - the presence of at least one intervertebral hernia“surrounded” by protrusions of neighboring discs.

Exercise therapy exercises for cervical osteochondrosis in the acute period and during exacerbation, the same tasks are solved:

• assistance in pain relief;
• elimination muscle hypertonicity, promoting muscle relaxation;
• acceleration of metabolic processes;
• increased blood circulation and lymphatic drainage;
• promoting scarring of ruptures of the disc fibrous ring.

Objectives of exercise therapy for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine in the second period of treatment and during remission:

• preventing the development of discomfort or pain;
• improvement of tissue nutrition of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs;
• increasing the tone and strength of the muscle fibers of the neck and shoulder girdle;
• prevention of the formation of adhesions and osteophytes (inert growths);
• restoration and maintenance of the natural, physiological curve of the cervical spine.

Do individual complex Exercise therapy for cervical osteochondrosis is necessary daily and several times. Only regular loads will help you achieve your goal.

Attention. The price of non-treatment or occasional exercise is the progression of pathology, which will certainly end with surgery, or the development of cervical myelopathy (destruction of the spinal cord), ending in paralysis and disability.

Contraindications

In this article, we present a selection of exercises that can be performed in almost everything, without seeking approval from a physical therapy specialist. However, this simple complex also has its contraindications.

This complex of Gymnastics for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine (video) is prohibited from being performed if you have the following diseases or conditions:

• acute pain in any part of the spine;
• arterial hypertension or high blood pressure before the start of exercise;
• increased intracranial or intraocular pressure;
• acute period of any disease, accompanied by a body temperature above 38 ° C;
• “fresh” traumatic brain injuries and concussions, the acute period after craniocerebral operations and interventions on the cervical vertebrae.

FYI. Breathing exercises for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, it is mandatory, and there are no restrictions for it. Breathing exercises in a lying position, accompanied by hand movements, are indicated even after serious abdominal or neurosurgical operations.

Forms of exercise therapy

The forms of prescribed exercise therapy depend on the period of the disease:

1. In the acute period or during exacerbation, treatment includes:

• isometric exercises for the neck muscles overcoming resistance;
• combinations static positions, promoting relaxation of the biceps, trapezius and deltoid muscles(see photo above);
• passive abduction of the arm, smooth swinging movements in the shoulder joints in an accessible amplitude;
• if necessary, a course of a special Kogan-Malevik post-isometric relaxation complex - tensing the shoulder muscles, followed by passive movements of the arm;
• breathing exercises.

1. In the second period and during remission, exercise therapy for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine video consists of:

• static (isometric) exercises for the muscles of the neck and shoulder girdle;
• pendulum-like swings and swinging movements of the arms (ballistic stretching);
• exercises for the shoulder girdle with gradually increasing weights;
• slow and smooth dynamic movements in the cervical region;
• swimming.

Just a note. In the acute period, do not forget to include thoracic and abdominal breathing in the complex of exercise therapy for cervical osteochondrosis. It will help return the reduced excursion to normal chest, formed due to the unnatural position of the spine, which alleviated the pain syndrome.

Execution Rules

Instructions for performing a selection of exercises Gymnastics for the cervical spine for osteochondrosis:

1. If necessary, the exercises can be performed while sitting.
2. If the cervical vertebrae are unstable and you are wearing a Shants splint, perform the exercises as much as possible without removing the corset.
3. All dynamic movements should be slow and smooth, without jerking or jerking, and their amplitude should be maximum, but not cause pain.
4. You can eat food 30 minutes after the end of the lesson, and the start of the complex should be only an hour after the main meal.

Just a note. Before performing this complex of Gymnastics for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, the video shows self-massage of the neck muscles, rubbing in an ointment or gel prescribed by a doctor or, for example, Dolobene-gel, Troxevasin-gel or Decontractile cream.

A selection of exercises and positions for the treatment of neck osteochondrosis

After a few minutes of self-massage, you should perform warm-up exercises. They are familiar to everyone and do not require video placement in this article.

So:

• Perform movements in the cervical spine several times in different projections:
  1. bending forward and backward;
  2. turns left and right;
  3. tilts left and right;
  4. moving the chin forward and backward (in the photo above - right-bottom);
  5. combined turns with tilt;
  6. circular rotations clockwise and counterclockwise.
• Do any exercises to warm up your fingers.
• Warm up the joints and muscles of the shoulder girdle:
  1. synchronous and asynchronous lifting and lowering of the shoulders;
  2. simultaneous rotational circular movements in the shoulders.

Isometric neck muscle tension

Perform “tilts” of the head to the left, right, forward, backward, as well as “turns” to the right and left, overcoming the resistance of the hand and remaining motionless, as shown in the photo above, in addition this exercise excellent.

Follow the following algorithm:

1. Block: 3 seconds of tension (inhale through the nose) – 6 seconds of relaxation (exhale through pursed lips).
2. Repeat each block 3 times, then make one head rotation clockwise and counterclockwise.
3. Perform the first block with minimal, the second with medium, and the third with maximum muscle tension and pressure of the arm(s). Thus, during the first two blocks, red muscle fibers will be trained and the capillary network will be strengthened, and during the third block, white muscle fibers will be activated, the tension of which will strengthen muscle strength and slightly increase their volume.
4. After a few days, increase the duration of tension to 4 seconds, and relaxation to 8. It is worth increasing the duration of one isotonic tension to 7 seconds, no more. In this case, exhaling and relaxing the muscles will take 14 seconds.

This exercise can be performed either standing or sitting in any position. Bend your arms and place your fingers on your shoulders, keeping your elbows straight to the sides as shown in the photo above.

Make a few movements with your elbows up and down, then 4-5 raises in front of you and maximum extensions back. After this, simultaneously draw circles “forward” and “backward” with your elbows.

Important. During the exercise, your back and neck should be straight, and the top of your head should reach towards the ceiling.

Strengthening the deltoid muscle

Join your hands above your head in a bear lock as shown in figure (1):

1. Tighten all the muscles of your body trying to break the “lock”. Do isometric tension while holding your breath for 3 to 10 seconds (maximum). Then, as you exhale, relax your muscles and make one circular movement with clasped hands, once in each direction (2 in the picture). Repeat this alternation of statics and dynamics (1-2) two more times. Do not forget that the tension should be weak at first, then medium, and the third time - maximum.
2. Place a bear lock in front of solar plexus, placing your elbows exactly to the sides, right hand"above". If there is slight tension in the neck and shoulder girdle, while “arms go to break”, do 8-10 smooth movements elbows - one up, the other down (like a rocker). Then change the position of your hands in the lock and repeat the movements.

Bear lock behind your back

Perform this exercise by alternating the positions of your arms, spreading them apart. At the end point - in the lock, tighten your muscles more each time, observing the following time algorithm: first 3 seconds, then 4 and so on until 7. Do not forget that the back and neck should be straight.

Please note that the classic mudra (hand position) of yoga “bear lock” is performed by interlocking four fingers without the participation of the thumbs, but the fingers should be tightly clenched into fists.

If this exercise is not available, then start with a lightweight version with a towel, as shown in the photo below.

After a few weeks, the joints will develop and it will be possible to perform this exercise without a towel.

Grasshopper (Locust)

This pose will also help those who have problems with digestion, the genitourinary system and the prostate gland.

In the classic version, this yoga asana is performed lying down. Do not bend your chest too much and throw your head back. The line of the neck and chest should be straight. Pay attention to your legs - your feet should not be spread wider than your shoulders, and your heels should “look” at the ceiling.

Time to hold the position: as long as you can, but no more than 3 minutes. However, to begin with, you can perform lighter variations in a standing or sitting position.

Final exercise

This position is contraindicated for pregnant women, and people with pathologies knee joints and diarrhea should be performed with caution.

At the end, we recommend performing an asana that will help put all the joints of the spinal column in their natural position. anatomical position, and will make trips to the chiropractor unnecessary. Take a position as close as possible to the one shown in the photo above. By the way, the “lower” leg and bent arm can be straight.

With each exhalation, do a small “twist” in the lower back, chest and neck. Try not to allow excessive bending of the spine, but only perform twisting.

Time spent in asana: from 5-10 seconds to 3 minutes maximum. Don't forget to do the exercise in the other direction. After 6-8 weeks of daily practice, your position will be no worse than that of the instructor.

Therapeutic gymnastics will be effective only if it is performed regularly, preferably daily. The price for refusing to perform and continuing a sedentary lifestyle is the return of all discomfort and pain, as well as the progression of the disease, which threatens the occurrence of protrusions and hernias in the intervertebral discs.

Exercise therapy is used to treat many diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Simple and safe exercise save us from various ailments. What exactly should you do if your neck hurts? In this case, exercises for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine come to the rescue.

The neck is one of the most vulnerable places

The neck is indeed very vulnerable and requires careful treatment. Through it pass the vessels that supply the brain, as well as the nerves through which signals that regulate our activities enter the body ( motor activity, For example).

Our neck is under tension most of the day, since its muscles need to continuously support our head, the mass of which reaches 2 or more kg. Normally, the muscles cope with their task. But add to this the uncomfortable and incorrect postures that we tend to take, and being immobile for a long time. We load the muscles unevenly, depriving them of rest and complicating blood supply.

The first problems with the cervical spine arise precisely due to excessive fatigue of the neck muscles. Typical symptoms are numbness and muscle fatigue. This primary problem is solved with a simple massage, which I will talk about a little later.

Often people do not pay attention to such symptoms, so the conversation then turns to treating the problem that has transformed into a disease - cervical osteochondrosis.

Hence the importance of neck exercises for osteochondrosis.

How physical therapy can relieve pain

With the development of the acute stage of cervical osteochondrosis, first of all, it is necessary to relieve pain. When the pain symptoms go away, you can begin treatment with exercise therapy. This is a set of exercises for cervical osteochondrosis, which includes a number of head movements, including isometric exercises for the neck.

Gymnastics for the neck for osteochondrosis is mandatory. Without it, treatment will not have the desired effect. After all, without a strong muscle corset, the spine will continue to suffer from the vertical pressure of gravity.

The natural root cause of all spinal diseases is gravity. Its vector is perpendicular to the surface of the earth. Now let’s imagine what happens to the spine if this load does not press strictly vertically on it. For example, this happens when we sit hunched over at a table, immersed in various papers.

The neck is curved, tilted relative to the vertical by 45 degrees, if averaged. Due to the heaviness of the head, there is a slight diagonal displacement of the vertebrae relative to each other. The intervertebral cartilage experiences an unusual load for them, and over time they wear out and become deformed.

Normally, even this position is compensated by strong neck muscles, but what strong muscles can we talk about when a person barely moves? This is the problem.

If we delve deeper into this issue, then nutrition, or more precisely, the lack of joint-forming substances in food complicates the situation. Cartilage tissue is already renewed slowly, and if the body lacks the necessary substances, it has nothing to renew from at all.

So, the root cause of osteochondrosis is gravity. But strong muscles capable of interfering with this process. This means that the secondary cause of osteochondrosis is weak muscles neck. Hence the conclusion: if cervical osteochondrosis has begun, exercises will help solve this problem.

There are also exercises for dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis. Essentially, they are the same as for osteochondrosis. Their purpose is to stretch tight muscles, strengthen them, and release nerves and blood vessels from clamps.

In general, any physical exercise for osteochondrosis (without weights) helps improve blood circulation throughout the body, including more intense blood exchange between the body and head. Our brain receives more nutrition and oxygen, and this affects productivity.

For various diseases of the spine, exercises with weights, in general, should be performed with great caution. Depending on the disease, movements that place a vertical load on the spinal column, bending the back, etc. may be excluded.

How long to do exercise therapy?

Human laziness has no boundaries. Often we stop practicing as soon as the problem goes away. A man does fitness while losing weight. As soon as he achieved desired result, everything stops. With diseases, this approach is not only ineffective, but also risks the return of the disease.

To prevent cervical osteochondrosis, you need to periodically exercise your neck. This is easy to do at home. Plus it doesn't take much time. The process is very pleasant - the feeling of warmth and relaxation in the muscles will not take long to arrive.

You can also buy a neck brace and wear it in acute periods. But there are some subtleties here. Once you get used to artificial support, you can live your whole life like this, because the corset supports your head instead of your muscles. And this is not at all beneficial for the cervical spine. The muscles eventually lose their tone completely.

The therapeutic effect of exercise against cervical osteochondrosis lasts from 2 weeks to a month. If you stop exercising as soon as your muscles lose tone again, you risk experiencing headaches and difficulty turning your head again. Therefore, exercises to strengthen the neck muscles in this case play a huge role in maintaining comfort.

So decide whether to do exercises for osteochondrosis or not.

Gymnastics complex for the neck

It is better not to do any exercises during exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis. Acute symptoms should first be relieved by your doctor. After all, if it hurts to move your head, all the gymnastics will be painful.

The most effective exercises for cervical osteochondrosis are very simple: head movements plus isometric muscle tension. Everything is done very simply - at home, at work, on the road.

Here approximate complex exercises (let’s agree that the starting position is sitting straight, hands on knees):

1. In the starting position, smoothly turn your head to the right all the way, then to the left. Feel your neck muscles stretch. The nuance here is this: turn your head and try to turn it a little further without jerking, maintain this tension for 5 seconds. In general, it is better to start any exercises for the spine with exercises to strengthen the neck muscles. These include developing her flexibility and strength. Make 5 turns in each direction.
2. Now tilt your head to the side so that your ear is closer to your shoulder. No need to raise your shoulder! Just like in the previous movement, hold the tension. If you have a flexible neck, use your hands to help push your ear toward your shoulder. If it hurts, make movements with a painless amplitude! Perform 5 tilts to the right and left.
3. Now make circular movements with your head clockwise and counterclockwise. 8 movements in each direction. Slowly! You can support your head with your hands. This effective gymnastics with osteochondrosis of the neck.
4. The warm-up is over, and now the strength exercises: with your right hand, rest on your right temple. Try to tilt your head to the right, and use your hand to prevent this movement. Create such an effort that it is hard, but your head moves in the right direction. 10 times in each direction (to move to the left, use the other hand, respectively).
5. Now grab your head from behind (occipital region) and, through the resistance of your hands, try to tilt the back of your head 5 times, then move your head back 5 times in a horizontal plane. A total of 10 times will be released.
6. Now rest your palms on your forehead and tilt your head down through the resistance of your hands (pull your chin towards your chest). Do this 10 times, then move your head forward through resistance in a horizontal plane (like pigeons when walking).
7. Finally, you can stretch your trapezius by raising and lowering your shoulders. Raised it - held it for 2-3 seconds (pull it up), lowered it - relaxed it. Do 10 repetitions.
8. Pull your neck in different sides, gymnastics is over. Do all this once a day. This great charger for the neck with osteochondrosis.

What other exercises can you do? For example, for neck flexibility. These are also exercises for the neck muscles, but they also stretch the tendons. This will make your neck more mobile.

Additional exercises for flexibility

This exercise should be performed not only for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, but also, in principle, at the age of 30–40 years. At this age, the degradation of muscle fibers begins, the loss of flexibility gains especially rapid momentum if you do not take care of your physical form.

1. Stretch your chin to your chest, help your head with your hands.
2. Use your hands to tilt your head to the side so that your ear touches your shoulder. Stretch the side of your neck with your hand.

That's enough. And remember what you can’t do with cervical osteochondrosis – exercise through pain.

Elements of massage

When you have a headache or a stiff neck, you can rub and knead the muscles.

Remember:

1. The muscle that holds our head is attached to the back of the head. Run your index and middle fingers along the muscle from the very back of the head and down, applying moderate pressure (so that it does not hurt, but feels good). Punch this muscle down to shoulder level.
2. Now we feel the trapezoids with our hands and knead them. The trapezium is located between the neck and shoulder on the back side. After such simple manipulations, you will be reborn.

Among other things, make sure that your neck does not get cold. After the massage she is warmed up and more vulnerable to the cold than ever.

And, finally, I repeat once again, while cervical osteochondrosis manifests itself acutely, therapeutic exercises no need to do it.

Let's summarize: if you do the exercises listed in the article, osteochondrosis of the cervical spine will not completely disappear (after all, the cartilage is already damaged), but the condition will noticeably improve, the clamps and pain symptoms will go away, and the disease will stop progressing. Thus, you can forget about this unpleasant illness and live a full life.

But remember, neck exercises for osteochondrosis should be done regularly.

Cervical osteochondrosis is a disease caused by degenerative changes in the tissues of the cervical spine and involving nerve roots and blood vessels in inflammatory processes. This, in turn, leads to a variety of concomitant diseases and symptoms, such as hypertension, migraines, numbness of the muscles of the face, tongue, hands, lack of air, dizziness, loss of consciousness.

Today, cervical osteochondrosis has become dramatically younger - very often it is diagnosed in 20–30-year-old young people. This is facilitated by an unhealthy lifestyle and poor, irrational nutrition.

Purpose of therapeutic exercises

With cervical osteochondrosis, blood circulation in the spine and adjacent muscles is disrupted. In this regard, metabolism deteriorates significantly, and this in turn further aggravates the situation.

If the disease begins to show its first symptoms, then it is best to use special exercises for cervical osteochondrosis.

Active lifestyle with moderate and regular exercise physical activity It will also have a great effect on the general condition of the body and can prevent the occurrence of atherosclerosis. But the main thing is that they are correct.

Otherwise, if there are degenerative changes in the bone structures, incorrect exercises can further aggravate the situation. It is important to remember that exercise therapy for cervical osteochondrosis is very effective, but if the disease is not at the initial stage, then other treatment methods should be used for greater effectiveness.

Swimming is also effective for cervical osteochondrosis.

Therapeutic gymnastics is prescribed by the attending physician. A gymnastics session is conducted by a qualified specialist who can choose the right exercises and teach them how to perform them efficiently.

What physical therapy does:

• Improves the condition of intervertebral discs.
• Increases joint mobility.
• Accelerates blood flow in blood vessels, thereby increasing the nutrition of all organs and tissues associated with the neck area.
• Improves cognitive functions of the brain.
• Strengthens the entire muscular system in the neck, arms and chest.
• Slows down the destruction of cartilage and bone tissues of the spine.

1. Age after 50 years.
2. Those who have sedentary image life.
3. Owners of weak and untrained muscles and ligaments.
4. Owners of such defects as flat feet, clubfoot, scoliosis, kyphosis.
5. Those persons who already had vertebral injuries in their medical history.

Complexity of treatment

It is important to remember that you can use exclusively a set of exercise therapy exercises only to prevent the disease. Whereas in treatment it is necessary that the treatment be comprehensive.

Along with therapeutic exercises, other methods should be used, such as massage, drug therapy, and physiotherapeutic procedures. Only in this case will the therapeutic effect be noticeable.

Any treatment or procedure is prescribed exclusively by a doctor.

Preventing relapses of the disease

It is worth noting that physical exercise is not carried out during an exacerbation of the disease.

But after the acute phase has passed, physical therapy for cervical osteochondrosis will help strengthen muscle corset. Strong muscles will support the spinal column in the desired position and thereby prevent further wear and tear of the cartilage tissue.

This can either completely prevent or reduce the frequency of relapses.

It is only important to exercise regularly.

Efficiency and benefits of exercise therapy

When performing exercise therapy for cervical osteochondrosis, one should take into account the fact that the neck is the most mobile part of the spinal column. It is important to realize this, since careless or incorrect execution of the exercise can provoke additional compression of blood vessels. And this, in turn, will worsen blood circulation with all the ensuing consequences.

Positive effects from exercise therapy:

• Exercise will help increase the distance between the vertebrae and reduce compression of the nerve endings. This will lead to less spasms and less pain.
• Regular exercise therapy will help eliminate the state of physical inactivity.
• Strengthens the muscle corset.
• Will accelerate blood circulation and nutrition of all tissues of the cervical region with nutrients.
• Restores tissues affected by the disease.
• The flexibility of the ligaments increases, and, consequently, the mobility of the neck.
• The likelihood of the appearance of osteophytes, which are bone processes, is reduced; they not only limit the mobility of the neck, but also make movements painful.
• Insomnia, headaches, and fainting conditions are eliminated.
• The ability to work increases.
• Normalized correct posture. Spinal curvatures such as lordosis, kyphosis, and scoliosis are excluded.

Indications for exercise therapy

The doctor prescribes physical therapy for cervical osteochondrosis, taking into account:

Dizziness, nausea, numbness of various parts of the face - unless these are symptoms that accompany cervical osteochondrosis. To do this, it is necessary to conduct a high-quality examination in order to exclude similar symptoms that accompany other diseases.

When not to do physical therapy

Not everyone knows that despite the effectiveness of physical therapy, it also has strict contraindications. Cases when charging is prohibited:

• Exacerbation of the disease.
• Intensive painful sensations. You can start exercising only after the acute phase has passed.
• The presence of an infection that has affected the spinal column.
• Presence of heart disease.
• Possibility of bleeding.
• Diabetes mellitus.
• Serious diseases and pathologies of the eyeballs.
• Presence of diseases vestibular apparatus and impaired coordination of movements.
• Any inflammatory diseases.
• Presence of vertebral hernias.
• Spondylopathy.
• Ankylosing spondylitis.
• Oncological diseases.
• High body temperature is a temporary restriction that lasts until symptoms disappear.

Exercise therapy results

Regularly performing physical therapy exercises for cervical osteochondrosis is a very effective way to prevent the progression of the disease and eliminate pain.

You only need to perform the complex that is selected and recommended for each individual. It is worth remembering that treatment of cervical osteochondrosis and hypertension with gymnastics is very effective, but it must be regular and rather become a lifelong habit than a temporary solution to the problem.

What is required for classes

Important factors that should be observed when performing a set of exercises:

• The room in which you plan to do exercises should be well ventilated before exercise and have a source fresh air during execution. But make sure there are no drafts.
• The last meal should be completed 30 minutes before the start of exercise. Also, you should not eat immediately after completing gymnastics.
• Before you start exercising, you should warm up your muscles.
• Or also rub the body with a terry towel at the first stage.
• You can perform some self-massage of the neck-shoulder girdle.
• Profess the principle - from simple to complex, the amplitude should increase gradually, no sudden jumps and stressful conditions to which the body is not adapted.
• Emphasize and pay special attention to those exercises that are aimed at tensing the muscles and then relaxing them.
• Make sure you breathe through your nose.
• Closely monitor your pulse.

If you are not confident in your abilities, then you should seek the help of a qualified trainer. This will ensure that the exercises are performed correctly.

If a doctor has diagnosed a condition of instability of the vertebrae of the cervical spine, then for exercise therapy you need to purchase a cervical collar and practice only with it. It is important to choose a soft collar.

It is important to alternate physical activity and proper breathing.

They begin to perform gymnastics with the easiest exercises, gradually increasing complexity and amplitude. During the first lessons, choose 2 or 3 exercises and do only them, gradually increasing the number of exercises.

Always do exercises, even if you have the impression that your condition has improved. Since exacerbation is possible if physical activity is stopped.

You can perform the exercises at home, it is important to follow the instructions exactly so as not to cause harm.

Before starting treatment with exercise therapy, you need to consult with your attending neurologist, who will be able to give basic recommendations. In addition, you should follow the basic rules, compliance with which will be the key to success in the fight against the disease:

• In advanced stages of the disease, it is imperative to carry out initial training with a qualified specialist - this will help to avoid global mistakes, and as a result will prevent the deterioration of the condition.
• Performing any exercise should not be accompanied by severe pain. It is important to listen to yourself here. If the pain is severe and sharp, you should stop doing this exercise. When pain occurs from all types of stress, consult a neurologist. If the pain is not severe, then listen to yourself. If it becomes smaller with each subsequent lesson, it means positive progress is being made.
• Control your posture during classes.
• Every movement should be smooth and accurate. Remember that sudden movements can harm the vessels of the neck, with all the ensuing consequences.
• Exercises to strengthen the neck muscles should be carried out only in the absence of exacerbation.
• It is best if the exercises are performed immediately after waking up. This helps to awaken metabolism and, as a result, in combination with exercise, improve the nutrition of musculoskeletal tissues.
• Spend 15–20 minutes doing exercises every day.
• If you warm up your neck before the main load, this will help avoid discomfort subsequently.
• Be wary of circular movements and those that involve throwing your head back. Many experts believe that this can only worsen the situation.
• When the first pain and acute discomfort appears, you should perform an exercise in which the head tilts left and right.
• Loads should not be ignored shoulder muscles– they should also be worked out.
• Clothes for gymnastics should be as comfortable as possible and not restrict movement.
• Instability of the cervical spine is compensated by the Shants collar, which should be worn during gymnastics by those who experience this symptom.
• The ideal option would be when this type of physical activity becomes a constant companion in your life. This will help not only get rid of relapses of the disease, but also prevent its progression.
• As soon as it becomes possible to massage the cervical region with your hand, this will increase blood flow not only in the neck, but also in the brain. And this will have the most positive impact on cognitive functions and overall well-being.
• The more sedentary your lifestyle, the more often you need to exercise.

Warm up before exercise

• Take 3-4 deep breaths and exhale with your legs slightly apart.
• Make 10 rotational movements with your hands. Keep your hands horizontal to the floor.
• Perform 5–7 rotational movements with the elbow joints with straightened arms.
• Perform rotations shoulder joints. You can do this in one direction and then in another direction. The position is parallel to the floor and apart.
• Do lateral bends body.
• Also bend forward and backward. When bending backwards, do not allow pain to occur. If pain appears even with a slight amplitude, then simply skip this type of warm-up.
• Carefully turn your head left and right without sudden movements. Try to make the amplitudes maximum, but also without causing discomfort.
• As you inhale, push your chest out, thereby bringing your shoulder blades together. As you exhale, on the contrary, round your back.

Examples of exercises for this disease

All basic exercises can be divided into those that are performed sitting, standing, lying down or on all fours.

Here are 8 exercises against cervical osteochondrosis, which are performed from different starting body positions.

Exercises while standing.

Exercise 1. Standing straight and looking ahead, turn your head 90 0. All movements should be as soft and smooth as possible; sharp turns and jolts are not allowed. Repeat from 5 times if you have no experience, up to 10 times for those who already have experience in physical activity.

Exercise 2. Standing and looking straight ahead, first gently drop your head onto your chest, and then slowly raise it to its original position. Repeat 5-6 times.

Exercises while sitting.

Exercise 1. Lower your arms freely along the sides of your body. And then raise it to a horizontal state. Fix in a horizontal position for 4–5 seconds and smoothly return along the body. Perform 20 times.

Exercise 2. First lower your arms to the sides of your body. Next bend in elbow joints. Thus, part of the arm from the elbow to the fingertips becomes horizontal and at the same time the arms should be parallel to each other. Then raise your shoulders as high as possible. Stay at the top point for a few seconds and repeat the exercise 10 to 15 times.

Lying exercises.

Exercise 1. Lie down and relax, especially your arms, neck, and shoulders. Place both hands on the sides of the body. Legs slightly spread. Inhale – rotate the entire body along with lower limbs one way. It is important to leave the head in an unchanged state. Then the turns are repeated, only in the other direction. The number of turns should be 10.

Exercise 2. Arms at your sides (along the body). They should rise slowly upward, forming an angle of 90 0 to the floor. Fix them like this and then smoothly lower them down along the body. Do 10 repetitions.

Exercises on all fours.

Exercise 1. Starting position on all fours. Look straight ahead. Then lower your head gently down while arching your back (cat arch). Stay in this position for a few seconds and return to the starting position. Do 10 repetitions. Movements should be smooth.

Exercise 2. Standing on all fours, simultaneously stretch your opposite arm and leg forward to a horizontal position. For example, the left hand and right leg. Stay in this position for a few seconds and smoothly return to the starting position. Then perform the same movement, but with a different arm and leg. There should be 10 such repetitions for each pair of limbs.

A set of isometric exercises

The safest and most effective exercises for cervical osteochondrosis are isometric ones. They are unable to cause injury, but they effectively eliminate pain and improve physical condition muscles. The essence of all isometric exercises is resistance to artificially created pressure for a short period of time.

An example of exercises in the video below:

Also a few more exercises below:

Exercise 1. Starting position – sitting at the table. The elbow of one hand is placed on the table. The fingers of the hand, together with the palm, rest on the side of the head. Make a pressing movement on the head with your hand, and at the same time resist the pressure with your hand. It turns out as if the hand is trying to tilt the head towards the shoulder, but it does not give in. The pressure should last for 5 to 10 seconds. Then change your hand and press in the other direction.

Exercise 2. Sitting at the table, place your hand in front of you and rest your palm on your head. Press with your hand on your head, trying to tilt it back, and press with your head in the opposite direction, preventing displacement. Hold in a state of tension for 5–10 seconds.

Exercise 3. Lie on the floor and try to press the back of your head as much as possible onto the plane of the floor. Fix in this tension position for 4–5 seconds. Then relax.

Exercise 4. Performed similarly to the previous exercise, only from a lying position on your stomach. Now press your forehead onto the floor. And fix this position for the same period of time. Alternate periods of tension with periods of complete relaxation.

Exercise 5. Lie on your left side on the floor and rest the palm of your left hand on your head, while trying to move it up. Resist attempts to move with your head. Freeze in this position for a few seconds, then relax. Then change position to the opposite side.

Exercise 6. Stand near the surface of the wall and lean your back against it. With the back of your head, try to press as intensely as possible with the back of your head on the wall, trying to achieve maximum tension. Fix this state for 4–7 seconds.

Exercise 7. Sit on a chair. Place the hands closed in a lock on the neck area, where the spinal column connects to the bones of the skull. Apply pressure on this area, trying to tilt your head forward. But by creating a force with the neck muscles, do not allow the head to tilt forward, fix the tense state for several seconds, and then completely relax.

The total number of repetitions of each exercise is from 5 to 10. Start with fewer repetitions, gradually increasing them to 10.

By the way, it is worth mentioning the fact that isometric exercises are also great for headaches.

A set of dynamic exercises

It is effective to treat cervical osteochondrosis with gymnastics, but, for example, when performing dynamic exercises Possible pain should be avoided. If they are present, but not very pronounced, then their intensity should gradually decrease, which will indicate an improvement in the condition.

The essence of performing all dynamic exercises is to restore maximum mobility of the cervical spine. Due to increased microcirculation, damaged tissues are restored and the inflammatory process is eliminated.

Exercise 1. Turn your head left and right. The amplitude is maximum, but such that there is no sharp sensation of pain. The chin does not touch the shoulders. The number of repetitions is from 5 to 10 in each direction.

Exercise 2. From a standing position with your arms down along your body, you need to smoothly raise your arms up and try to stretch them upward. Then smoothly lower it to the starting position. Repeat 8 times.

Exercise 3. Perform rotational movements with both hands. Required condition- this is the absence of pain. Number of repetitions up to 10 times.

Exercise 4. Turn your head left and right, but in such a way that your chin tries to stretch forward, that is, the movement should resemble looking over your shoulder. The number of turns in each direction should be in the range from 5 to 10 times.

Exercise 5. Draw an oval with your chin, so that it is elongated along the horizontal direction. When movements are made, pull the chin into the neck as much as possible. Number of repetitions: 5 in each direction.

After completing all the exercises, you should perform a self-massage or at least thoroughly rub the neck area along the back and sides.

Exercises with a stick

Exercises with a stick, whose length should be about 1 meter, are very popular. These are very effective workouts that can provide significant relief for cervical osteochondrosis.

Exercise 1. Take a stick and lift it above your head with both hands in a horizontal position. Then place the stick behind the head, while simultaneously turning the head to the sides.

Exercise 2. Hold the stick with both hands as high as possible. Then bend your body alternately to the left and to the right. At the same time as this movement, try to pull your chin as high as possible.

Exercise 3. Take the stick as close to the ends as possible. Thus, the hands will be as far apart from each other as possible. Now try to make rotational movements with the stick, as if turning it with both hands at the same time. Then repeat the same exercise, only moving your hands as close to each other as possible. This will allow you to work the shoulder joint.

Exercise 4. If you place a stick on the back of your neck and then, without lifting or moving the stick, turn your head left and right, then, together with the physical exercise, a kind of massage of the neck area is performed.

Exercises with dumbbells

Exercises with dumbbells weighing from 1 to 3 kg are considered strength exercises, as a result of which, when performed regularly, you can significantly strengthen the muscle corset and take control of spinal disease.

Exercise 1. Standing straight, perform boxing movements with dumbbells against an invisible opponent. The movements should be intense with the arms thrown forward as much as possible.

Exercise 2. It is necessary to bend the body at 90 0 to the floor. Pull the dumbbells to your chest and then raise your arms to the sides. Movements should not be sudden.

Exercise 3. Standing straight, carry the dumbbells to your chest and then raise your straightened arms to the sides. It’s worth holding in the final position for a second. In it, your arms should be parallel to the floor and spread in different directions.

Exercise 4. Having lowered your arms down with dumbbells, you should raise each arm in turn above your head, straightening it at the elbow joint.

Video exercises for dizziness

Many doctors agree that it is gymnastics and performing certain exercises that help eliminate such a dangerous symptom of cervical osteochondrosis as dizziness. In order to familiarize yourself with all possible types of exercises, it is worth studying the video.

Video yoga for osteochondrosis

Yoga – its regular practice will give excellent results. Of course, it is worth practicing with a qualified trainer who can explain the correctness of the exercises. But if there is no financial opportunity or time is limited, then you can familiarize yourself with a lot of videos introducing the principles of yoga and more complex asanas.

Here's an example:

https://youtu.be/q4hLdsHFUxA

Video of exercises on the horizontal bar

You can also practice on the horizontal bar. The exercises can also be performed on sports ground and at home, if there is a horizontal bar or sports wall. To perform each exercise correctly, be sure to study the principles of their implementation from the video.

Video of exercises in the pool

Swimming for cervical osteochondrosis has a beneficial effect on both general condition person, and to maintain good physical fitness of muscles. If present this type diseases, it is recommended to visit the pool and perform certain exercises there. They will help: put the vertebrae in place (partially or completely), strengthen muscles, release pinched nerves by expanding the intervertebral space.

But there are also contraindications for swimming: acute diseases, epilepsy, colds and more. And in addition to contraindications, there are also concerns that are associated with incorrect technique for performing exercises in water. In order to avoid this, before starting classes, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with the methods and process of performing exercises in water.

What exercises should not be done with cervical osteochondrosis?

Gymnastics for cervical osteochondrosis at home conditions must be carried out correctly and exclude what should not be allowed. Here's what you absolutely shouldn't do, so as not to aggravate the situation with the disease, or not to get it:

• Pump up your abs by placing your hands on the back of your head and using them to pull your body forward. This contributes to even greater deformation in bone structures, pinching of nerve roots and blood vessels.
• When swimming in a pool, many people try to keep their head as high as possible above the surface of the water. This causes an unnatural throw of the head back. Which has an extremely negative impact on the condition of the vertebrae and neck muscles.
• Sharp turns of the head can injure even healthy body, not to mention the one in which there are any deviations.

Basic course of exercises

Here the most effective exercises for cervical osteochondrosis, helping to reduce discomfort and stop the progression of the disease. The number of repetitions for each exercise is at least 5 times. At the moment of tension, fixation should occur for 10–20 seconds.

Wrapping your arms around your neck

Place your hands on your neck. Big fire in front, all the others converge behind. Then tilt your head to the sides. At this time, the fingers seem to create a collar that secures the neck.

We lean on the table with our hands

Walk backwards to the table. Place your hands on it and, leaning on them, stretch up, slightly moving your head back. Then sit down. In this case, the elbows are at shoulder level. The squat should be as high as possible. At this moment, tilt your head slightly forward.

Pendulum head

Place the book on your head and, without holding it with your hands, stay there for a few minutes. Next, apply slight pressure on the head from above. Gradually increase the pressure. Then slowly reduce it and remove it altogether.

Bend your neck forward, offering resistance

The palm rests on the forehead. At this moment, the head begins to press on the palm, trying to lean forward. But the palm, resisting, does not allow this to happen. You need to achieve such a state that there is tension between your hand and head.

Extend your neck, offering resistance

Hands rest on the back of the head with palms. The head tries to push the hands as much as possible and rush back. But her palms do not allow her to do this.

Bend your neck to the side, offering resistance

The palm is placed on the temple area. At this moment, the head tries to press towards the shoulder, but the hand does not allow it to do this. There should be maximum tension between the hand and head.

We turn our neck and head, providing resistance

Place your hand with your palm so that it is located from the outer edge of the eyebrow to the lower jaw. After the hand has taken correct position, try to turn your head towards your hand, as if describing a circle. But don’t let your palm do this.

Additional exercises for flexibility

Place the palms of both hands on your cheeks and temples. Try to make sliding movements up and down. In this case, the head moves in the opposite direction. There is a kind of sliding with resistance between the arms and head. This helps strengthen the neck muscles.

Place your palms with the bottom of your hands on your temples. As you inhale, try to pull your head up a little. As you exhale, release smoothly. Repeat 5 times, slightly shifting the position of your palms.

Osteochondrosis is a disease of the spinal column, which involves dystrophic and degenerative processes in the intervertebral discs. To treat such a disease, it is not only necessary to take medicines, but also therapeutic physical culture. help reduce pain and improve the overall well-being of the patient.

The main factor provoking spinal chondrosis is uneven load. It occurs as a result of sleeping on a soft mattress, improper sitting position, or wearing anatomically incorrect shoes. To the number additional factors, which activate the pathological process include the following:

• excess weight;
• physical stress;
• genetic predisposition;
• age-related changes in the musculoskeletal system;
• violation of metabolic processes;
• pregnancy;
• prolonged and frequent dehydration of the body.

All these factors have a negative impact not only on the condition of the musculoskeletal system, but also on the body as a whole.

Symptoms of the disease

The symptoms of osteochondrosis can be varied. It depends on the location of the lesion.

1. When the cervical spine is affected dizziness, numbness of the hands and tongue, decreased vision and severe headaches are observed.
2. Thoracic type of osteochondrosis accompanied by pain in the ribs and sternum area.
3. For lumbar lesions discomfort is present in the lower back and numbness of the lower extremities is observed.

Indications for exercise therapy

Therapeutic exercises can not only relieve the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis, but also prevent further relapses of the disease.

The importance of physical activity

Exercise therapy has no gender or age restrictions. Indications for attending health classes:

• presence muscle spasm;
• pain;
• weak muscle corset.

Such training will help not only fight degenerative-dystrophic changes in the spine, but also improve the patient’s general condition. Physical education will give you strength and vigor.

The benefits of physical therapy

If treatment of the disease was started at the initial stage, then physical therapy can not only relieve pain, but also eliminate the disease.

The analgesic effect is achieved due to the fact that exercise helps restore normal muscle tone.

When performed correctly, such gymnastics can reduce pressure on nerve endings.

What is required for training?

Gymnastics kits may be required for classes. These are soft mats, rollers and sticks. For hand and foot exercises you will need tables. These are special multi-section tables that can be adjusted in height. Outwardly, they resemble more of a simulator than a regular table. They are designed for exercise lying or sitting at different inclinations.

Depending on the exercises performed, you may need:

• straps;
• tires;
• cuffs;
• roller carts.

The first three items are required for joint gymnastics. Roller carts are designed for those patients who cannot fully support their limbs.

In some cases, when performing exercises for the back and neck with osteochondrosis, it is used gymnastic stick. We talked about this in more detail in.

Exercise therapy techniques

Select maximum effective technique A doctor or trainer will help you with training for osteochondrosis. The specialist should also familiarize the patient with basic safety rules.

Exists large number various methods of performing exercise therapy for osteochondrosis. Passive traction is most often used. It is carried out under pressure own weight. The duration of the training varies depending on the patient's condition. It can last from 5 to 20 minutes. If necessary, additional weight can be added to perform traction.

Therapeutic gymnastics involves breathing, general strengthening and special exercises. It is necessary to start training with minimal loads and small amplitude.

Methods for restoring the upper spine

There are many exercises and techniques that allow you to restore the spine. You can study either in a group in a special center or at home.

Charging for home

Home workouts help not only eliminate pain, but also prevent it. Before doing this, you should consult a doctor or trainer. Positive effect will only be observed when correct technique and regular training.

Any activity should begin with a light warm-up. If there is no pain, you can stretch the knee vessels and ankle. Several squats and body twists are recommended.

Simple turns and tilts

Turns and tilts are two of the simplest and effective exercises . Therapeutic effect:

• pain relief;
• relieving stress from the cervical vertebrae;
• improving spinal mobility.

It’s best to start with repetitions, and then gradually move on to inclines. It is recommended to do each exercise 10 times.

Axial rotation

With the help of axial rotation, you can stretch the neck muscles well and improve their elasticity. Exercise activates blood flow through the vessels. It will be especially useful for people with sedentary work. During the working day you need to do 2-3 approaches of this exercise.

Leaning Tower

In the “leaning tower” exercise you need to be as careful as possible.

1. Starting position – standing.
2. Your legs should be spread apart, your shoulders should be lowered and your chin should be raised. During the exercise, your shoulders should be as relaxed as possible.
3. You need to move your body and shoulders back for 5-8 counts while keeping your head in place.
4. Return to the starting position as smoothly as possible.
5. The optimal number of repetitions is 8 times.

Strength stretching

This the exercise is aimed at stretching the muscles and increasing their elasticity. It will also help relieve compression of pinched muscles.

Any incorrect movement is fraught with displacement of the cervical vertebrae and injury.

Algorithm:

1. When tilting to the right, try to touch your earlobe to your right shoulder.
2. It is necessary to fix the pose for 5-10 seconds.
3. The left hand rests on the head and makes several springing movements.
4. Similar movements are performed on the second side.

Before starting a workout, you need to warm up your muscles well. Otherwise, you can injure your ligaments and tendons.

Stretch with a towel

In terms of technique, exercises with a towel are similar to stretching with effort. It allows you to stretch the muscles well that support cervical vertebrae. A terry towel folded several times is used as a load amplifier.

The exercise is done as follows:

1. The towel is rolled up and clasped with two hands at a distance of 30-35 cm from each other.
2. You need to bring the towel behind your head and place it behind the back of your head.
3. When pulling the towel up, the neck muscles should not offer resistance. To achieve this, you can tilt your head back a little.

The optimal number of repetitions is 8-10 times. If you do the exercise correctly, you can quickly get rid of muscle spasms and pain (we talked about other ways to relieve muscle and neck spasms during SHO).

Gentle complexes for the neck

There are special gentle complexes that allow you to keep your neck muscles toned. It is necessary to perform such exercises only during the period between exacerbations.

Algorithm for the first exercise:

1. The starting position is standing, arms down, straight posture.
2. Slowly you need to move your head 90 degrees. At the beginning, the amplitude should be minimal; as the patient’s condition improves, the head rotation can be increased to 90 degrees.
3. Similar movements are performed on the second side.

If you turn too quickly, you risk dislocating your vertebrae. The number of repetitions can vary from 7 to 10 times in each direction.

To perform the second exercise, you should remain in the same starting position - standing with a straight back. You need to smoothly lower your head and try to touch your chin to your chest. If it is not possible to do this, you should perform the exercise as much as possible.

Gentle gymnastics for osteochondrosis involves smooth and slow movements. They should not cause severe discomfort.

Charging for the neck

Training according to Dr. Bubnovsky

Dr. Bubnovsky has developed a number of exercises that will help alleviate the patient’s condition with cervical osteochondrosis and are suitable for performing at home. They will be an excellent disease prevention.

1. « Spring" For the exercise, you can choose the most comfortable starting position. You need to start by slowly tilting your head. You should move smoothly to stretching your neck upward. It is recommended to repeat such movements 5 more times.
2. « Metronome" This exercise is performed while sitting on a chair with a straight back. You need to tilt your head to one side and hold this position for 30 seconds. The same is done on the other side.
3. « Review" You need to bend your head a little and fix the position. In this position, you should turn your head in different directions 5 times in each direction.
4. « Goose" This exercise is aimed at eliminating a double chin and improving blood circulation. You need to sit up straight and straighten your shoulders. As you inhale, the chin is pulled forward as much as possible, after 3 seconds it should be pressed to the shoulder.

   You need to hold your head in this position for another 12 seconds, and then return to the starting position. 5 repetitions must be performed on each side.

5. « Heron" To perform the exercise, you need to straighten your back as much as possible and place your hands on your knees. After this, they are retracted behind the back, while the chin rises up. This exercise involves the cervical and thoracic spine.
6. « Difficult review». Left hand must be placed on the right shoulder, while the head turns to the left. You need to hold in this position for 30 seconds. Similar movements are performed on the second side.
7. « Fakir" Starting pose – arms raised up. They need to be connected and smoothly turn your head in different directions. You need to lock in each position for a couple of seconds.

You will find more information about the treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine at home using Dr. Bubnovsky’s method in.

Butrimov complex

This can only be done if you are feeling well. The first exercises may cause slight dizziness. Possible crunching or crunching in the neck.

While performing the exercises, your shoulders should remain motionless.

Initially, you need to perform a neck flexibility test - you must try to tilt your head to touch your chin to your chest. If you managed to complete the task only halfway, then this indicates poor flexibility of the cervical spine.

Training should be done every day. You need to start with slight turns and tilts of the head. It is important not to sit too tightly in a fixed position. This exercise is perfect for after working at the computer for a long time.

We invite you to watch a video with a set of exercises using Butrimov’s method:

Photo

Below you will see different exercises in pictures for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis:

How to increase the effectiveness of classes?

An integrated approach will increase the effectiveness of training. It is important that the classes are regular and that the exercise technique is correct.

What should the treatment be combined with?

Comprehensive treatment includes not only exercise, but also proper nutrition.

The patient must:

1. lead a correct lifestyle;
2. to harden;
3. periodically undergo preventive massage courses.

Nutrition

The diet of a person with osteochondrosis must contain all the necessary vitamins and nutrients to restore injured tissues. Water-salt balance plays an important role. It is recommended to drink enough liquid.

The optimal amount of water depends on age and severity of the condition.

If necessary, the doctor prescribes special diet . Its essence is fractional meals, that is, food should be taken in small portions 5-6 times a day. This eating pattern will allow you to reduce body weight, thereby relieving the load on the spine.

Massage

Therapeutic massage for osteochondrosis should be performed by a specialist. Initially, he must make sure that there are no contraindications. Impact on the affected muscles allows you to relieve pain. Therapeutic effect:

• improved blood circulation;
• prevention of muscle atrophy;
• restoration of nutrition of soft tissues and discs.

Massage is best combined with physiotherapy and exercise therapy.

We invite you to watch a video about the benefits and contraindications of massage for osteochondrosis:

Contrast shower

It is recommended to take a contrast shower in the morning and evening. If you pour yourself cold water immediately after waking up, the load on the heart increases, so it is best to take a shower 30-50 minutes after waking up.

To prevent injury to the heart muscle, you should alternate the pressure from 40 °C to 20 °C.

You should not take a contrast shower after being in the cold for a long time, this is dangerous for hypothermia.

Gymnastics effect

Therapeutic gymnastics has a positive effect on the entire body. The following therapeutic effect is observed:

• activation of cerebral circulation;
• strengthening the muscles in the chest and neck;
• elimination of headaches and insomnia;
• relieving symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis.

Correct execution of the exercise will help the patient regain his ability to work. Physical therapy is an excellent method of preventing spinal diseases.

Relapse Prevention

To prevent relapse, you must carefully monitor your diet and exercise. Basic recommendations:

1. Conducting moderate activities. This could be swimming, gymnastics or non-contact wrestling.
2. During a long period sedentary work It is necessary to periodically take breaks to warm up. They will help restore normal blood circulation.
3. It is best to sleep on an orthopedic mattress with a flat surface. You should avoid pillows that are too flat.
4. Lifting or carrying heavy objects should be avoided.
5. It is necessary to give preference to orthopedic shoes.

It is important to monitor your emotional state. Increased anxiety and stress provoke an antispasmodic reaction. To eliminate it, you need to learn relaxation methods.

Possible consequences and complications

Incorrect or untimely treatment can lead to complications. Against the background of osteochondrosis, the following pathological processes may occur:

• radiculitis;
• intervertebral hernia;
• spinal cord strokes;
• kyphosis;
• paralysis of the lower limbs.

Despite the fact that grade 4 osteochondrosis is not accompanied by active symptoms, it is the most dangerous. The occurrence of complications at this stage can lead to disability.

Doctors emphasize that at the initial stage, cervical osteochondrosis is practically invisible and does not cause much discomfort. At this stage, treatment can only be carried out with assistance from physical therapy. It is necessary to reconsider nutrition and nutritional conditions.

Experts indicate that The best prevention of cervical osteochondrosis is an active lifestyle.

You should completely stop smoking. It is recommended to monitor your posture, especially when sitting for a long time or staying in one position. In severe forms of cervical osteochondrosis, special corsets and more active drug therapy are prescribed.

Cervical osteochondrosis reduces a person’s quality of life. With this disease, a feeling of stiffness and pain occurs. To improve the condition and prevent complications, it is recommended to perform special therapeutic exercises.

Osteochondrosis of the spine is the most common problem in people over 40 years of age. But if you take adequate measures and pay enough attention to it, the consequences can be avoided. One of the main assistants in this is physical therapy, or. The set of exercises for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is simple and takes only 15-20 minutes.

Etiology of the disease

Osteochondrosis can be cervical, or it depends on in which part of the spine the disease develops. There are several main reasons for its appearance:

• Bad habits;
• Sedentary lifestyle;
• Excess weight;
• Age after 40 years;
• Orthopedic problems: or.

Rules for therapeutic exercises

Basic rules therapeutic exercises for all parts of the spine are the same.

• Fresh air or a well-ventilated area;
• All exercises begin with a warm-up;
• Perform only at the stage of remission of the disease;
• Movements should be free, so choose comfortable clothes;
• The movements are not sudden, gradually increasing in amplitude and number of times. Then you will avoid injury to ligaments and muscles;
• If you feel pain, stop the activity;
• Before you start exercising and after you finish, measure your pulse. If it is elevated, then reduce the load;
• Watch your breathing while charging;
• Regularity is the most important component of successful treatment. If you do exercises from time to time, it will not give the desired effect;
• The exercises necessary for prevention are prescribed and selected only by a specialist. Do not self-medicate, it may have the opposite effect;

Warm-up

A very important component of the entire set of exercises is warm-up. It helps to avoid injuries to muscles and joints. You need to do the warm-up slowly. First, simple arm swings are performed, then the charging elements become more complex.

1. Stand up straight. Slowly, while inhaling through your nose, raise your arms up; after you have fully filled your lungs with air, lower your arms and exhale noisily through your mouth.
2. To warm up the cervical spine, perform sideways head tilts and rotational movements, lowering your head to your chest and making a semicircle from one shoulder to the other.
3. Then you should stretch your chest a little; to do this, stand against the wall so that your heels, buttocks, shoulder blades and the back of your head rest against it. Take 2 steps away from the wall and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Hold for 3 counts, then relax your shoulder blades and return to the wall.
4. Raise your left shoulder, then your right, and then both shoulders together.

Each exercise must be done 10 times.

Exercise therapy for osteochondrosis

The most common type of this disease is cervical osteochondrosis. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to this particular part of the spine and perform simple exercises. We present to your attention some of them:

Complex from a standing position

1. Stand with your hands on your hips. Start turning your head left and right. 10 times.
2. Then the same thing is done, only tilting the head to the right shoulder and to the left. Perform 10 times.
3. Begin smooth rotational movements with your head, describing a semicircle. 10 times.
4. Place your palm against your forehead and press it into your palm. At the same time, the neck muscles should tense. Do it 3 times.
5. Rest and press the back of your head into your palm so that the neck muscles also tense. 3 times.
6. Do the same procedure with your palm, pressing on your right and left temple. 3 times.

Complex from a prone position

Starting position for the complex: lying on your back, legs straight, arms along the body.

1. From starting position(I.P.) Raise your head slightly and hold the position for about 5 seconds. Lower your head. Repeat 3 times.
2. Place your hands on your shoulders and perform rotational movements with your elbows in both directions 4 times. Repeat 3 times.
3. From I.P. lift one leg and bend it at the knee. Then switch legs. We simulate walking in place while lying down. Perform 3 times for 30 seconds.
4. Raise your arms above you and alternately pull them towards the ceiling, while lifting your shoulder blade off the floor. For each hand 6 times.
5. Extend your arms to the sides and up while inhaling. As you exhale, lift your knee and pull it towards your chest. Don't lift your head off the floor. Repeat the exercise 5 times.
6. Lying on your back, place your hands on your waist. As you inhale, raise your legs and bend your knees. As you exhale, straighten your knees and relax your legs. Do it 5 times.
7. While in I.P. bring your shoulder blades together and press them to the floor. Hold the position for 3 counts. Must be completed 5 times.

Complex from a sitting position

Sit on a hard chair. This is your I.P.

1. While sitting in a chair, press your left hand onto your left knee for 3 seconds. We do the same exercise with the right hand. Then we press on our knees with both hands. We do it 5 times.
2. Pull your left shoulder towards your left ear. Let's hold for 3 seconds. Let's do the same exercise with the right shoulder. Then we try to pull both shoulders towards our ears. 5 approaches each.
3. We perform rotational movements with the left shoulder, then with the right, and then with both shoulders. 7 times for each shoulder.
4. Raise your legs by slightly bending your knees. Exercise "bicycle".
5. As you inhale, spread your arms, and as you exhale, clasp your shoulders with your hands.
6. Sit on left side chair. We perform the following exercises:

6.1 Raise and lower the left hand;

• Move your hand back and forth, as if sawing wood;
• We perform circular movements with our hands clockwise, then counterclockwise;
• Raise your hand up, throw it down and shake.

6.2 Move to the right side of the chair and perform the same complex.

• Sit upright in a chair. As you inhale, raise your arms up. Grasp your knees as you exhale. Repeat 3 times.

The entire set of exercises is performed slowly until slight pain is felt.

Exercise therapy during exacerbation

If the disease progresses and an exacerbation occurs, it is important to follow household rules of conduct. They include:

• Sleep and just lie only on a hard mattress;
• Place a pillow or bolster under your knees. This way you will relieve excess tension from the spine;
• Executions special exercises to relax the spinal muscles.

When performing physical exercises in moments of exacerbation, it is important to perform all exercises slowly, sitting in front of a mirror, and carefully control all your sensations.

I.P. sitting on a hard chair, legs together, hands on knees, head straight, chin parallel to the floor.

1. Turn your head very slowly, first to the right and then to the left. The chin should be parallel to the floor. 3 times.
2. Tilt your head to your right shoulder, then to your left. The shoulders are fixed in one position and do not rise towards the head. 3-4 times.
3. Tilt your head down, resting your chin on your chest. Do not throw your head back too much when returning to IP. Do it 3 times.
4. Very slowly stretch your chin to the right collarbone, then to the middle, and to the left collarbone. 4 times.
5. Lower your head down so that your chin reaches your chest, slowly making movements in the shape of a semicircle from one shoulder to the other. Do it 4 times.
6. Stretch your neck up, hold the position for 3 seconds, and as you exhale, return to IP.
7. Rest your forehead in your palm, hold for 3 counts, then rest your head in your palm, also for 3 seconds, and rest your right and left temples in your palm for 3 seconds.

Contraindications to exercise therapy

There are very few contraindications for performing therapeutic exercises. Most often, these are not contraindications, but recommendations for limiting activities during a certain period of time. If you have osteochondrosis, it is recommended not to engage in exercise therapy during periods of exacerbation and severe pain. But there are general contraindications. These include:

• Increased body temperature;
• Severe pain in any part of the body;
• The appearance of malignant neoplasms;
• Inflammatory and infectious diseases;
• High blood pressure;
• If the patient's mental state is impaired, exercise therapy is not prescribed;
• Bleeding or likelihood thereof;
• Blood clots;
• The presence of incurable progressive diseases.

When drawing up a course of treatment for osteochondrosis, as well as any disease that requires physical exercise, it is important for each doctor to determine the possibility of indications or contraindications for physical therapy. Therefore, the complex is compiled by a specialist in this field.

If you approach the issue of preventing osteochondrosis wisely, then it can be avoided altogether. The basic recommendations are not complicated:

• Perform a daily complex of physical therapy;
• Take medications;
• Move more;
• Get rid of bad habits;
• Watch your diet;
• Get your health checked regularly.

Prevention is best way It is quite difficult to prevent the disease, but treating its consequences is quite difficult. If you consult a doctor at its first stage, follow the treatment recommendations and don’t be lazy, then you can forget about the pain in a couple of months.