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 the muscular corset of the spine is strengthened. 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.
When practicing race walking, the 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 help burn 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:
Exercises to develop 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!
Looking ahead, one thing can be said - playing sports with diseases of the spine is generally quite acceptable.
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, javelin or hammer throwing, place very high stress on the spine.
This also applies to tennis, badminton and golf, i.e. those sports where you have to sharply turn your torso while playing. Despite the risk, many people with spinal disorders continue to play tennis or golf and do not feel that their condition has changed significantly.
Driving downhill should be avoided. On the one hand, it does not have a super strong healing effect, on the other hand, there is a significant risk of injury to the upper and lower limbs, as well as the spine.
So it's worth trying to find suitable look sports that would not worsen the condition of the spine. The aforementioned tennis, badminton, etc. develop flexibility of the spine and strength of the back muscles and therefore can be recommended during periods of calm illness.
Hockey and soccer also pose a risk to the spine due to the impacts, impacts the player is exposed to, and falls. To prevent injury, it would be much better to reduce the emotional intensity of the competition in order to give it the character of a Game in the true meaning of the word. However, participants often get carried away, which leads to extreme tension physical strength and willpower and increases the risk of injury.
For some athletes, spinal diseases are associated with a deterioration in their capabilities, and thereby a decrease in results in competitions.
Team sports such as football and hockey 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, particularly since the nature of both sports and the focus on the game tend to make the athlete forget to protect their back.
In general, we can say that a person with a spinal disease should give up such sports. Golf and tennis players have to make sudden and strong turns of the body, which, without a doubt, can provoke an exacerbation of the disease. At the same time, many receive great satisfaction from this sport and claim that they can engage in it without harmful consequences for the spine.
Swimming is an ideal sport for spinal diseases. During swimming, all muscle groups work and, accordingly, become stronger. In water, the load on the spine is minimal, movements are soft. With the help of swimming, you can significantly strengthen the muscular corset of the spine and lose overweight, increase the overall vitality of the body, and also get a huge boost of energy and positive emotions.
Swimming injuries are extremely rare as collisions and backstabbing are very rare in the water. Exceptions include jumping into water, especially head down, and ESPECIALLY into natural bodies of water. Diving head first in natural bodies of water is extremely dangerous., since at shallow depths or the presence of an underwater obstacle You can get a serious injury to the neck or spine, including disability and fatal outcome!
Also, for persons with spinal diseases, running and jogging on soft ground, walks in the forest, cycling, swimming or skiing, and above all, cross-country skiing are recommended. When skiing from mountains, the risk of falling increases with unpleasant consequences for the spine.
When skiing or hiking, the most convenient way to store provisions and equipment is a backpack. It is ideal when you need to carry something over long distances for a long time. In this case, the load on the back is minimal, since the burden is located at the back and the vertebrae and back muscles are not greatly strained.
Running and walking are two very suitable forms health activities for persons with spinal diseases. It is best to run on a path with any soft and level surface in sports shoes (preferably running sneakers) with a soft and flexible sole. Hard soles increase the risk of injury to the legs, feet and spine.
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.
However, if you have absolutely no time for sports and gymnastic exercises, or you are simply too lazy to spend time on sports, we recommend that you periodically undergo a course of therapeutic massage and myostimulation, which has a similar effect to sports, although much less pronounced. You can undergo therapeutic massage and myostimulation, for example, in our medical center.
Treatment of spinal curvature certainly includes physical activity, but not all sports for scoliosis have a positive effect. The choice of type of physical exercise is influenced by various factors: degree of curvature, age, sports training etc. The main objectives of sports in the treatment of scoliosis are strengthening muscle corset back and eliminating muscle tension.
What sports can you do?
When choosing a sport, you need to adhere to the basic rule: it is important that during physical exercise the load on the spine is distributed evenly and symmetrically. The following types of physical activity meet this criterion:
- . A universal sport, useful for any stage of scoliosis. In addition to strengthening the back, swimming has a healing effect on the cardiovascular and nervous systems, increases lung capacity, and improves blood circulation. This is one of the best ways improving posture.
- Dancing. Among the many dance styles, there are those that can be practiced with scoliosis. It is often recommended to practice ballroom dancing, because it develops flexibility and muscle strength. However, you need to be careful when it comes to professional career. Girls aged 10–16 years who dance ballroom dances are prone to developing right-sided thoracic scoliosis if not properly controlled. To avoid this, you need to monitor whether there is any asymmetry of the body (for example, the collarbones or ears are not located on the same line).
- and Pilates are excellent for working on the treatment of scoliosis; they develop flexibility and comprehensively heal the body. They have many types of exercises and asanas specifically aimed at curvature of the back.
- Therapeutic horse riding allows you to create a strong muscle corset, and the movement of the horse produces the effect of massaging the intervertebral discs. Equestrian sports are indicated for functional and dysplastic.
- Classes in gym. If scoliosis was caused by weakness of the muscle corset, then training on exercise machines is perfect for solving the problem. The main thing is to avoid heavy lifting and sudden movements.
- Classes. Positive effect hang on the horizontal bar and by reverse grip. However, this is permissible in the initial stages, but training on horizontal bars is prohibited.
You need to exercise regularly, at least 2-3 times a week. It is important to understand that sport should have a recreational function, and not be a professional activity.
Choice decision physical activity For the treatment of scoliosis, it should be taken together with your doctor. They may also be prescribed a special complex daily exercise,The composition of the complex depends on the type of curvature.
Sports contraindicated for scoliosis
Some sports, which under other circumstances would benefit the body, can cause harm in scoliosis and cause even greater curvature. Here are some of them:
- Team games, such as hockey, football, volleyball, basketball, etc. There is a high risk of injury in them, which can contribute to even greater curvature. In addition, you have to run, stand and jump for a long time, and this type of load is contraindicated.
- Cycling. Doctors sometimes approve of cycling, but more often they oppose it. The need to reach for the steering wheel makes the back round and leads to spinal deformation. A high handlebar may partially solve the problem.
- Sports in which force is applied to a specific part of the body, further exacerbating the curvature. For example, bowling, fencing, tennis, boxing. You will also have to give up badminton and golf due to sudden twisting of the body.
- Weightlifting. Lifting heavy objects is strictly prohibited due to the stress on the spinal column. For the same reason, bodybuilding should be exercised with caution.
- Sports and rhythmic gymnastics. Sometimes it is advised to do gymnastics to improve stretching and strengthen the back, but this is not the best solution. The loads that are necessary to achieve results in these disciplines are unlikely to be useful in the treatment of scoliosis.
- Some types of dances. It is contraindicated to engage in dances that involve complex gymnastic elements (break dancing, pole dancing) and twisting elements (oriental dancing).
- Running. If running is acceptable at the first stage, then in the future it is strictly contraindicated. Each time your foot lands, a strong shock wave is generated, which only worsens the curvature of the spine.
Exercises such as squats, leg lunges, body crunches, deadlift, somersaults. Exercises performed on one leg have a negative impact, even if it’s just standing. It is important not to forget that any type of physical activity should begin with a warm-up consisting of permitted exercises.
Sports for scoliosis should not provoke pain; if this happens, then you should stop.
Sport as prevention
Having answered the question in the affirmative, is it possible to play sports with scoliosis, it is worth considering physical activity as a prevention of spinal curvature. Typically, scoliosis originates from childhood and is the result of improper sitting at a desk and a backpack that is too heavy. According to statistics, now every third child has scoliosis. The data is scary, but there is a chance to improve the situation.
A young body readily responds to the influence exerted, so even if a child has already been diagnosed with stage 1 scoliosis, this can be corrected with the help of swimming, horse riding, skiing, etc. It is not so much the type of sport that matters, but the regularity of exercise and the habit of controlling body position.
Curvature of the spine also threatens in adulthood. It appears due to an inconvenient workplace, weak muscles and bones, slouching habits or as a result of injury. The treatment prospects for adults are not so bright, so it is better to immediately introduce the habit of regular exercise to form a strong muscle corset and healthy blood circulation. At work, you should monitor your posture, change positions when standing or sitting for a long time, and, if possible, set aside a few minutes for light exercises. An active lifestyle should be accompanied by proper rest and nutrition.
The enemy of our musculoskeletal system is the lack of constant training. The likelihood of developing spinal diseases is proportional to a person's age. Anyone who persistently performs exercises to strengthen the back muscles simultaneously “trains” the bone, nerve and muscle tissue. Development of the muscle corset physical exercise already since childhood help strengthen your child's back.
Form correct posture
Another important preventative measure– formation of correct posture and its control. You need to perform any actions, both at work and at home, with your back straight. Do not bend over in forced positions. Weights must be lifted, placing the effort on the legs, not on the spine.
Three rules must also be observed:
- Avoid a relaxed (tired) posture.
- Choose the right mattresses.
- Try to rest with your back straight.
What sports strengthen your back?
It is recommended to constantly perform exercises to strengthen the back and ligaments of the spine. Ideal, most gentle and most useful view sport is walking. Everything is acceptable here: walking, hiking, jogging.
Cross-country skiing is very useful. Rhythmic movements during training strengthen the back muscles, improve their blood supply, and contribute to the nutrition of the intervertebral discs. With this sport there are no obvious concussions or sharp turns of the spine.
Very useful skis
Horse riding trains the muscles of the pelvis, abdomen and back. In addition, it allows you to form correct posture. An alternative could be cycling or an exercise bike. When training on a bicycle or exercise machine, you need to lean forward a little and keep your back straight.
Swimming is one of the effective types a sport that can strengthen your back. For people who already have problems with their spine, it is recommended to swim on their back. In this position, the spine is most straight. In addition to swimming itself, it is very useful to do water gymnastics.
In children with scoliosis, the muscles of the back, abdomen, and muscles on the side of the curvature should be strengthened. As for swimming, the style is selected individually for each child. The breaststroke style is best.
Exercise to strengthen back muscles
To strengthen your back muscles, spend at least half an hour a day doing exercises.
Lying on your stomach
Performed in 2 stages. Bend your elbows and spread them to the sides:
1. Try to slowly raise one or the other arm, straightening it.
Straighten both arms.
While performing the exercise, do not throw your head back, look at the floor. Don't strain or stretch your neck. To make it more difficult, you can raise your straightened legs.
2. From the same position as in #1, rise up and bring your hands together so that your fingertips meet. Look at the floor. Don't hold your breath.
Place your palms on the back of your head. Raise your shoulders. The spine should be straight during the exercise. Hold the pose for a few seconds and slowly lower down.
Raise your head, press your chin to your chest. Move up right hand and foot, then left.
Lying on your back
- Support on your feet and palms, legs bent at the knees at a right angle. Raise your pelvis, tense your muscles and hold this position for a few seconds, slowly lower yourself.
- In the same position, lift and straighten your legs alternately.
- Don't change the position. Raise your torso, trying to reach your knees with your hands. Hold the position for a few seconds and lower yourself.
- Bend your knees and hip joints at right angles. Raise your torso while reaching your hands towards your knees. Lower yourself slowly.
- Spread your legs a little, stretch your toes and lift your head, look at them. Hold the position until aching pain appears and slowly lower yourself.
- Do the bicycle exercise.
Charging ends with stretching exercises
- Performed while lying on a flat surface. Stretch your legs and arms, try to stretch your arms, as if stretching your spine, breathe freely.
- From this position, pull your knees towards you and grab them, while lifting your torso. Try to stretch your spine. Fix the position until aching pain appears. Lower yourself slowly.
- Get on your knees, bend over, with your forehead touching the floor. Extend your arms in front of you and slowly reach forward as far as possible.
The effect of training will be greater if you do a warming massage before training. It is performed according to the classical method with an emphasis on rubbing. At the same time, blood circulation improves, and the muscles before exercise will become more elastic.
Firming back massage
Strengthening massage is aimed at increasing the tone of the muscle corset. In terms of muscle load, one massage session is comparable to professional training. It follows from this that all techniques should be intense and deep, but not cause pain. Pain can only make the situation worse. The patient appears muscle spasm as a defensive reaction. This will provoke the appearance of painful functional blocks in the spine.
Strengthening massage does not replace visiting sports sections. This is just an effective passive load on the muscles, which should be fueled by cardio loads on the body (biking, running, etc.). Only in this case will the heart work better and supply blood to the muscles. The massage session lasts approximately half an hour.
A wellness program to strengthen the back muscles is selected in accordance with the diagnosis, doctor’s recommendations and level of physical training. The main conditions for the effectiveness of training are a gradual increase in the load on the muscles and systematic training.
Does your daughter often catch colds? Take her to the skating rink. Son of a fidget? Let him play football... In fact, everything is not so simple. Choosing sports section for a child, there are many more factors to consider.
We send our children to sports for the sake of health, but even in children's sections, classes are inevitably associated with high loads. Every sport has both pros and cons.
Swimming
Strengthens the nervous system, helps correct formation musculoskeletal system, improves breathing and blood circulation.
HOWEVER. A child should not be sent to the pool if there are chronic skin diseases (fungal, infectious, eczema), eye diseases (conjunctivitis, blepharitis, keratitis), cardiovascular system(eg heart failure), peptic ulcer or allergy.
Game types sports
In football, the muscles of the legs and pelvic girdle develop. Basketball improves the functioning of the visual, motor and vestibular analyzers, improves the capabilities of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems and coordination of movements. Volleyball develops speed and accuracy of reactions, dexterity, eye, and improves posture. Hockey strengthens the cardiovascular, respiratory, nervous system and musculoskeletal system.
HOWEVER. In all these sports, the child is in an upright position for a long time with a load on the spine and shock load on the feet. And this is under no circumstances acceptable for children with instability of the cervical vertebrae (instability, easy displacement when performing any sudden movements), with flat feet and peptic ulcers.
Tennis
In second place after swimming in terms of development efficiency respiratory systems s. This aristocratic sport will help improve metabolism, lose weight and get rid of scoliosis, strengthening the back muscles.
HOWEVER. Before sending your child to the section, you must consult a surgeon and orthopedist. Instability of the cervical vertebrae, flat feet, osteochondrosis - all ailments for which sudden movements and spring loads are contraindicated are a contraindication to serious tennis training.
Martial arts
An ideal sport for children with unstable psyches, as they learn to regulate their state of mind. In addition, the wushu section is recommended for children suffering from asthma and generally unable to recover from colds.
HOWEVER. If you have a heart defect and any degree of myopia, even this gentle sport should be allowed by a doctor.
Skates and skis
Both of these winter sports are very useful for the development of the musculoskeletal system, cardiovascular and respiratory systems, and increase performance and endurance. They are especially good for children with enuresis: they strengthen the pelvic muscles that control urination. Skis and skates are excellent helpers for flat feet and curvature of the spine: the load on the spine and feet is small and proportional. This also helps regulate blood circulation and restore metabolism.
HOWEVER. You should not get involved in these sports if you have asthma (but if you have frequent bronchitis and pneumonia, on the contrary, you can), heart failure, gastritis and ulcers.
Rhythmic gymnastics, sports dancing, aerobics
Flexible, flexible, with perfect coordination of movements, gymnasts are admired by their peers and easily get rid of dysplasia, poor posture, malnutrition, and deformation during training. chest, scoliosis, osteochondrosis.
HOWEVER. Caution should be observed in children with misaligned vertebrae, a high degree of myopia and certain diseases of the cardiovascular system. If you don’t stop in time, with age, beauty and lightness can turn into pain in the joints and spine, polyarthritis and disorders of the reproductive system.
Text: Ekaterina Koshkina
TO WHOM AND WHEN?
Each sport has its own “health zone” - the age when it is safest and most beneficial to start practicing it.
6–7 years old. Girls can be enrolled in the gymnastics section from the age of six, but boys are better off waiting another year. Six-year-olds can freely engage in sports acrobatics, rhythmic gymnastics, figure skating, jumping on a trampoline. By the age of seven, the child’s body is completely ready for swimming, diving, tennis and table tennis, wushu and hockey.
8–9 years old. Until this age, it is better not to send your son or daughter to the basketball section, football clubs, or classes in orienteering. And from the age of nine, a strong child will not be harmed by playing volleyball, handball, biathlon, bobsleigh, water polo, speed skating, athletics, sailing, ski jumping, rugby.
10–11 years old. A ten-year-old can go to athletics and boxing, equestrian and luge, rowing, rock climbing, fencing, cycling. This age is suitable for starting training in almost all types of wrestling: Greco-Roman, freestyle, sambo, judo. You can enroll in the martial arts section (kickboxing, karate, taekwondo). From the age of 11, a child is ready for archery. Girls under 13 should not engage in weightlifting
Disease
Problems cervical spine spine, myotonic syndrome
Useful: Swimming, cricket, wushu, fencing
Harmful: Gymnastics, martial arts And martial arts, alpine skiing, athletics, tennis
In addition: If the vertebrae are damaged, any sudden movements, falls, or long standing still are strictly prohibited
Scoliosis, poor posture
Useful: Breaststroke, ballroom dancing, rhythmic gymnastics, equestrianism
Harmful: Tennis (including table tennis), artistic gymnastics, athletics, hockey
In addition: Frequent bending and sudden lunges should be avoided. Any symmetrical exercises are shown
Flat feet
Useful: Swimming, gymnastics, skiing, wushu
Harmful: Table tennis, equestrian sport (jumping), football, volleyball, athletics, figure skating
In addition: With flat feet, the shock load from running or jumping is poorly absorbed and is reflected in the spine. This may cause serious injury
Pneumonia, frequent bronchitis
Useful: Winter views sports, martial arts, football, swimming
Harmful: Gymnastics, athletics, tennis, choreography, volleyball, basketball, rowing
In addition: When exercising, the chest muscles should not tense. Training on outdoors– they strengthen the respiratory system
Myopia
Useful: Ballroom dancing, table tennis, fencing, swimming, skiing
Harmful: Anything related to weight lifting, gymnastics, boxing, wrestling, basketball, football
In addition: All sports that strengthen the extensor muscles are very useful. They help reduce eye strain. When engaging in undesirable sports, the blood pressure and tone eye muscles which increases the risk of complications
Gastritis and gastrointestinal problems
Useful: Choreography, wushu, ballroom dancing, cricket
Harmful: Football, volleyball, tennis, hockey
In addition: If you have stomach problems, you should not do any bending exercises. Too contraindicated active species sports: they disrupt the secretion of gastric juice
Source
http://www.zdr.ru/exclusives/2009/10/19/vybiraem-sportivnuju-sektsiju/index.html
