Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is an insidious disease. The age threshold of incidence falls every year, so now the problem of treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is more acute than ever.
People who lead a sedentary and passive lifestyle eventually realize that osteochondrosis has sneaked up on them.
The causes of osteochondrosis are the inactivity of the muscles of the back and neck, due to which they weaken. Spinal discs left without muscular support are heavily loaded.
A constantly sedentary lifestyle, incorrect posture lead to deformation of the vertebral discs. Deformed spinal discs pinch nerve endings. As a result, a person feels pain in the back, cervical spine.
How to treat cervical osteochondrosis and prevent its manifestation? Doctors recommend special exercises that strengthen the muscles and tendons of the cervical girdle, back and shoulder. This is the safest way to treat osteochondrosis.
Benefits of exercise
As noted above, the causes of osteochondrosis are a sedentary lifestyle, weakening of the muscular corset, and curvature of the spine. In the early stages of the disease, exercise will stop its further development. Due to regular physical activity, blood circulation improves, the muscles of the spine and cervical region are toned, the load on the spine is reduced, the distance between the vertebral discs increases, the friction between the vertebral discs decreases and , consequently, the frequency of pain decreases.
And if the disease has developed to the point where frequent severe pain is felt, it is necessary to consult a specialist. He will establish an accurate diagnosis, the degree of the disease, prescribe a course of treatment, massage. After the end of the course of treatment, therapeutic exercises will be prescribed, which you can do on your own at home. Such treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home will allow you to quickly forget about the disease.
Exercises must be chosen correctly and performed in doses. Otherwise, there is a risk of worsening your health.
Helpful tips
Before you start exercising, you should read the helpful tips.
- A set of exercises should be performed regularly, regardless of the place: study, work, home, etc. In the beginning, to speed up your progress, you should do the exercises every day. And in the future, when the condition improves, you can practice 2-3 days a week to maintain the result;
- If you feel pain or swelling, this is a sign that it is time to move around a bit. In this case, you need to get up, walk, stretch, perform exercises against osteochondrosis. You can take a little walk;
- You must constantly complicate the lesson. You can add other exercises to the complex or increase the number of repetitions;
- Exercising regularly is of course good, but don't forget about your feelings. If during classes you feel severe pain in the cervical region, you must stop classes;
- To increase the effectiveness of the treatment, you can give yourself a massage and take a contrast shower more often. These procedures contribute to additional muscle relaxation;
- The exercises should be performed maintaining a straight posture and paying attention to the execution technique. At first it will be a bit difficult, but thanks to the correct execution, the muscles will become stronger and it will be easier to practice.
A set of exercises (warm-up)
Before you start exercising, be sure to start with a warm-up:
- You need to stand up straight, spread your legs shoulder-width apart, take a deep breath and exhale several times. After that, you need to perform neat tilts to the right, left, forward, back. The backward tilt should be done carefully, without causing pain. If bending backwards causes you pain, you can refuse to perform them.
- The next warm-up is to turn your head to the right and left to the limit. Despite its simplicity, this exercise can cause difficulty for those whose cervical spine does not allow them to turn their heads all the way in one direction or another. In such cases, it is not worth turning your head to cause pain. The exercise should be performed smoothly, without sudden movements.
- Finally, stand up straight, stretch your shoulders back, bring your shoulder blades together, push your chest out. Then reduce the shoulder joints, round the back. The exercise should be done slowly, smoothly, under inhalation and exhalation.
types of exercises
This gymnastics, consisting of a set of exercises, is not difficult. You can do them at home, standing or sitting. The most important thing is to keep your spine straight and relax your shoulders. But it is preferable to perform them standing, since in this position the spine straightens as much as possible.
gymnastics #1
Pressure on the hands with the head forward. The hands must be intertwined in the lock and placed on the forehead. The intertwined hands in the lock press back on the head, and the head must resist and press forward on the hands. The neck should be tightened. You should stay in this position for 15 to 20 seconds. Then put one hand on the back of your neck and tilt your head back. At the same time, the working muscles of the neck are stretched. This exercise is useful for strengthening the neck muscles, which allows you to weaken cervical osteochondrosis.
gymnastics #2
Hand pressure on the back of the head. In this exercise, you must join your hands in a lock and place them in this way at the back of your head. Then put pressure on the back of the head with your hands, and the head should resist the hands. Duration - 15 - 20 seconds. In this case, the muscles of the cervical spine are tense. This exercise can be combined with the first one for a harmonious workout.
gymnastics #3
Head tilt to one side. In this exercise, place the palm of the right (left) hand on the ear. You should try to reach the right (left) shoulder with your head and resist with your working hand. In this position, you need to stay for 15-20 seconds. Then do the same with the other side.
gymnastics #4
Turn your head to one side. In this exercise, you need to turn your head sideways. To do this, place the right (left) palm on the right (left) cheek. Turn your head to the right (left) and the working hand resists. In each position, you need to stay for 15 to 20 seconds.
gymnastics #5
Neck stretch with hands. Performing this exercise can be difficult at first, but over time you will get used to it. Place your thumbs on your lower jaw and cover the back of your head with the rest of your fingers. In this position, raise your head, you can perform swinging movements. That is, simulate an attempt to remove the cork from the bottle. You cannot turn your head, you must look straight ahead. The duration of the exercise is 15 to 20 seconds. The exercise must be repeated several times.
gymnastics #6
Stand up straight and extend your arms to your sides. The hands must be relaxed. Rotate the left and right shoulder joints in turn, then simultaneously. The body should be leaning forward. It is necessary to perform the exercise for each shoulder for 1 minute. This exercise is recommended for those who feel tension in the shoulder area.
Gymnastics №7
Rolling head. In this exercise, you need to turn your head to your right (left) shoulder and tighten your neck. Make a head turn to both sides. At the end of the repetition, the head should be turned towards the other shoulder. Try to pull your shoulder blades back. Perform the exercise carefully, the movement of the head must be controlled throughout the exercise. In case of discomfort, you can simply turn your head to the side. The exercise should be repeated 10-12 times.
This is the whole complex of exercises aimed at preventing osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. It is not necessary to perform all the exercises, you can only choose those that do not bring discomfort and pain. Office workers are advised to sit upright while working. Additionally, you can perform hanging on the horizontal bar in the morning. This will stretch the spine, give vigor to the body. Swimming, figure skating, dancing and aerobic exercises also help prevent osteochondrosis and speed up the treatment process. If the classes are regular, and the person himself becomes more mobile, then he can get rid of pain in the muscles and bones of the cervical region.