Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is a dangerous disease. The age threshold of incidence falls every year, so now the problem of treating cervical osteochondrosis is as acute as never before.
People who lead an inactive and passive lifestyle finally realize that osteochondrosis has quietly crept up on them.
The cause of osteochondrosis is the inactivity of the back and neck muscles, because of which they are weak. Spinal discs left without muscular support are heavily loaded.
A sedentary lifestyle, incorrect posture leads to deformation of the vertebral disc. Deformed vertebral discs pinch nerve endings. As a result, a person feels pain in the back, cervical spine.
How to treat cervical osteochondrosis and prevent its manifestations? Doctors recommend special exercises that strengthen the muscles and tendons of the cervix, back, and shoulder girdle. This is the safest way to treat osteochondrosis.
Benefits of exercise
As mentioned above, the cause of osteochondrosis is an inactive lifestyle, which weakens the muscular corset and curvature of the spine. In the early stages of the disease, exercise will stop further progression. Due to regular physical activity, blood circulation improves, the muscles of the spine and cervical region become toned, the load on the spine decreases, the distance between the vertebral discs increases, the friction between the vertebral discs decreases, and, thus, the frequency of pain decreases.
And if the disease has progressed to the point where severe pain is often felt, it is necessary to consult a specialist. He will establish an accurate diagnosis, the stage of the disease, prescribe a course of treatment, massage. After completing the course of treatment, therapeutic exercises will be prescribed, which you can do yourself at home. Such treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home will quickly allow you to forget about this disease.
Exercise should be chosen correctly and done in doses. Otherwise, there is a risk of worsening your health.
Helpful Hints
Before you start exercising, you need to read some useful tips.
- A set of exercises should be done regularly, regardless of location: study, work, home, etc. In the beginning, to accelerate progress, you should do the exercises every day. And in the future, when things improve, you can train 2-3 days a week to maintain the results;
- If you feel pain or swelling, this is a signal that it's time to move a little. In this case, you need to get up, walk, stretch, do exercises against osteochondrosis. You can walk around a bit;
- You should always 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 how you feel. If during the class you feel severe pain in the cervical area, you need to stop the class;
- To increase the effectiveness of the treatment, you can go for massages and contrast baths more often. This procedure contributes to additional muscle relaxation;
- The exercise should be done while maintaining a straight posture and paying attention to the execution technique. At first, it will be a little difficult, but thanks to the correct implementation, the muscles will become stronger, and it will be easier to train.
One set of exercises (warm up)
Before you start exercising, make sure you 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 do a neat tilt to the right, left, front, back. Leaning back should be done carefully, without causing pain. If bending over causes pain, then you can refuse to do it.
- The next warm-up is turning the head to the right and left to the limit. Despite its simplicity, this exercise can cause difficulties for those whose cervical spine does not allow turning their head to the end in one direction or another. In such cases, turning your head is not worth leading to pain. Exercise should be done smoothly, without sudden movements.
- Finally, stand up straight, stretch your shoulders back, bring your shoulder blades together, stick your chest out. Then reduce the shoulder joints, round the back. Exercise should be done slowly, smoothly, under inhalation and exhalation.
Types of exercises
This gymnastics, which consists of a set of exercises, is not difficult. You can perform it at home, standing or sitting. The most important thing is to keep your spine straight and relax your shoulders. But it is better to do it while standing, because in this position the spine is straightened as much as possible.
Gymnastics #1
Pressure on the hands with the head forward. The hands should be clasped and placed on the forehead. The hand held in the lock presses back on the head, and the head must hold and press forward on the hand. The neck should be tightened. You need to stay in this position for 15 - 20 seconds. Then place one hand behind the neck and tilt the head back. At the same time, the working neck muscles are stretched. This exercise is useful for strengthening the neck muscles, which allows you to weaken cervical osteochondrosis.
Gymnastics #2
Hand pressure behind the head. In this exercise, you need to clasp your hands in a lock and place them in this shape behind your head. Then put pressure on the back of the head with your hands, and the head should hold 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
Tilt your head to the side. In this exercise, place the right (left) palm on the ear. You should try to reach the right (left) shoulder with your head, and hold it with your working hand. In this position, you need to linger for 15 - 20 seconds. Then do the same to the other side.
Gymnastics #4
Turn your head to the side. In this exercise, you need to turn your head to the side. To do this, place the right (left) palm on the right (left) cheek. Turn your head to the right (left), and the hand that works against. In each position, you need to linger for 15 - 20 seconds.
Gymnastics #5
Stretch the neck with the hands. Doing this exercise can be difficult at first, but with time you can get used to it. Place your thumb on the lower jaw, and cover the back of your head with the rest of your fingers. In this position, pull your head up, you can do rocking movements. That is, to simulate an attempt to pull the cork out of the bottle. You can't turn your head, it must look straight ahead. The duration of the exercise is 15 - 20 seconds. The exercise should be repeated several times.
Gymnastics #6
Stand up straight and extend your arms to the sides. Hands should be relaxed. Rotate the right and left shoulder joints alternately, then simultaneously. The body should be tilted forward. It is necessary to do exercises for each shoulder for 1 minute. This exercise is recommended for those who feel tension in the shoulder area.
Gymnastics №7
Head rolls. In this exercise, you need to turn your head to the right (left) shoulder and tighten your neck. Turn the head to both sides. At the end of the repetition, the head should be turned to the other shoulder. Try to pull your shoulder blades back. Perform the exercise carefully, head movement must be controlled during the entire exercise. If you feel uncomfortable, you can just turn your head to the side. The exercise should be repeated 10-12 times.
This is a whole complex of exercises aimed at preventing osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. It is not necessary to do all the exercises, you can only choose those that do not bring discomfort and pain. Office workers are advised to sit upright while working. Also, you can do hanging on the horizontal bar in the morning. This will stretch the spine, giving the body energy. Swimming, figure skating, dancing, aerobics also help prevent osteochondrosis and speed up the treatment process. If the class is regular, and the person himself becomes more mobile, then you can get rid of the pain in the muscles and bones of the cervical area.