Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is an insidious disease. The age threshold of incidence falls every year, so now the problem of treating cervical osteochondrosis is as acute as never before.
People leading a sedentary and passive lifestyle eventually realize that osteochondrosis has quietly crept up to them.
The causes of osteochondrosis are the inactivity of the muscles of the back and neck, because of which they weaken. Spinal discs left without muscle support are heavily loaded.
A constantly sedentary lifestyle, incorrect posture lead to deformation of the vertebral discs. Deformed vertebral discs pinch the 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, back, and shoulder girdle. 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 initial 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, accordingly, 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 quickly allow you to forget about the disease.
Exercises should be chosen correctly and performed in doses. Otherwise, there is a risk of worsening your health.
Helpful Hints
Before you start exercising, you need to read the helpful tips.
- A set of exercises should be performed regularly, regardless of location: study, work, home, etc. At first, to accelerate 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 signal that it is time to move a little. In this case, you need to get up, walk around, stretch, perform exercises against osteochondrosis. You can take a little walk;
- You should 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 do not forget about your feelings. If during classes you feel severe pain in the cervical region, you need to stop classes;
- To increase the effectiveness of treatment, you can go for a massage and take a contrast shower more often. These procedures contribute to additional muscle relaxation;
- Exercises should be performed while maintaining a straight posture and pay attention to the execution technique. At first, it will be a little difficult, but thanks to the correct execution, the muscles will get stronger, and it will be easier to practice.
A set of exercises (warm-up)
Before you start doing exercises, 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. Tilt back should be done carefully, without leading to pain. If bending back causes pain, then you can refuse to perform them.
- The next warm-up is turning the head to the right and left to the limit. Despite its simplicity, this exercise can cause difficulty for those people whose cervical spine does not allow turning their heads to the end in one direction or another. In such cases, turning your head is not worth bringing to pain. The exercise should be performed smoothly, without sudden movements.
- Finally, stand up straight, stretch your shoulders back, bring your shoulder blades together, stick out your chest. Then reduce the shoulder joints, round the back. 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 perform 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 while standing, since in this position the spine is straightened as much as possible.
Gymnastics #1
Pressure on the hands with the head forward. Hands should be clasped in the lock and put on the forehead. Hands clasped in the lock press back on the head, and the head must resist and press forward on the hands. The neck should tighten. You need to stay in this position for 15 - 20 seconds. Then put one hand on the back of the neck and tilt the head back. At the same time, the working muscles of the neck are stretched. This exercise is useful for strengthening the muscles of the neck, which allows you to weaken the cervical osteochondrosis.
Gymnastics #2
Hand pressure on the back of the head. In this exercise, you need to clasp your hands in a lock and put them in this form on 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 tensed. This exercise can be combined with the first for a harmonious workout.
Gymnastics #3
Head tilt to the side. In this exercise, put the right (left) palm on the ear. You need to try to reach the right (left) shoulder with your head, and resist 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
Turning the head to the side. In this exercise, you need to turn your head to the sides. To do this, put 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 linger for 15 - 20 seconds.
Gymnastics #5
Stretching the neck with the hands. Performing this exercise can be difficult at first, but over time you can get used to it. Put your thumbs on the lower jaw, and cover the back of the head with the rest of the fingers. In this position, pull your head up, you can perform swaying 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 spread your arms to the sides. The hands should be relaxed. Make rotations of the right and left joint of the shoulders in turn, then simultaneously. The body should be tilted 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
Head rolling. In this exercise, you need to turn your head to the right (left) shoulder and tighten your neck. Perform a head roll 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, the movement of the head must be controlled during the entire exercise. In case of discomfort, you can simply turn your head to the sides. 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 the body vigor. Swimming, figure skating, dancing, aerobics also help prevent osteochondrosis and speed up the treatment process. If the classes are regular, and the person himself becomes more mobile, then you can get rid of pain in the muscles and bones of the cervical region.