In addition to basic treatment and physiotherapy, patients are recommended to perform special exercises for cervical osteochondrosis. They ease the human condition and prevent the development of dangerous complications. You can engage in permitted sports only during remission of the disease. The safety of such therapy must be discussed with your doctor. He will recommend a set of exercises that promote recovery.
Gymnastics for cervical osteochondrosis
Gymnastics designed for the cervical spine is of great benefit to a person with such a diagnosis. It helps him recover faster and get rid of severe pain at the site of the lesion. If you perform special exercises for the neck in the early stages of the development of the pathology, you can forget about the main symptoms of the musculoskeletal system disease in a short period of time.
Therapeutic gymnastics has many positive aspects. It helps prolong the period of remission and get rid of clinical signs of the disease.
The effect after filling begins to appear after about a month of regular exercise.
Gymnastics for the neck with osteochondrosis can be harmful if not carried out according to the rules.
Indications
Performing special exercises for cervical osteochondrosis is indicated in the presence of the following disorders:
- Osteochondrosis of the thoracic region in people of different ages.
- Osteochondrosis of the 1st and 2nd cervical vertebra.
- Osteochondrosis of uncertain localization.
Charging will be useful for people at risk. We are talking about people with a weakened muscular skeleton. This also includes men and women who are forced to spend most of their day in front of a computer.
Contraindications
Physical therapy recommended for cervical osteochondrosis may be contraindicated in the presence of the following conditions:
- Worsening of pathological processes that lead to severe pain.
- Instability of the neck vertebrae.
- Aggravation of osteochondrosis accompanied by a moderate clinical picture.
- Development of acute diseases caused by infectious agents.
- Certain diseases of internal organs that are non-infectious in nature.
The patient does not always understand whether physical exercises with such a diagnosis are useful or harmful. To answer this question, he must be fully evaluated for contraindications to this treatment option. Also, it would not be superfluous to consult with a competent specialist who deals with the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
Results from classes
Exercises can achieve positive results in the treatment of diseases. An individually selected complex will help you get rid of pain. It is effective against the main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis. In order to achieve this outcome, it is necessary to entrust the detection of disease manifestations (symptoms) and its treatment to an experienced doctor.
Don't expect immediate results from exercise. The first positive changes appear only after one or several months. It all depends on the severity of the disease and the regularity of training.
Exercise sets
Exercises recommended for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine must be included in the daily routine of every person with such a diagnosis. In order to achieve the maximum effect from the classes, do not forget to regularly take the medicines prescribed by your doctor. Before you start performing gymnastic exercises and any type of therapeutic exercises, you should do a short warm-up. This will prepare the body for further stress.
It is recommended to start charging after a warm shower. During the water procedure, you need to direct a stream of not very hot water to the neck area for a few seconds.
As a warm-up, you can alternately bend to the sides and turn your head. Charging must proceed smoothly. At the same time, you must ensure that your breathing remains even. Such simple exercises are incredibly useful, because they warm up the muscles sufficiently.
Exercise therapy
Exercise therapy is often prescribed to patients with cervical osteochondrosis. During the training, not only the muscles in the problem area are involved, but also in other parts of the body. This prevents them from being overloaded.
Exercise therapy includes various exercises that are intended for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. They are grouped into separate methods and programs.
Patients should pay attention to eight basic exercises against cervical osteochondrosis:
- Turn your head in different directions with fixation for 10 seconds.
- He leans and throws his head back with fixation for 10 seconds.
- Tilts the head towards the shoulders with resistance.
- Squeeze your shoulders and hold them for 10 seconds.
- Alternate shoulder raises.
- Circular shoulder movements.
- Place your palms on the back under your shoulder blades and hold for 10 seconds.
- Bends of the body in different directions.
This type of training can also be done outside the gym. This is a type of fitness for osteochondrosis, which is performed at home.
Each of these 8 exercises should be repeated 10-15 times.
Pilates
Pilates offers its own exercises to improve health. In the process of their performance, the back muscles of a person are strengthened and blood circulation is normalized.
A patient diagnosed with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine can practice Pilates. Such training allows you to relieve spasms and improve the condition of the vertebrae.
Pilates gives you a sense of freedom and relief. Regular exercise will relieve pain and normalize the condition of muscle tissue. A complex for the patient's neck should be prepared by a specialist. It is strictly forbidden to do this on your own.
Water aerobics
Water aerobics is just as beneficial as gymnastics. Thanks to such activities, the back stops hurting. They have a positive effect on the entire human body. A patient treated with this method will confirm that exercises for chronic cervical osteochondrosis can be done in water.
Before performing the exercises, it is necessary to warm up.
A set of exercises for osteochondrosis, performed in water, is selected by a specialist. During training, the muscles in the joint area should be affected. Because of this, the load on the spine and other structures of the musculoskeletal system is reduced.
Gymnastics can occasionally be replaced by regular swimming of any kind. The optimal duration of such a lesson is 45 minutes. It is recommended to train 3 times a week.
Isometric exercises
Gymnastics for cervical osteochondrosis can be based on isometric exercises. This type of training eliminates moving the trained area by bending or turning.
The essence of the exercise is that you have to put pressure on a certain area of the body. At the same time, the person opposes it with the help of his muscles. Therapeutic and very effective exercises are repeated as many times as his physical fitness allows.
Isometric exercises to suppress the symptoms of the disease include pressure on the temples, cheekbones, chin and forehead.
Classes with a rehabilitation doctor
Gymnastics is actively used for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. It allows you to train the lateral neck muscles. This exercise can be done at home. Classes include the following exercises:
- "spring". You must tilt your head forward and touch your chest with your chin. You must stay in this position for 30 seconds. Then the head is thrown back and held again for the same amount of time.
- "goose". It is necessary to turn the head to one side. It should reach the shoulders. Stay in the accepted position for half a minute. Then you should reach for the other shoulder in the same way.
- "Look at the Sky". You must sit up straight and turn your head all the way to the side. You must stay in this position for 30 seconds. After completing this exercise, you can start stretching in the other direction.
- "frame". While sitting, you should put one hand on your shoulder. The head should be turned in the opposite direction. You must stay in the position for half a minute. After that, the exercise is repeated on the other side.
- "Fakir". The palms should be folded, and the arms should be slightly bent at the elbows. After that, it is necessary to raise them above the head. Then you need to carefully turn your head in different directions, each time fixing it in this position for 30 seconds.
- "heron". You need to sit down and spread straight arms out to the sides. At that moment, the chin should be pulled forward until the person feels tension.
Each action must be performed 5-10 times.
These exercises are contraindicated during exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis.
Run
Some men and women with this diagnosis go to the horizontal bar or exercise with weights for cervical osteochondrosis. However, experts recommend that you do not use dumbbells and other heavy equipment when exercising. Dumbbell training, which includes exercises with dumbbells, can negatively affect a person's well-being, because it is accompanied by an increased load. It is best to choose running for patients with cervical osteochondrosis.
Healthy running requires compliance with certain requirements that increase the safety and effectiveness of training:
- You can start running only after the warm-up is over.
- It is recommended to walk a little before the start.
- It is best to choose a forest or a park for training.
- It is necessary to buy comfortable orthopedic shoes in advance.
- After you finish the lesson, you should just walk around a bit.
After running, it is necessary to take a contrast shower. It is recommended to do the same after completing the exercise therapy complex.
What exercises should you not do?
In the course of acute osteochondrosis, it is necessary to refuse sports activities. This means that you cannot exercise on a crossbar or treadmill, do push-ups or perform exercise therapy complexes. Any exercises should be postponed until the worsening of the pathological process is suppressed.
Doctors forbid patients to do regular exercise when they are sick. This is because it can cause serious harm to a person. It is best to consult your doctor about which exercises should not be done in cervical osteochondrosis. Knowing this information, you will be able to choose for yourself gentler exercises that will help you improve your general condition.
If you have osteochondrosis, you should not exert yourself too much. Do not make sharp, rotating or twisting movements. Lifting heavy loads, bending and jumping are prohibited. Somersaults above the head and standing on the shoulder are also dangerous.
Recommendations for practicing gymnastics
When dealing with health therapy, it is necessary to take into account the doctor's recommendations. They refer to the correct training for osteochondrosis. A specialist can give the following advice:
- Exercises should be selected only by a doctor based on the individual characteristics of the human body.
- When choosing a complex, the peculiarities of the pathological process must be taken into account.
- It is best to exercise in clothes made of natural fabrics that do not hinder movement.
- It is recommended to train on a flat, hard surface.
- For classes, it is necessary to choose a room with good ventilation.
- The load should be gradually increased.
If the patient feels pain in the neck during the exercise, he must immediately stop the exercise and contact his doctor with this complaint.