Exercises for cervical osteochondrosis: important rules and tips

In addition to basic treatment and physiotherapy, patients are recommended special exercises for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis. They alleviate the human condition and prevent the development of dangerous complications. You are only allowed to practice permitted sports while the disease is in remission. The safety of such therapy must be discussed with your doctor. He will recommend a series of exercises to promote recovery.

Gymnastics for cervical osteochondrosis

Cervical osteochondrosis is a result of overload and weakening of the elasticity of the muscles in the neck area

Gymnastics for the cervical spine is of great benefit to a person with such a diagnosis. It helps him recover faster and eliminates severe pain at the site of the lesion. If you perform special exercises for the neck at an early stage of pathology development, you can forget about the main symptoms of the musculoskeletal system disease in a short time.

Remedial gymnastics has many positive aspects. It helps to prolong the duration of remission and eliminate the clinical signs of the disease.

The post-charging effect occurs after about a month of regular exercise.

Neck exercises for osteochondrosis can be harmful if not performed correctly.

Hints

Carrying out special exercises for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is indicated for the following diseases:

  1. Osteochondrosis of the thoracic region in people of different ages.
  2. Osteochondrosis of the 1st and 2nd cervical vertebrae.
  3. Osteochondrosis of unclear localization.

Charging will be useful for vulnerable people. These are people with a weakened muscular skeleton. This also includes men and women who are forced to spend most of the day at the computer.

Contraindications

Before playing sports, you must be examined by a doctor to confirm the diagnosis.

Physiotherapy recommended for cervical osteochondrosis may be contraindicated in the presence of the following diseases:

  • Exacerbation of pathological processes leading to severe pain.
  • Instability of the cervical vertebrae.
  • Exacerbation of osteochondrosis, accompanied by a moderate clinical picture.
  • Development of acute illnesses caused by infectious pathogens.
  • Certain diseases of the internal organs that are not contagious in nature.

The patient does not always understand whether physical activity is beneficial or harmful with such a diagnosis. To answer this question, he must be fully examined for contraindications to this treatment option. It would also not be superfluous to consult a competent specialist who deals with the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

Results from the lesson

Exercises can achieve positive results in treating the disease. An individually selected complex helps to relieve pain. It is effective against the main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis. To achieve this result, it is necessary to entrust the detection of the manifestations (symptoms) of the disease and their treatment to an experienced doctor.

Don't expect immediate results from training. The first positive changes only appear after one or several months. It all depends on the severity of the disease and the regularity of training.

Exercise sets

To achieve the best results, exercises for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis should be performed daily.

Exercise recommended for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine must be included in the everyday life of every person with such a diagnosis. To get the maximum effect from the classes, do not forget to regularly take the medications prescribed by your doctor. Before you start gymnastic exercises and therapeutic exercises of any kind, you should warm up briefly. It prepares 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.

To warm up, you can alternately bend to the side and turn your head. The charging process must be smooth. At the same time, you need to make sure that your breathing remains even. Such simple exercises are incredibly useful because they warm up the muscles sufficiently.

Movement therapy

Patients with cervical osteochondrosis are often prescribed exercise therapy. During training, not only the muscles in the problem area are stressed, but also in other parts of the body. This prevents overloading.

Exercise therapy includes various exercises 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:

  1. While fixing, rotate your head in different directions for 10 seconds.
  2. Tilts and throws the head back with fixation for 10 seconds.
  3. Tilt your head towards your shoulders with resistance.
  4. Bring your shoulders together and hold them in place for 10 seconds.
  5. Alternating shoulder raises.
  6. Circular movements of the shoulders.
  7. Place your palms on the back area below the shoulder blades and hold for 10 seconds.
  8. Tilts of the body in different directions.

This type of training can also be done outside of the gym. This is a type of fitness for osteochondrosis that is carried out at home.

Each of these 8 exercises should be repeated 10-15 times.

Pilates

Pilates for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is the best method of treatment on the way to a speedy recovery

Pilates offers its own health-promoting exercises. In the process, a person's back muscles 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 feeling of freedom and relief. Regular exercise relieves pain and normalizes the condition of muscle tissue. The complex for the patient's neck should be prepared by a specialist. It is strictly forbidden to do this yourself.

Water aerobics

Water aerobics is just as useful as gymnastics. Thanks to such activities, your back will no longer hurt. 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 performed in water.

Before doing the exercises, you need to warm up.

A set of exercises for osteochondrosis, performed in water, is selected by a specialist. When training, the muscles in the joint area should be stressed. This reduces the load on the vertebra and other structures of the musculoskeletal system.

Gymnastics can be regularly replaced with regular swimming of any kind. The optimal duration of such a lesson is 45 minutes. It is recommended to exercise three times a week.

Isometric exercises

Gymnastics for cervical osteochondrosis can be based on isometric exercises. This type of training eliminates the need to shift the trained area by bending or twisting.

The essence of the exercise is that you need to apply pressure to a specific area of the body. At the same moment, people counteract this with the help of their muscles. Therapeutic and very effective exercises are repeated as often as physical fitness allows.

Isometric exercises to suppress the symptoms of the disease involve applying pressure to the temples, cheekbones, chin and forehead.

Classes with a rehabilitation doctor

Slow, measured movements included in the complex by a rehabilitation doctor exclude the possibility of injury

Gymnastics is actively used for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. It allows you to train the side neck muscles. This training can be done at home. The lesson includes the following exercises:

  • "Spring". You need to tilt your head forward and touch your chin to your chest. You need to stay in this position for 30 seconds. The head is then thrown back and held again for the same amount of time.
  • "Goose". It is necessary to turn your head to the side. It must reach your shoulder. Stay in the accepted position for half a minute. Then you need to grab the second shoulder in the same way.
  • "Look at the sky". You need to sit upright and turn your head completely to the side. You need to stay in this position for 30 seconds. After completing this exercise, you can start stretching in the other direction.
  • "Frame". While sitting, you need to put one hand on your shoulder. The head should be turned in the opposite direction. You need to stay in the position for half a minute. The exercise is then repeated on the second side.
  • "Fakir". The palms should be folded and the arms should be slightly bent at the elbows. They then have to be lifted over the head. Next, you need to gently turn your head in different directions, fixing it in this position for 30 seconds each time.
  • "Heron". You need to sit down and spread your outstretched arms to the sides. At this point, the chin should be pulled forward until the person feels tension.

Each action must be performed 5-10 times.

These exercises are contraindicated in cases of exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis.

Run

Some men and women with this diagnosis go to the horizontal bar or do weight training because of cervical osteochondrosis. However, experts recommend avoiding dumbbells and other heavy equipment when exercising. Dumbbell training, which includes exercises with dumbbells, can have a negative impact on a person's well-being because it involves increased stress. For patients with cervical osteochondrosis, it is best to choose running.

Healthy running requires compliance with certain requirements that increase the safety and effectiveness of training:

  • You can only start running after the warm-up is complete.
  • It's a good idea to walk around a bit before you start.
  • It is best to choose a forest or park for training.
  • It is required to purchase comfortable orthopedic shoes in advance.
  • After completing the lesson, you should just walk around for a while.

After running, you should take a contrast shower. It is recommended to do this even after completing the exercise therapy complex.

Which exercises should you not do?

In the event of an acute illness, you should stop training so as not to harm your health.

During the course of acute osteochondrosis, it is necessary to refrain from sporting activities. This means that you cannot exercise on the horizontal bar or on the treadmill, do push-ups or perform exercise therapy complexes. All exercises should be postponed until the exacerbation of the pathological process is suppressed.

Doctors prohibit patients from exercising regularly when they are ill. This is because it can cause serious harm to a person. It is best to discuss with your doctor which exercises should not be performed if you have cervical osteochondrosis. Knowing this information will help you choose gentler workouts that will help improve your overall health.

If you suffer from osteochondrosis, you should not strain yourself too much. Do not make sharp twisting or turning movements. Heavy lifting, bending and jumping are prohibited. Overhead flips and shoulder stands are also dangerous.

Recommendations for gymnastics

When carrying out health therapy, it is necessary to take into account the recommendations of the attending physician. They refer to the correct training for osteochondrosis. A specialist can give the following advice:

  1. Exercises should only be selected by a doctor based on the individual characteristics of the human body.
  2. When choosing a complex, the peculiarities of the pathological process must be taken into account.
  3. It is best to train in clothing made from natural materials that does not restrict movement.
  4. It is recommended to exercise on a flat, hard surface.
  5. For classes it is necessary to choose a well-ventilated room.
  6. The load should be increased gradually.

If a patient experiences neck pain while performing exercises, he or she must immediately stop exercising and contact their doctor with this complaint.