Exercise therapy is used to treat many diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Simple and safe exercises save us from various ailments. What exactly should you do if your neck hurts? In this case, exercises for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine come to the rescue.
The neck is one of the most vulnerable places
The neck is indeed very vulnerable and requires careful treatment. The vessels that supply the brain pass through it, as well as the nerves through which signals that regulate our activities (motor activity, for example) enter the body.
Our neck is under tension most of the day, since its muscles need to continuously support our head, the mass of which reaches 2 or more kg. Normally, the muscles cope with their task. But add to this the uncomfortable and incorrect postures that we tend to take, and being immobile for a long time. We load the muscles unevenly, depriving them of rest and complicating blood supply.
The first problems with the cervical spine arise precisely due to excessive fatigue of the neck muscles. Typical symptoms are stiffness and muscle fatigue. This primary problem is solved with a simple massage, which I will talk about a little later.
Often people do not pay attention to such symptoms, so the conversation then turns to treating the problem that has transformed into a disease - cervical osteochondrosis.
Hence the importance of neck exercises for osteochondrosis.
How physical therapy can relieve pain
With the development of the acute stage of cervical osteochondrosis, first of all, it is necessary to relieve pain. When the pain symptoms go away, you can begin treatment with exercise therapy. This is a set of exercises for cervical osteochondrosis, which includes a number of head movements, including isometric exercises for the neck.
Gymnastics for the neck for osteochondrosis is mandatory. Without it, treatment will not have the desired effect. After all, without a strong muscle corset, the spine will continue to suffer from the vertical pressure of gravity.
The natural root cause of all spinal diseases is gravity. Its vector is perpendicular to the surface of the earth. Now let’s imagine what happens to the spine if this load does not press strictly vertically on it. For example, this happens when we sit hunched over at a table, immersed in various papers.
The neck is curved, tilted relative to the vertical by 45 degrees, if averaged. Due to the heaviness of the head, there is a slight diagonal displacement of the vertebrae relative to each other. Intervertebral cartilage experiences an unusual load for them, and over time they wear out and become deformed.
Normally, even this position is compensated by strong neck muscles, but what strong muscles can we talk about when a person barely moves? This is the problem.
If we delve deeper into this issue, then nutrition, or more precisely, the lack of joint-forming substances in food complicates the situation. Cartilage tissue is already renewed slowly, and if the body lacks the necessary substances, it has nothing to renew from at all.
So, the root cause of osteochondrosis is gravity. But strong muscles can prevent this process. This means that a secondary cause of osteochondrosis is weak neck muscles. Hence the conclusion: if cervical osteochondrosis has begun, exercises will help solve this problem.
There are also exercises for dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis. Essentially, they are the same as for osteochondrosis. Their purpose is to stretch tight muscles, strengthen them, and release nerves and blood vessels from clamps.
In general, any physical exercise for osteochondrosis (without weights) helps improve blood circulation throughout the body, including more intense blood exchange between the body and head. Our brain receives more nutrition and oxygen, and this affects productivity.
In case of various diseases of the spine, exercises with weights, in general, should be performed with great caution. Depending on the disease, movements that place a vertical load on the spinal column, bending the back, etc. may be excluded.
How long to do exercise therapy?
Human laziness has no boundaries. Often we stop practicing as soon as the problem goes away. A man does fitness while losing weight. As soon as he achieves the desired result, everything stops. With diseases, this approach is not only ineffective, but also risks the return of the disease.
To prevent cervical osteochondrosis, you need to periodically exercise your neck. This is easy to do at home. Plus it doesn't take much time. The process is very pleasant - the feeling of warmth and relaxation in the muscles will not take long to arrive.
You can also buy a neck brace and wear it during acute periods. But there are some subtleties here. Once you get used to artificial support, you can live your whole life like this, because the corset supports your head instead of your muscles. And this is not at all beneficial for the cervical spine. The muscles eventually lose their tone completely.
The therapeutic effect of exercise against cervical osteochondrosis lasts from 2 weeks to a month. If you stop exercising as soon as your muscles lose tone again, you risk experiencing headaches and difficulty turning your head again. Therefore, exercises to strengthen the neck muscles in this case play a huge role in maintaining comfort.
So decide whether to do exercises for osteochondrosis or not.
Gymnastics complex for the neck
It is better not to do any exercises during exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis. Acute symptoms should first be relieved by your doctor. After all, if it hurts to move your head, all the gymnastics will be painful.
The most effective exercises for cervical osteochondrosis are very simple: head movements plus isometric muscle tension. Everything is done very simply - at home, at work, on the road.
Here is an approximate set of exercises (let’s agree that the starting position is to sit straight, hands on knees):
- In the starting position, smoothly turn your head to the right all the way, then to the left. Feel your neck muscles stretch. The nuance here is this: turn your head and try to turn it a little further without jerking, maintain this tension for 5 seconds. In general, it is better to start any exercises for the spine with exercises to strengthen the neck muscles. These include developing her flexibility and strength. Make 5 turns in each direction.
- Now tilt your head to the side so that your ear is closer to your shoulder. No need to raise your shoulder! Just like in the previous movement, hold the tension. If you have a flexible neck, use your hands to help push your ear toward your shoulder. If it hurts, make movements with a painless amplitude! Perform 5 tilts to the right and left.
- Now make circular movements with your head clockwise and counterclockwise. 8 movements in each direction. Slowly! You can support your head with your hands. This is an effective gymnastics for neck osteochondrosis.
- The warm-up is over, and now the strength exercises: with your right hand, rest on your right temple. Try to tilt your head to the right, and use your hand to prevent this movement. Create such an effort that it is hard, but your head moves in the right direction. 10 times in each direction (to move to the left, use the other hand, respectively).
- Now grab your head from behind (occipital region) and, through the resistance of your hands, try to tilt the back of your head 5 times, then move your head back 5 times in a horizontal plane. A total of 10 times will be released.
- Now rest your palms on your forehead and tilt your head down through the resistance of your hands (pull your chin towards your chest). Do this 10 times, then move your head forward through resistance in a horizontal plane (like pigeons when walking).
- Finally, you can stretch your trapezius by raising and lowering your shoulders. Raised it - held it for 2-3 seconds (pull it up), lowered it - relaxed it. Do 10 repetitions.
- Stretch your neck in different directions, the gymnastics is finished. Do all this once a day. This is an excellent exercise for the neck with osteochondrosis.
What other exercises can you do? For example, for neck flexibility. These are also exercises for the neck muscles, but they also stretch the tendons. This will make your neck more mobile.
Additional exercises for flexibility
This exercise should be performed not only for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, but also, in principle, at the age of 30–40 years. At this age, the degradation of muscle fibers begins, the loss of flexibility gains especially rapid momentum if you do not take care of your physical form.
- Stretch your chin to your chest, help your head with your hands.
- Use your hands to tilt your head to the side so that your ear touches your shoulder. Stretch the side of your neck with your hand.
That's enough. And remember what you can’t do with cervical osteochondrosis – exercise through pain.
Elements of massage
When you have a headache or a stiff neck, you can rub and knead the muscles.
Remember:
- The muscle that holds our head is attached to the back of the head. Run your index and middle fingers along the muscle from the very back of the head and down, applying moderate pressure (so that it does not hurt, but feels good). Punch this muscle down to shoulder level.
- Now we feel the trapezoids with our hands and knead them. The trapezium is located between the neck and shoulder on the back side. After such simple manipulations, you will be reborn.
Among other things, make sure that your neck does not get cold. After the massage she is warmed up and more vulnerable to the cold than ever.
And, finally, I repeat once again, while cervical osteochondrosis is acute, there is no need to do therapeutic exercises.
Let's summarize: if you do the exercises listed in the article, osteochondrosis of the cervical spine will not completely disappear (after all, the cartilage is already damaged), but the condition will noticeably improve, the clamps and pain symptoms will go away, and the disease will stop progressing. Thus, you can forget about this unpleasant illness and live a full life.
But remember, neck exercises for osteochondrosis should be done regularly.
Exercise therapy is the most important stage in the complex process of disease therapy. Today, no one doubts the effectiveness of therapeutic exercises.
Exercise therapy is very effective in the treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
With the help of simple exercises, patients can improve the general condition of the cervical segment of the spinal column, restore the missing blood circulation in this area, increase the elasticity of muscle tissue and the mobility of the vertebrae.
Thanks to exercise therapy, patients suffering from manifestations of cervical osteochondrosis can achieve stable remission of the disease and for a long time not remember the painful sensations that worsen their quality of life.
According to statistical studies, therapeutic exercises for cervical osteochondrosis turned out to be an effective method of treating the disease in 90% of clinical cases.
Traditional exercises for strengthening the muscular structural elements of the neck with osteochondrosis lesions have the following effects:
- improving blood circulation in affected areas;
- strengthening the back muscles and neck muscles;
- improving elasticity and expanding range of motion in the cervical segment of the spine;
- suppression of chronic pain syndrome;
- elimination of pathological manifestations of pinched nerve roots.
Therapeutic exercises proved to be an effective method of treating the disease in 90% of clinical cases.
Therapeutic exercise for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is prescribed to almost all patients in whom a pathological process of degenerative etiology was diagnosed during research.
A set of exercises to strengthen the neck muscles with osteochondrosis and their intensity are determined exclusively by a qualified specialist, taking into account the specific characteristics of the human body, the presence of contraindications to exercise, the severity of the underlying pathology, etc.
What are the contraindications?
Unfortunately, joint gymnastics for cervical osteochondrosis has a number of contraindications for its use, among which the following deserve special attention:
- hypertension and stages 2-3 arterial hypertension;
- myocardial infarction;
- atrial fibrillation;
- aortic aneurysm;
- type 1 diabetes mellitus;
- blood diseases;
- acute infectious processes, viral infections, bacterial lesions of internal organs;
- neoplasms, metastases;
- significant visual impairment.
It is not advisable to continue exercises during exacerbations of cervical osteochondrosis with severe pain, since such actions can lead to a deterioration in the patient’s general condition and lead to long-term loss of performance.
Eight types of exercises against cervical osteochondrosis - the best author’s techniques
Isometric gymnastics Dikul
Dikul’s isometric gymnastics of the cervical spine allows you to eliminate intense pain, prevent the formation of intervertebral hernias and return the vertebrae to their previous mobility. A set of gymnastic exercises consists of simple head tilts repeated several times in different directions, which together allow one to achieve good results and eliminate the main alarming symptoms of osteochondrosis.
You will learn more about the exercises from the video:
But Dikul developed not only isometric exercises.
His creations also include Dikul’s cervical gymnastics on a ball with a stick - an effective way to overcome chronic pain syndrome that is resistant to most types of treatment.
Isometric gymnastics according to Borshchenko
Isometric gymnastics for the cervical spine Borshchenko is a very effective method of getting rid of chronic pain in the neck area and preventing the progression of the disease. A set of static exercises, developed by Dr. I. A. Borshchenko, allows you to restore normal mobility in the cervical vertebral joints, increase the range of motion in this area and prevent ossification of the vertebral structures.
A huge advantage of the technique is its multipolarity, that is, the expediency of its use in relation to patients of different age groups. Exercises according to Borshchenko can be done on an outpatient basis by both elderly people and representatives of the younger generation.
Gymnastics for the neck Butrimova
Butrimov’s cervical gymnastics will allow the spine to regain its former flexibility and mobility.
Developed on the basis of ancient Chinese techniques, this program of physical exercises for the neck has several goals:
- combating pain in the neck;
- prevention of osteophyte proliferation;
- unblocking pinched nerve endings;
- restoration of normal blood supply to brain tissue;
- elimination of insomnia, panic attacks and other psychoneurological manifestations of cervical osteochondrosis.
Butrimov’s gymnastics for cervical osteochondrosis is not a trivial set of exercises for the cervical muscle group.
The technique is based on slow three-dimensional stretching of the muscle-ligamentous structures until any pain or discomfort appears, which allows you to relax well, improve your well-being and prevent the development of muscle tightness.
Exercises for cervical osteochondrosis according to Butrimov must be done 1-2 times daily, which will allow the patient to notice a positive result within a few weeks and significantly improve their overall health.
A set of exercises by Dr. Norbekov
Norbekov’s gymnastics for the cervical spine are especially popular among patients with degenerative-dystrophic diseases of the spinal column. The peculiarity of this version of exercise therapy is the need to combine technicality with a good mood.
Dr. Norbekov warns that to achieve positive results in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis of the spine using exercise, physical exercise alone is not enough.
A positive attitude and excellent mood play an important role on the path to recovery. They promote the release of endorphins, which eliminate the manifestations of pain.
Shishonin's neck gymnastics
Shishonin's cervical gymnastics is indicated for all patients with typical manifestations of osteochondrosis, regardless of their age. Exercises can improve cerebral circulation, get rid of pain and discomfort in the neck area, prevent the development of hypertension and much more.
You can get acquainted with the exercises from the video:
These neck exercises for osteochondrosis have no contraindications and are considered the best option for therapeutic exercises for people suffering from concomitant pathologies, since they do not provoke the development of exacerbations of painful conditions from other organ structures of the body.
Exercises according to Bubnovsky
Exercises for cervical osteochondrosis according to Bubnovsky have a beneficial effect on the health of the spine in people who lead a sedentary lifestyle, work a lot sitting at the computer, eat irregularly and daily expose their brain to intense physical activity and nervous strain.
Gymnastics for the neck for osteochondrosis using the Bubnovsky method is available to every patient, regardless of age and course of the disease.
All exercises are performed very smoothly and in a gentle manner, therefore they are not capable of causing exacerbations of the underlying illness, the development of pain or other pathological conditions.
What exercises you can do - see in the video:
Osteochondrosis and yoga
It has been proven that by performing basic yoga asanas 4 times a week, a person can not only prevent the development of degeneration of cartilage tissue in the cervical spine, but also quickly get rid of existing disorders. The healing properties of yoga and its beneficial effects on the human musculoskeletal system have been known for a long time.
Currently, this ancient Eastern technique is widely used in practice and is even included in some official physiotherapy treatment programs for spinal pathologies.
Basic yoga exercises for cervical osteochondrosis, such as the pose of a cat, tiger, dove, snake, sphinx and others, can strengthen the muscles and ligaments of the cervical spine, restore the supply of nutrients to damaged areas of cartilage tissue, improve blood circulation in defective areas and eliminate manifestations of pinched nerves. roots.
Yoga perfectly tones and energizes you for the whole day.
You will learn what exercises to do from the video:
Many people who practice the designated set of exercises for cervical osteochondrosis note an improvement in their general condition after the first yoga classes.
In addition, yogic gymnastics affects the human body as a whole, considering it as a perfect, holistic system, all pathological processes in which are interconnected.
Yoga for osteochondrosis of the cervical area allows you to achieve a lasting therapeutic effect, eliminate pain for a long time and improve your overall well-being.
Charging Gitta
Exercises for cervical osteochondrosis by Vitaly Demyanovich Gitta are considered one of the most effective ways to treat degenerative diseases of the spine. Chiropractor Gitt, based on many years of practice, has developed a whole gymnastic complex that helps replenish defective areas of cartilage tissue.
According to Gitt, only micro-dose daily exercises for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, lasting 5-7 hours a day, can stimulate regenerative processes in the joints of the neck, remove cartilage growths and cure the patient from the unpleasant symptoms of osteochondrosis within 5-6 months.
You will learn all the details about this method from the video:
As you can see, there are many types of healing exercises. All you have to do is choose the one that's right for you. Hello!
To treat the upper parts of the spine, it is useful to do exercises for cervical osteochondrosis at home. Daily exercise will restore joint flexibility and muscle mobility, eliminate stiffness and pain. There are several directions for performing gymnastics that you can do yourself. Familiarize yourself with the rules for conducting home exercise therapy for cervical osteochondrosis.
What is cervical osteochondrosis
Normally, every person has connective tissue between the vertebrae, which acts as a shock absorber. With constant incorrect distribution of dynamic and static loads, which is associated with age-related reasons or sedentary work, the tissue gradually begins to ossify. It involves adjacent blood vessels and nerves in the process. As a result, a person begins to experience pain in the neck, head and upper back.
With osteochondrosis, dizziness, instability of blood pressure, nausea, lack of air, and numbness of the tongue are possible. The symptoms of the disease are similar to those of angina pectoris, so diagnosis is difficult. Attributing the symptoms of osteochondrosis to another disease can lead to persistent discomfort and even disability. The therapy affects the nervous and vascular systems of the body, so treatment should be approached competently.
Exercises for cervical osteochondrosis
Physical education using a specially developed method is one of the most effective ways to get rid of painful symptoms of the disease, as well as the opportunity to stop the further development of destructive joint damage. But the result will be achieved only if the corresponding spinal muscles work during training every day for at least ten minutes. There are several simple rules that it is advisable to follow when performing exercises for cervical osteochondrosis at home:
- Exercises should be done in a ventilated area and in clothes that will not restrict movement. Otherwise, the efficiency will be significantly reduced.
- The ideal conditions for training are fresh outdoor air.
- After eating, you can start training no earlier than half an hour later.
- Movements must be performed without sudden movements, smoothly, you can use a roller or pillow.
Daily training using the chosen method will not only improve the condition of the spinal regions, but will also help the overall health of the body. Despite all the effectiveness of physical exercises, drug treatment cannot be ignored if prescribed by a doctor. Success will come about through an integrated approach. Improvement occurs within a period of one to four months, depending on the individual condition of each patient.
Benefits of exercise
To achieve high-quality results from physical exercise, the factor of motivation or understanding of what the efforts will yield is of great importance. Loads according to special programs for osteochondrosis have the following proven potential:
- Strengthening the muscle corset, which helps stop the destructive processes of the disease.
- Exercises for cervical osteochondrosis at home help reduce or completely eliminate pain symptoms. With a competently applied technique for performing poses, normalization of muscle hypertonicity and a decrease in the pressure of intervertebral discs on nerve endings are achieved.
- With caution, you can use a set of strength training that strengthens the muscles of the abs, buttocks, and back. The gradual development of these muscle systems helps to reduce the load on diseased areas with osteochondrosis and restore their elasticity.
- Exercises that are designed to stretch the spine, increasing the space between the vertebrae, are useful.
- Improving blood circulation in the cervical region, which helps prevent the development of dystrophic and inflammatory processes.
A set of exercises for spinal osteochondrosis
A prerequisite before doing home exercises is to warm up. To do this, you need to stand up straight, take several deep breaths with your stomach, exhale, bend back, forward, right and left. Next, you need to carefully turn your body and head to the left and right. At the end of the warm-up, you need to slowly squeeze your shoulder blades together several times, and then do a light massage. Then you can move on to the exercises:
- Place your hands clasped on your forehead. Start applying pressure with your hands on your forehead and at the same time counteract the pressure by applying pressure with your head in the opposite direction. The neck should be tense. You need to stay in this position for 15-20 seconds. Next, you need to put one hand on your neck from the back, tilt your head back, and straighten your neck.
- Place one hand on your ear, tilt your head towards your shoulder, and at the same time apply resistance with your hand. The duration of the process is 10-15 seconds. Then change your hand to the opposite one and repeat.
- Place one hand on your cheek and try to turn your head while applying resistance with your hand. This tense position should last 15-20 seconds. Then change your hand.
- Stand up straight and spread your arms to the sides, relax your hands. Rotate your left and right shoulder joints alternately for one minute and then simultaneously. When performing circular movements, tilt your body and chest slightly forward.
Exercises for cervical osteochondrosis according to Bubnovsky
The famous doctor Sergei Bubnovsky developed his exercises for cervical osteochondrosis at home:
- From a sitting position, gently tilt your head and stretch the top of your head towards your right shoulder. After you feel the tension, fix your head for half a minute and return to the starting position. Repeat with equal amplitude on both sides.
- Lower your head down and hold for 30 seconds, pull forward and return to the starting position after the same amount of time.
- Turn your head from side to side until painful sensations appear and fix it in place.
- Turn your head to the left, touch your right shoulder with your left hand, hold for half a minute. Repeat on the other side.
Isometric exercises for the cervical spine
Gymnastics for cervical osteochondrosis at home may include isometric exercises, which differ in that during them the muscles tense but do not contract. This helps to increase muscle strength and relax them. It is useful to do the following activities:
- Grab the lock from your hands, place it on the back of your head, tilt your head back, overcoming the resistance of your fingers.
- Tilt your head to the right, place your left palm on your left temple, overcome the resistance of your head, trying to lift your head. Repeat on the other side.
- Tilt your head forward, bringing it closer to your chest. Place both hands on the back of your head, overcoming their resistance, return your head back.
- Clench your hands into fists, place them under your chin, tilt your head down. Place the palm of your left hand on your right cheek, against resistance, turn to the right. Repeat on the other side.
Home physical therapy for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine requires the patient to perform exercises in strict accordance with the instructions. Warnings and recommendations are:
- exacerbations are not a reason to refuse to perform gentle exercises, but you need to monitor your well-being;
- if you feel pain in your neck, stop the exercise;
- before performing physical education, consult a physical therapy doctor;
- do exercises several times a day, combine them with proper nutrition;
- movements should be slow and smooth to avoid injury;
- Exercise therapy can be combined with other treatment methods.
Video
Attention! The information presented in the article is for informational purposes only. The materials in the article do not encourage self-treatment. Only a qualified doctor can make a diagnosis and give treatment recommendations based on the individual characteristics of a particular patient.
Found an error in the text? Select it, press Ctrl + Enter and we will fix everything!Daily exercise is the most effective prevention of cervical osteochondrosis in people at risk. As a rule, they spend a lot of time at the computer and spend a long time with their heads bowed while working with documents.
Preparation for classes
After a diagnosis is made and acute pain is relieved, the patient is referred to a physical therapy doctor. He studies the X-ray results and the vertebrologist’s report, medical history, and then begins to compile a set of exercises. The doctor must explain to the patient the meaning of regular exercise and talk about the rules, the observance of which helps to increase the therapeutic effectiveness of exercise:
- Exercises should be performed during the period of remission for 20-30 minutes every day;
- you need to choose clothes made from “breathable” materials that easily absorb moisture and do not hinder movement;
- the room should be warm enough, but it must be ventilated before training;
- the appearance of painful sensations is a signal to stop exercising. It can only be resumed after a long rest.
Techniques
When compiling a treatment complex, exercise therapy doctors often use exercises from the author’s methods of treating cervical osteochondrosis. They were developed by rehabilitation specialists and chiropractors, Ignatiev, Shishonin. All exercises are performed smoothly - sudden movements with the maximum possible amplitude are strictly prohibited. The purpose of the classes is to improve blood circulation in the neck without putting stress on the discs and vertebrae.
During training, you need to listen to the sensations that arise. If pain appears only when performing a certain movement, then it should be excluded from the complex. And when you feel better after exercise and feel warm in your muscles, then it is advisable to increase the number of hikes. Before classes, be sure to do a light warm-up - walk around the room, raising your knees high, do several body bends, turns, and squats.
Pendulum head
To complete this exercise you will need a hardback book. Sit on a stool, legs slightly apart. Place the book on your head and hold it with your hand for a while to maintain balance. Then, to do this, strain only the neck muscles. Over the course of several classes, learn to stay with a book on your head for 10-15 minutes. Then the exercise becomes more difficult. You need to shake your head from side to side, forward, back so that the book does not slide off. At the final stage, you need to remove it and make several circular rotations with your head to relax the muscles.
Wrapping your arms around your neck
The starting position of the body is standing or sitting. Interlock your fingers, except for your thumbs, and place them on the back of your neck. The little fingers should be located just under the back of the head. The thumbs should be placed under the jaw. If all the fingers are positioned correctly, a kind of frame is formed, similar to that used in.
Now you should smoothly, slightly slowly tilt your head, first to one side, then to the other, while simultaneously offering resistance with your palms. Due to the obstacle created, the muscles become more tense, which contributes to their faster strengthening. After a few minutes, you need to move your fingers down a little and repeat all the movements.
We lean on the table with our hands
Stand straight with your back to the table, legs slightly apart, hands resting on the tabletop. Slowly stretch, arching your lower back and throwing your head back. There should be a pleasant sensation due to the stretching of the muscles of the entire back and neck. Then you need to return to the starting position and sit down shallowly, without taking your hands off the table, bowing your head to your chest. Smoothly straighten up and repeat all movements 5-10 times. This exercise is convenient to perform not only at home, but also in the office during a work break. The same thing happens to the vertebral structures as in the session - the distance between the vertebral bodies increases, the compression of nerves and blood vessels disappears.
We turn our neck and head, providing resistance
This is an isometric exercise, during which any dynamic movements are excluded. Sit on a stool, spread your legs, place your right palm on your right cheek. Now you need to try to turn your head to the right side, resisting with your palm. When performing the exercise correctly, the head remains motionless, only the muscles of the neck and shoulder girdle are tensed. After a couple of minutes, you should repeat the movements in the other direction, using your left hand.
Extend your neck, offering resistance
Starting position - sitting or standing. Interlace your fingers and place them on the back of your head. Provide resistance when trying to throw your head back. It should be taken into account that the muscles of the back of the head and neck should be in a state of tension for no more than 20 seconds. Then you need to return to the starting position and repeat all movements after 2-3 minutes. The exercise is effective for headaches and impaired coordination of movements characteristic of cervical osteochondrosis of 2nd severity.
Bend your neck to the side, offering resistance
Sit on a stool, place your right hand on the upper right side of your head. Bend your neck to the right, resisting with your palm for 20 seconds. Then take the starting position of the body, resting your left hand on the left side of your neck. Try to tilt your head to the left, pressing with your right palm, while simultaneously resisting with your left. Repeat all movements in the opposite direction.
Bend your neck forward, offering resistance
Sit or stand straight, place your palm on the back of your head. Now you need to press with your hand in an attempt to tilt your head and at the same time strain your neck muscles, trying to keep it in an upright position. Then the second palm should be placed under the chin. Try to bend your neck, resisting with both hands, straining the muscles of the back of your head, neck, and shoulder girdle for 20 seconds.
When and what results to expect from training
After about a month, the condition of the cervical vertebral structures improves, which is manifested in a decrease in the severity of pain and an increase in range of motion. With osteochondrosis of 1st degree of severity, complete disappearance of symptoms is observed. This occurs due to the restoration of blood supply to cartilage tissue with nutrients. As a result, the process of partial recovery of damaged disks is launched.
In patients with grade 2 and 3 osteochondrosis, the number and duration of relapses is reduced. do not occur after hypothermia or during the flu, ARVI due to the following:
- strengthening the muscle corset of the neck and shoulder girdle;
- increasing the strength and elasticity of ligaments and tendons.
Even with awkward, intense movement, the skeletal muscles reliably hold the discs and vertebrae in an anatomically correct position. There is no displacement of them, no compression of the spinal roots, or the vertebral artery that supplies blood to the brain. Along with pain and stiffness, visual and hearing disorders disappear, and the optimal level of blood pressure is restored.
Contraindications
In the acute period, therapeutic exercises are not performed. At the subacute stage, a physical therapy doctor may recommend performing isometric exercises, but only under his supervision.
| Contraindications to therapeutic exercises for cervical osteochondrosis | |
| Absolute | Temporary |
| Atrioventricular block | Exacerbation of any chronic pathology |
| Presence of a foreign body near large vessels and nerve trunks | Complications of cervical osteochondrosis |
| Acute violation of coronary or cerebral circulation | Development of the inflammatory process in the soft tissues of the neck |
| Malignant neoplasms of any location | Viral, bacterial, fungal infections |
| Thrombosis, embolism | Injury to cervical structures, including skin |
| Severe pathologies of the cardiovascular system | Progression |
| Negative ECG dynamics | , weakness, malaise |
| Bleeding of any location | Sinus, paroxysmal or atrial fibrillation |
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is one of the most dangerous diseases, which can lead to irreversible changes in the vertebral discs and cause disability.
The cervical region contains important blood vessels that supply the brain; nerve endings responsible for the motor functions of the forelimbs are located here.
The disease is characterized not only by a significant deterioration in the quality of life and severe headaches, but also by numbness of the hands during sleep.
Headaches and numbness of the hands are symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
To treat osteochondrosis, various methods are used depending on the cause and clinical picture of the disease. Therapeutic exercise, gymnastics, massage and self-massage play a positive role in the effectiveness of drug treatment. The main caution is that you can exercise only during a period of stable remission and after consultation with your doctor.
As mentioned above, therapeutic exercises and massage will be most effective only in combination with other types of treatment for the disease. In addition, several general conditions must be met:
- before starting, you should consult with your doctor and together with him choose the optimal set of exercises, their duration and frequency;
- regularity. Most types of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are irreversible. This means that the exercises need to be done regularly and for a very long period of time;
- increased pain serves as a signal to temporarily stop exercising.
Gymnastic exercises can be used not only during the treatment of an illness, but also to prevent it. Medicine strongly advises people who lead a sedentary lifestyle or have a sedentary job to do such exercises. Preventing a disease is much easier and simpler than treating it.
It is recommended, if possible, to repeat the simplest exercises several times during the day. The full set of exercises can be divided into stages and done in parts over a few hours. Such actions significantly increase the effectiveness of therapeutic or preventive gymnastics.
Exercises recommended for performing during remission of the disease
During this period, you need to be very careful when developing exercises, perform them as sparingly as possible, and avoid excessive stress and resumption of pain. Therapeutic exercises are best done while sitting - relaxation of the back muscles is achieved, which is extremely important.
Each movement should be performed 10÷20 times. If possible, it is recommended to increase the duration to two minutes for each exercise.
In the first days of doing the exercises, you can hear characteristic cracking sounds in the cervical vertebrae. This is normal; after a few days of constant practice, the sounds will stop. A slight crunching sound indicates spasms of the vertebrae; it should not exist in a healthy spine.
If the patient’s condition is so severe that it does not allow him to do exercises standing or sitting, then a set of movements should be performed in a lying position. You need to lie down on a flat, hard surface, with your arms always along your body. The number of repetitions is no more than ten; each exercise should not take more than one minute.
It is recommended to repeat these steps until a lasting positive effect is obtained, and then move on to the more complex complex described above. As a result of gymnastics, blood circulation in the cervical vertebrae will significantly improve, and their motor capabilities will begin to be restored. This will allow you to easily perform more complex complexes with increased physical activity.
If during therapeutic exercises a deterioration in the patient’s condition is detected, then the exercises should be stopped. Treatment continues with the usual medications; after the condition improves, physical therapy can be resumed.
Video - Exercises for cervical osteochondrosis
Exercises recommended for performance during the chronic course of the disease and for prevention
Gymnastics can be done lying down, sitting or standing, the back is straight, the neck muscles are relaxed.
- Lying on your stomach, push up from the floor, bend back and turn your head left/right. Try to see the left and right heels of your feet in turn. At first it will be difficult to do this, but after one or two weeks of constant training there will be a noticeable positive effect. Repeat the exercise 10÷20 times.
- Starting position: lying on your back, clasp your hands behind your head. Raise your straight legs up to a vertical position and at the same time try to touch your chest with your chin.
The exercise should be done while exhaling through the nose. Pull your socks towards you, raise your legs to a vertical position. If it is difficult to perform such movements, raise your legs 15÷20°. Lower your head first and then your legs. The number of repetitions is from ten to twenty.
- Sitting or standing position, chin pressed to chest.
Without lifting your chin, roll it from one shoulder to the other, repeat the exercise 10–20 times. Make the last two/three movements while exhaling, helping with your hand and trying to look behind your back. Do not make sudden movements, do not try to turn your head too much with your hands. While performing this exercise, you can sometimes hear a characteristic click in the cervical vertebrae, indicating that the block has been removed. After a few days of regular exercise, clicking in the cervical spine should disappear, which will indicate a significant improvement in its condition.
- Starting position: the right palm is pressed to the head, the left hand holds the right elbow. Turn your head towards your right shoulder and press it with your right palm. Slowly return your head to the starting position, applying increasing resistance with your right hand, then freely turn your head to the left. The number of repetitions is 10÷20, then change the position of your hands and do the same in the opposite direction.
- Place your head on your right shoulder and press it with your right hand.
Slowly raise your head to a vertical position, applying increasing resistance with your hand. Change the position of your hand and tilt your head to the other side. Number of repetitions 10÷20 times. It should be borne in mind that at first it will not be possible to tilt your head close to your shoulder; the amplitude of the tilt will increase gradually as the mobility of the vertebrae is restored.
- Place the fingers of your right hand on the sixth and seventh processes of the cervical vertebra, press them with your left palm. Tilt your head back, simultaneously pressing on the sixth and seventh vertebrae. Make five to six movements, remove your left hand and repeat turning your head to the left four to five times. Switch hands and repeat the same to the right.
- Place the palms of your hands on your face, fingers should cover your forehead. As you tilt your head forward/backward, press your palms onto your face with increasing force. For the first few days, you should apply pressure on the face only when tilting your head to your chest; later, efforts can be made when moving in both directions. Repeat the exercise ten times.
You need to understand that pathological changes in the cervical spine have occurred for several years; it is impossible to return it to its original state in a few days of training. You should be persistent and patient, regular exercise will make your neck flexible and healthy, blood supply will be completely restored, headaches and numbness in your hands will disappear. The more regularly the exercises are performed, the more noticeable the final positive effect.
Video - Exercises for prevention
Self-massage for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
Can be done as an independent procedure or after a set of gymnastic exercises. It is better to perform the procedures while sitting, with a straight back and relaxed muscles. Stroking, kneading and shaking movements are performed, increasing pain is not allowed. A preliminary consultation with a doctor is required.
All techniques should be repeated 5-7 times, finishing the massage by repeated rubbing and stroking the cervical spine. Stroking should be done with slight pressure with a full hand; movements can be performed in different directions. Encircling stroking is not recommended due to the effect on large areas of the cervical spine.
Video – Self-massage of the neck
Should only be performed by a specialist with medical education, otherwise your health may worsen.
The neck should be massaged on both sides by stroking, squeezing and kneading. Single, circular double and circular movements are used with the phalanges of the bent fingers of both hands. Flat rubbing of the vertebral muscles is performed with the pads of the thumbs; during circular rubbing, the phalanges of the four fingers of each hand should work.
The effectiveness of massage depends on the skill of the massage therapist, the severity of the disease and the duration of the course.
To enhance the effect, the use of medicinal ointments and gels is allowed. The ingredients included in the ointments can have a decongestant or anti-inflammatory effect, improve blood flow and relieve pain in inflamed areas.
It is prohibited to massage during acute periods of the disease, thrombosis, atherosclerosis of peripheral vessels, mental disorders and some skin diseases. The attending physician prescribes massage; the patient must inform him of any changes in well-being.
Therapeutic massage can be local or general; it is widely used during joint diseases as one of the complex methods of treating the disease. In combination with the correct regimen of drug therapy and therapeutic exercises, it gives a noticeable positive effect.
Recently, reflex massage of the Zakharyin-Ged zones has been often used. The purpose of the treatment is to find and have a positive effect on individual reflex zones on the surface of the skin. Performed only by the most experienced massage therapists with extensive practical experience and deep theoretical knowledge.
For osteochondrosis, only manual massage is allowed; exposure to various electrical devices is not allowed.
The total duration of the procedures should not exceed 25 minutes; the number of sessions is determined by the attending physician and can be adjusted depending on changes in the patient’s well-being.
