Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is an insidious disease. The age of incidence is falling every year, so now the problem with treating cervical osteochondrosis is as acute as ever.
Unfortunately, the entry of medicine in different parts of our country leaves much to be desired, therefore self-prevention of the disease and maintenance therapy at home are extremely relevant now.
Various exercises for the prevention and treatment of cervical osteochondrosis and professionally developed exercise therapy (physiotherapy complexes) help us.
Prevention of cervical osteochondrosis
Prevention of cervical osteochondrosis is massage and self-massage. Warming techniques of massage, rubbing, tapping, restore blood circulation in the muscles, relieve tension in the muscles of the neck. The massage can be done on their own, by kneading and rubbing the back of the neck and the base of the skull, thus eliminating blood stasis and restoring blood circulation in the head.
The workplace should be comfortable. An ergonomic chair should be used. The elbows should be at table level, the back is straight, the computer monitor is slightly above the eye. When working, it is necessary to take breaks to reduce the static load on the back.
A preventive measure for osteochondrosis is to perform exercises for the cervical region. Less dangerous are isometric exercises, which consist of counteracting the load for 5-6 seconds. The head withstands the pressure of the palm of the hand. The exercises are performed without sudden movements, smoothly.
- Sitting at a table with a straight back. Place your elbow on the table, press your ear to your palm, tilt your head to your shoulder, counteracting it with your hand. Hold for 10 seconds, 10 reps. The lateral muscles of the neck are strengthened. Repeat the same number of times on both sides.
- Sitting at the table, place your hand on the table on your elbow, lean on your palm with your forehead, rest your hand and press your head for 10 seconds. Repeat 10 times.
- Lie on the floor on your back. Press the back of your head to the floor. Hold the position for 5-6 seconds.
- Lie on the floor on your stomach, press your forehead to the floor.
- Lie on the floor on your left side, your left hand lying on the floor, place your head on it and press your head on your hand.
- Same for the right side.
- Sitting on a chair with a straight back, intertwine your fingers in the lock, place on the back of the head, press the back of the clenched fingers.
- Stand close to the wall, press the back of your head against the wall.
All the above isometric exercises should be performed with effort for 5-6 seconds, then slowly relieve tension and relaxation. Do 5-10 reps.
Favorable effect on the condition of the cervical region of the performance of curtains on the horizontal bar. You can perform wide and narrow grips in 30 seconds. Under the influence of its own weight, all the vertebrae of the spine are stretched.
You need to pay attention to your habits, not to bend over the table, to maintain your posture while talking on the phone, do not press the headset with your ear to your shoulder. Don't forget to take breaks every hour. Swimming is a good preventive measure.
To prevent the disease, you can perform daily small simple sets of exercises. The program contains exercises that are quite accessible to perform. To determine the condition of the cervical spine, you can do small tests: tilt your head back and forth, tilt it toward your shoulder, and turn your head left and right.
Usually a person should bend his head at 45 degrees, unfold at 50. Tilt your head to the shoulder should be 45 degrees, turn your head 90 degrees in both directions.
Therapeutic exercises for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
You can start therapeutic exercises only after the pain stops. You cannot exercise during an attack. After an attack, low-intensity isometric exercises are allowed, in which case the muscles tense up, resisting the load. The muscles of the neck create a muscular corset that holds the vertebrae firmly.
All exercises should be performed slowly, without sudden movements and sudden movements. Before performing gymnastic complexes, you should choose an individual technique, based on the opinion of a specialist.
Physiotherapist
- Sitting position, back and neck straight. Turn your head to the right and left as much as possible, but carefully, not sharply. Repeat 10 times.
- Sitting position, straight back and neck. Lower your head, try to touch your chest with your chin. 10 repetitions.
- Sitting position, pull the chin and neck back, 10 reps.
- Sitting, arms hanging freely over the body. Gently lift your shoulders and hold for 10 seconds. To relax. Perform 10 repetitions.
- Lie on a hard surface, knead the muscles of the neck and the base of the skull for 4 minutes. Try to massage intensively to improve blood flow.
- Rub while sitting or lying down on a hard surface of the muscle between the shoulder blades and above the shoulder blades.
- With circular motions, mix the muscles above the ear and to the back of the head.
A set of exercises combined with slow, calm breathing. Breathing helps to focus on the exercise, helps to increase its effectiveness. It is recommended to repeat several times a day. The range of motion is small. The easy position helps to reduce the load on the vertebrae, you can not strive to do everything at once. The main thing is caution, gradualness and perseverance of the classes.
- He lies on his back on the floor. One hand on the abdomen, the other on the chest. Calm breath - the stomach rises, then the chest. Exhale calmly, for a long time. Try to make the exhale longer than the inhale. Perform freely, relaxed. Do 10 reps.
- Lie on the floor on your stomach. Slowly raise your head, then your shoulders, then rest with your hands in front of you, hold for 1 minute. Always try to remember the posture.
- Laying on my stomach. The arms are located along the body. Freely, slowly turn your head, trying to touch the floor with your ear. Repeat left and right 6 times.
- Sitting position. Tilt your head forward, then slowly tilt back until it stops, but not sharply and not in pain. Repeat 10 times.
- Sitting at the table. Put your elbows on the table, put your head on your palms, press your forehead on your palms. Try to push yourself as hard as possible. Perform the exhalation exercise. Repeat 10 times.
- Turn your head 5 times left and right. If you feel pain, then you should limit the movement of the chin to the left to the shoulder, then to the right to the shoulder. Repeat 6 times.
Video manuals for therapeutic exercises for cervical osteochondrosis
From the many video tutorials on therapeutic exercises presented online, you can choose the most effective for the treatment of cervical spine. It is better to contact a specialist, follow the recommendations of existing chiropractors and trust their experience.
Combining massage, self-massage, the achievements of medical massage technology, controlling your posture and performing simple sets of exercises for the cervical spine, a person will gain lightness, freedom, relaxed movements and will probably forget about the existence of the cervical spine. osteochondrosis.