Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is an insidious disease. The incidence age threshold drops every year, so now the problem of treating cervical osteochondrosis is as acute as ever.
Unfortunately, the penetration of medicine in different parts of our country leaves much to be desired, therefore, self-prevention of the disease and home maintenance therapy are extremely important now.
Various exercises for the prevention and treatment of cervical osteochondrosis and professionally designed exercise therapy (complex of physical therapy) help us.
Prevention of cervical osteochondrosis
Prevention of cervical osteochondrosis is massage and self-massage. Warm-up techniques of massage, rubbing, caressing, restore blood circulation to the muscles, relieve tension in the neck muscles. The massage can be done by yourself, cooking and rubbing the back of the neck and the base of the skull, thus eliminating blood stasis and restoring blood circulation to the head.
The workplace should be comfortable. An ergonomic chair should be used. Elbows should be at desk level, back straight, computer monitor slightly above view. At work, it is necessary to take breaks to reduce the static load on the back.
One preventative measure of osteochondrosis is performing exercises for the cervical region. Less dangerous are isometric exercises, which consist of counteracting the load for 5-6 seconds. The head resists the pressure of the palm of the hand. Exercises are performed without sudden movements, without problems.
- Sitting at a table with your back straight. Place your elbow on the table, press the ear to your palm, tilt your head to the shoulder, opposing 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 at the 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 the 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, left hand lying on the floor, place your head on it and press your head in your hand.
- Same for the right side.
- Sitting in a chair with a straight back, tie your fingers to the lock, place on the back of the head, press the back of the head on the stuck fingers.
- Standing 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, after which slowly relieve tension and relax. Do 5-10 repetitions.
Beneficial effect on the condition of the cervical section of the application of hangings on the horizontal bar. You can perform hanging with a wide and narrow grip for 30 seconds. Under the influence of its own weight, all the vertebrae of the spine stretch.
You need to pay attention to your habits, do not lean on the table, keep your posture while talking on the phone, do not press the receiver with your ear on your shoulder. Make sure you take vacations every hour. Swimming is a good preventative measure.
To prevent the disease, you can perform small simple sets of exercises every day. 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 to your shoulder, and turn your head left and right.
Normally, a person should bend his head 45 degrees, undress 50. Tilt his head to the shoulder should be 45 degrees, turn his head 90 degrees in both directions.
Therapeutic exercises for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
You can start therapeutic exercises only after the pain subsides. You can not exercise during an attack. After an attack, low-intensity isometric exercises are allowed, in which case the muscles tense, resisting the load. The neck muscles create a muscular corset that holds the vertebrae tightly.
All exercises should be performed slowly, without cracking and sudden movements. Before performing gymnastic complexes, you should choose an individual technique, based on the opinion of a specialist.
Physiotherapy doctor
- Sitting position, back and neck straight. Turn your head right and left as far as it will go, but gently, not abruptly. Repeat 10 times.
- Sitting position, back and neck straight. Lower your head down, try to touch your chest with your chin. 10 repetitions.
- Sitting position, pull chin and neck back, 10 repetitions.
- Sitting position, arms hanging freely along the body. Gently lift your shoulders and hold for 10 seconds. To rest. Perform 10 repetitions.
- Lying on a firm surface, cook the neck muscles and the base of the skull for 4 minutes. Try massaging intensively to improve blood circulation.
- Rub when sitting or lying on a firm surface of the muscle between the shoulder blades and above the shoulder blades.
- In a circular motion, work the muscles above the ear and up to the back of the head.
A set of exercises combined with slow and calm breathing. Breathing helps to focus on exercise, helps increase its effectiveness. It is advisable to repeat several times during the day. The range of motion is small. The prone position helps to reduce the load on the beads, you can not try to do everything at once. The main thing is the care, graduality and consistency of the classes.
- Lying on your back on the floor. One hand on the stomach, the other on the chest. Calm breath - the stomach rises, then the chest. Exhale smooth, tall. Try to make the extraction longer than the suction. Perform loosely, relaxed. Do 10 repetitions.
- Lying on the floor on your stomach. Slowly raise your head, then your shoulders, then rest your hands forward, stand for 1 minute. Always try to remember the attitude.
- Lying on the abdomen. The hands are placed along the body. Loosely, slowly turn your head, trying to touch the floor with your ear. Repeat left and right 6 times.
- Sitting position. Turn your head forward, then slowly tilt back until it stops, but not tightly and not to the point of pain. Repeat 10 times.
- Sitting at the table. Place your elbows on the table, place your head in the palms of your hands, press your forehead into the palms of your hands. Try to push yourself as much as possible. Perform the extraction exercise. Repeat 10 times.
- Rotate the head alternately 5 times on the left and right side. If pain is felt, then you should restrict the movement of the chin to the left shoulder, then to the right shoulder. Repeat 6 times.
Video manuals on therapeutic exercises for cervical osteochondrosis
From the many instructional videos on therapeutic exercises presented online, you can choose the most effective one for treating cervical spine. It is best to contact a specialist, follow the recommendations of existing chiropractors and trust their experience.
By combining massage, self-massage, advances in medical massage technology, controlling your posture, and performing simple sets of exercises for the cervical vertebrae, a person will gain softness, freedom, freedom of movement, and, perhaps, willforget the existence of the cervix. osteochondrosis.