Exercises for cervical osteochondrosis at home: indications and contraindications for exercise therapy

Hello dear readers! Recently, due to severe pain in the neck, I had to urgently master exercises for cervical osteochondrosis at home, and they really work wonders! If neck pain, migraines and stiffness have become constant companions for you, then this article is for you.

Unfortunately, due to the modern lifestyle, people are devoting less and less time to active movement. After all, most of us have an 8-hour working day, during which we need to sit at a computer or a desktop with a pile of documents, then we get into cars, subways or buses, come home, and rest there too. So I, taking up writing this article, spent a lot of time at the monitor, most likely now you are sitting or lying in the process of reading.

But movement is life, it allows you to keep the body normal, physical inactivity causes a number of different diseases, including osteochondrosis, the symptoms of which everyone needs to know.

Before studying exercises for cervical osteochondrosis at home, let's understand what kind of ailment it is.

So, osteochondrosis is a lesion of the vertebral ligamentous apparatus, in which nerve endings, blood vessels, including those supplying the brain, are pinched, causing oxygen starvation.

80% of the world's inhabitants have this disease to one degree or another. Moreover, osteochondrosis of the neck is more common, since the cervical spine is the most fragile, it experiences enormous loads, supporting the possibility of turning and tilting the head.

Cause the disease for various reasons, in the first place it is still a sedentary lifestyle. In addition, doctors distinguish hereditary addiction, malnutrition, smoking, spinal injuries, stress, passion for power sports and love for high heels (and which of us, girls and women, does not sin with this?).

Signs of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine

Determining the presence of a problem can be difficult, for this you need to conduct certain studies, take pictures. But it is necessary to suspect something is wrong if there are such symptoms:

• headache often, not calming down even after taking analgesics;
• disturbed by frequent dizziness;
• "flies" appear before the eyes;
• when nerves are pinched, pain in the neck is often felt, which can even radiate to the sternum, simulating angina pectoris.

Indications and contraindications for exercise therapy

Physical education with such a disease is the only salvation from pain and the ability to keep your body normal, preventing disability. Indeed, without proper treatment, complex cases of osteochondrosis can even provoke death due to disruption of the spinal cord and brain! So being lazy here is not only harmful, but also simply dangerous!

True, doctors strictly forbid exercising during periods of exacerbation of the disease, so as not to cause physical education to worsen the condition. So, training is contraindicated in:

• acute stage of the disease;
• recent surgery on the cervical spine;
• coordination disorder;
• jumps in blood pressure;
• diagnosed arrhythmia;
• glaucoma and severe myopia.

Regular exercise is necessary if you have:

• pain in the head and neck due to compression of nerve endings, aggravated after physical exertion;
• the presence of the main signs of osteochondrosis;
• the likelihood of deformation of the intervertebral discs and their fusion.

Have you watched the video? It turns out that everything is so simple. I have prepared a small one for you. free bonus from the author. Take, apply and be healthy!

Prevention of osteochondrosis of the neck

If you are at risk, for example, your parents had this disease and you have to lead a predominantly sedentary lifestyle, then it is better to take care of your health in advance, preventing the occurrence of problems. Doctors recommend following these tips:

1. Perform exercises against osteochondrosis, they are effective not only at the stage of treatment, but also prevention.
2. Exercise to relax your muscles, such as swimming or yoga.
3. Eat a varied and nutritious diet, paying special attention to foods rich in calcium, magnesium, and B vitamins.
4. Drink enough fluids, as dehydration causes early hardening of cartilage tissue, its cracking, deformation. On average, an adult needs about 2 liters of water, including tea, juices and first courses.
5. Take chondroprotectors that protect cartilage tissue from damage, they should be taken according to a doctor's prescription for months.
6. Use a relaxing massage.
7. Apply ointments and infusions to improve the condition of cartilage tissue, for example, popular folk remedies are a compress of alcohol infusion of lilac flowers and rubbing of vinegar and eggs (100 grams of butter, 1 tablespoon of vinegar and rye flour, mix a raw egg, rub into the affected area in the morning and evening).

Honey massage for cervical osteochondrosis

I was attracted by the originality of the honey massage technique, as I really love this delicacy. It turns out that this bee product helps to restore the health of the vertebral cartilage, for obvious reasons, is popular with women. Having tested this method on myself, I will try to describe it briefly, but succinctly. So:

1. We warm up the neck area, for this we take a bath or apply a warm compress to it.
2. We remove the hair from the treated area in advance, otherwise the sensations during the massage will be very unpleasant due to the torn hairs.
3. We heat the honey to body temperature, without bringing it to a boil (otherwise, all the beneficial substances of honey will be destroyed).
4. Lubricate the skin with honey, evenly distribute it over a large area with your hands.
5. We tear off the hand from the skin, if it hurts too much, then it is allowed to do it gradually - first the base of the palm, then the fingers.
6. We continue this “massage” until the golden honey turns into a gray mass - it absorbed dead cells and toxins from the subcutaneous tissue.
7. We wash our hands, wipe the neck with a damp cloth.
8. We warm the neck with a scarf or a compress.

Therapeutic exercises for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine

It is difficult to overestimate the importance of training for problems with the neck, sometimes regular exercises save you from pain and even disability. Fortunately, gymnastics for cervical osteochondrosis at home is a reality, because most of the exercises are so simple that they can be performed without any simulators and devices. I will add that light exercises can be done even at work, in transport or on the street, when you have a free minute, even a small warm-up will add to your health.

Gymnastics for cervical osteochondrosis at home:

1. Slowly and smoothly turn the head alternately to the right and left, trying to place the chin over the shoulder, but also following our feelings, at the slightest sign of pain, you need to moderate your ardor.
2. Raise your shoulders to your ears and freeze like this for 10 seconds.
3. Put your hand on your forehead and try to tilt your head forward, while resting your palm on your head.
4. Place your palm on the back of your head and overcoming its resistance, try to take your head back.
5. Tilt your head to the side, resisting with your hand.
6. Pull the neck back as far as possible while keeping the head straight to correct the “goose posture”.

Exercise therapy for osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine should be carried out regularly, excluding only periods of exacerbation, it is best to do it in the morning, but in the evening the effect will be good. The main thing is to practice every day for at least 10 minutes and not perform too sharp, traumatic movements.

Gymnastics Shishonin with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine

This complex includes almost all the same exercises that have already been described and consist of slow tilts, head turns, stretching and tilting of the neck.

According to this doctor, such exercises help not only relieve pain, remove migraine attacks and dizziness, improve memory and sleep, but even restore intervertebral cartilage.

Gymnastics for cervical osteochondrosis Dr. Bubnovsky

Kinesitherapist S.M. Bubnovsky created the author's method of treatment, which included:

• pull-ups;
• push-ups from the wall, supports, chairs, on the uneven bars;
• taking cold baths.

At the same time, the doctor strongly advises his patients to stop smoking, and to perform exercises in large quantities, at least 10-15 repetitions, some with dumbbells for weighting. The technique, although quite complicated, is well suited for strengthening muscles, gives excellent results and helps to forget about the disease for a long time.

There are centers where they are engaged in such methods. Appointments are made by a doctor, and all classes are held under the guidance of an experienced instructor.

Dikul's technique

No less interesting is the complex developed over 10 years by Valentin Dikul. As a young man, he received a serious spinal injury and could remain disabled for the rest of his life, but willpower and hard physical training helped him get back on his feet and live fully.

The process is lengthy, involves the use of stretching exercises, proper breathing and relaxation after training, it takes a lot of time and effort, but it is better than treating the disease on the operating table.

Video: gymnastics for cervical osteochondrosis at home

Of course, it is better to first do workouts under the guidance of an experienced trainer, but this video will help you understand all the features of the classes without leaving your home.

I emphasize once again that exercises for cervical osteochondrosis at home are really effective, allowing you to get rid of pain, stiffness due to increased blood circulation, lymph outflow, and pumped up neck muscles will relieve the load from the spine.

But even at the first manifestations of osteochondrosis, one should not be lazy, giving oneself indulgences. Only daily training will help prevent the progression of the disease. See you soon, do not miss new blog articles, love yourself and value your health!