Is it possible to play sports with osteochondrosis: all the pros and cons

Sports and osteochondrosis: compatible or not?
Therapy for osteochondrosis in any localization will not be successful without daily exercise therapy or gymnastics. Some sports are also very beneficial for this degenerative disease. Neurologists recommend swimming, water aerobics, Pilates, and Nordic walking to patients. But some workouts put excessive stress on the spine, causing painful relapses. Therefore, only the doctor decides whether a patient with osteochondrosis can play sports.

CT scan of the lumbar spine for osteochondrosis.

Osteochondrosis and training: pros and cons

Osteochondrosis is quite compatible with many sports. This pathology, accompanied by the destruction of intervertebral discs, is often clinically manifested by numerous neurological disorders. Due to infringement of the vertebral artery and spinal roots by hernias, osteophytes, and muscle spasms, the patient’s general well-being worsens.

And regular sports training has a positive, healing effect on the entire body:

• improve blood circulation, stimulate the flow of nutrients into damaged vertebral structures;
• dilate blood vessels, providing oxygen flow to the brain, soft, cartilage, and bone tissues;
• eliminate compression of blood vessels and nerve endings by strengthening the muscle corset of the entire back;
• stabilize the vertebral bodies and intervertebral discs, prevent their displacement and the formation of hernial protrusion;
• improve the functioning of organs of all human vital systems.

Participating in some sports involves excessive stress on already damaged discs and vertebrae. Undoubtedly, during training, the blood supply to tissues with nutrients necessary for regeneration improves. But the rate of disk destruction will significantly exceed the rate of their recovery.

Training and osteochondrosis

Doctors agree that light sports and exercise are almost always relevant for osteochondrosis.
They can significantly affect the speed of recovery of a sick person. Many people quit sports after developing back problems, since there are a sufficient number of examples where this led to very unfavorable consequences in the future. Often this happened only because the training was carried out incorrectly or the person did not foresee some contraindications that he had. If the exercises are performed correctly, there can be no bad consequences.

Doctors do not recommend playing football or hockey. Since, in addition to the possibility of falls, injuries and collisions, these sports also require enormous emotional stress. In the presence of a disease, loss of strength occurs very quickly, which is also significantly influenced by the psycho-emotional state.

You can almost always choose exactly the types of exercises that are best suited for a particular person. This is due to the fact that the number of cases where all loads without exception bring only harm is tiny.

It is best to carry out training in difficult situations with osteochondrosis with the help of a qualified trainer. Such a person may be more objective than a patient, so if necessary, he can tell you what not to do and what exercises you should pay more attention to. In addition, in some cases, a coach can become insurance and a person capable of providing first aid in case of accidents.

Useful tips

For the treatment of cervical, thoracic, and lumbar osteochondrosis, regular sports training is useful - at least 4 times a week. This regime allows you to constantly not only maintain the muscular frame of the back in good shape, but also constantly increase the strength and elasticity of muscle tissue.

Before training, be sure to warm up to prepare your muscles for the upcoming loads. And after completing the main classes, stretching exercises are useful, for example, hanging on a bar for 5 minutes.

Hanging on the bar.

Permissible types of physical activity for osteochondrosis

After relieving severe pain and inflammation caused by soft tissue damage, the patient is referred to a physical therapy doctor. He studies the results of instrumental studies, prognosis for recovery and physical fitness of a person.

After analyzing all the data, the doctor recommends those sports that are most beneficial for the patient. He will tell you how to dose the load so as not to provoke another relapse.

Swimming

This is the most frequently recommended sport for osteochondrosis of any localization. Due to the difference in pressure on land and in water, the intervertebral discs are not subject to excessive stress. Swimming on your back is especially beneficial - posture improves, blood circulation accelerates, and displacement of vertebral structures is completely eliminated. During the first training or with severe osteochondrosis, you can use inflatable pillows or rafts.

It is possible to perform exercises in water that would be strictly prohibited on land. Therefore, rehabilitation of patients often takes place in swimming pools equipped with bridges, ropes, and handrails. With their help, the therapeutic effectiveness of water aerobics increases significantly.

Swimming is useful for pathologies of any location.

Physiotherapy

Therapeutic exercise and gymnastics are one of the effective methods of treating osteochondrosis. It is especially effective in combination with physiotherapeutic procedures, classical, acupressure, and vacuum massage. A set of exercises is compiled by a physical therapy doctor, taking into account the stage of the pathology and the number of complications that have developed. He is present at the first training sessions and controls the technique of performing movements.

After the patient’s well-being improves and basic skills are acquired, training can be continued at home. Doctors recommend hanging on a bar to increase the distance between the bodies of adjacent vertebrae, and training on exercise machines, for example, the Evminov board.

Gymnastics for osteochondrosis.

Pilates and fitness

Not all areas of fitness are therapeutically effective for osteochondrosis. The most useful are Nordic walking, fitball, and callanetics. But most often, exercise therapy doctors advise patients to Pilates, a system of physical exercises designed specifically for the rehabilitation of patients with pathologies of the musculoskeletal system. Training takes place both under the supervision of instructors and at home.

During classes, deep breathing is practiced with concentration on certain muscle groups. Movements in Pilates are smooth, with a small amplitude, frequent or slow. This exercise technique allows you to strengthen your back muscles in just a few weeks of regular training.

Pilates.

Yoga

Yoga is used to relax skeletal muscles, relieve painful muscle spasms and stiffness in the neck or lower back. This is the name for a set of various spiritual, mental and physical practices that help improve a person’s well-being and bring recovery closer. During yoga, the patient assumes various body positions in which certain muscle groups are stretched. They become more elastic due to improved trophism, saturation of cells with oxygen and nutrients.

Not all asanas are useful, especially for cervical osteochondrosis. Therefore, you should consult a physical therapy doctor about the safety and advisability of this method of therapy.

Callanetics

This is a system of complex static exercises, the implementation of which is aimed at contracting and stretching muscles. Callanetics is a bit like yoga, but unlike it, during training all muscles can be used at the same time. Classes involve a person being in an uncomfortable body position for a long time. Therefore, this system of exercises is indicated for people with good physical fitness.

Callanetics.

Shaping

This is a type of rhythmic gymnastics, initially aimed at changing shape and reducing body weight. A positive effect of regular exercise on the condition of the spinal column has been noticed. But for osteochondrosis, only those exercises are used that do not lead to unnecessary stress on the vertebrae and discs.

Doctors recommend doing shaping while sitting or lying on your back or stomach. You should choose stretching exercises, but avoid intense crunches.

Shaping.

How to resist osteochondrosis and maintain spinal health

Berezhkova Lyudmila Vasilievna

Neurologist, Chiropractor

April 24, 2021

Transcript of the audio recording “School for a Healthy Spine”

Hello, dear listeners. Our conversation is intended for people who are attentive to their health. A person’s desire for perfection is worthy of respect, because being healthy and successful is not only fashionable, but useful and profitable. But how can you become successful if your health has deteriorated and you don’t have the strength to continue on your intended path in life because of back problems? You need to learn how to maintain a healthy spine and resist osteochondrosis. It is now known that acute back pain is the most common cause of disability in people under 45 years of age. At the age of 45 to 65 years, pain in the lower back and neck ranks third in frequency after heart and joint diseases (arthritis). It was found that 60-80% of the population experienced such pain at least once.

Foreign scientists have calculated that low back pain syndrome ranks third (as the most expensive disease after heart disease and oncology), because it is associated with significant costs for diagnosis and treatment, operations, disability compensation and disability subsidies.

Causing disability in people of the most active age from 30 to 50 years, osteochondrosis significantly reduces their quality of life, darkening the joy of existence.

The clinical manifestations of spinal osteochondrosis are so diverse and multifaceted that they are sometimes disguised as diseases that are far from each other. The most famous and common syndrome of osteochondrosis is pain in the back, neck, lower back, shoulder and pelvic girdle. A significant portion of the adult population experiences them periodically. Currently, this disease is as common as influenza and cardiovascular diseases, and is not inferior to them in terms of financial costs of treatment.

How to prevent spinal osteochondrosis? The path is enlightened knowledge, self-education in health matters and the formation of a correct lifestyle. Let's change life for the better and combine the wisdom of age with the possibilities of youth! Let's start learning.

What is spinal osteochondrosis?

Osteochondrosis of the spine is dystrophy, or in other words, a violation of the nutrition of the tissues of the intervertebral disc with a weakening of its shock-absorbing properties. With osteochondrosis, the fixing ability of the spine, the condition of the paravertebral muscles and ligaments, especially under load, deteriorate, making them inelastic and weak.

First, dehydration of the nucleus pulposus and metabolic disorders in the cartilage occur. As a result, the disc loses its elasticity, dries out, decreases in size and cannot withstand physical activity. For example, a vertical force of 500 kg leads to rupture of a healthy disc, which has been confirmed experimentally, and in osteochondrosis, for a similar effect, an axial load of only 200 kg is sufficient - the spine weakens so much.

The annulus fibrosus of the disc also loses its elasticity, causing it to crack and rupture. The central part, the so-called nucleus pulposus, protrudes into the resulting defects and then falls out (partially or completely). This is a herniated intervertebral disc.

It is now known that the main cause of osteochondrosis is associated with our lifestyle, which leads to changes in the spine. These include sedentary work, emotional and physical overload, poor posture and poor nutrition. In order for the spine to remain healthy, it must be taken care of from a young age. For proper bone development, from childhood you need to consume foods containing calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese and vitamins A and C. Your daily diet should definitely include fermented milk products, eggs, nuts, legumes, cabbage, as well as liver, cheese, and corn. Vegetables and fruits are important, especially yellow and orange in color, which are rich in vitamin A. Rose hips, bell peppers, kiwi and berries are rich in vitamin C.

Eat rationally and do not overeat, try not to slouch. Poor posture leads to increased stress on the lumbar spine. Straighten your back, tuck your stomach and straighten your shoulders. A slightly raised head and a tucked in stomach is correct posture. A stately man is immediately visible. Holding your back means being able to withstand a lot and maintain dignity in difficult situations.

The means to achieve a proud posture is a natural muscle corset made from your own trained muscles. Swimming is an ideal sport for the spine and its muscular corset. Know that some sports are harmful to the spine because they involve heavy loads: tennis, badminton, golf, hockey, football, jumping, weightlifting. Here you have to turn your body sharply, and falls, jolts and blows injure the spine. Macro- and microtraumas are inevitable, leading to back pain, early wear and tear of the spine with the development of osteochondrosis, which requires treatment.

Ancient doctors believed that human health was determined by the health of the spine. Modern medicine confirms the role of the spine in maintaining good health.

Learn to take care of your spine to maintain your health!

Take care of your spine from a young age - that’s the main slogan!

“If youth knew how to maintain a flexible spine, then old age could!”

Prevention of osteochondrosis begins in childhood. This is eloquently evidenced by observations of early dystrophic diseases of the spine in children of besieged Leningrad. Malnutrition, hard physical labor, and constant stress due to bombing and shelling destroyed the body from childhood. Back pain bothers these people all their lives, and diseases of the spine that began in youth, as practice has shown, are difficult to treat.

The most critical period of bone tissue activity is the adolescent period of intensive growth, pregnancy, lactation and premenopause, during which calcium consumption in the body increases.

The main attention is paid to the following prevention factors:

• nutrition;
• physical activity;
• intake of vitamin D into the body;

Bone mass can be increased by eating foods high in calcium and phosphorus. These include dairy products, fish, dried fruits, nuts, seeds, green vegetables and brown bread.

It is believed that physical exercise prevents the development of osteochondrosis. However, excessive physical activity can lead to a decrease in the level of sex hormones estogens, and then to osteoporosis, which is often combined with osteochondrosis.

Such changes in the spine are typical for professional athletes.

Vitamin D levels in the body are closely related to skin exposure to sunlight. Holidays in the south, sunbathing and trips to the sea are a pleasant and necessary measure to prevent osteochondrosis. Eating seafood, mainly red fish, plays an important role in obtaining vitamin D. Maybe someone will remember the “fish oil” that they hated in childhood. It is also an effective measure to prevent bone weakness. Calcium supplements with vitamin D are useful to improve bone health.

Thus, rational nutrition from childhood is an important factor in the prevention of osteochondrosis. Adequate nutrition is especially necessary for a growing body, because in youth a health program is laid for life.

Spinal injury is the second risk factor for osteochondrosis. In recent years, young people with back pain have begun to attract the attention of doctors. It was found that the early development of osteochondrosis in them was facilitated by the incorrect position of the cervical vertebrae, which arose in newborn age as a result of birth trauma.

You should pay attention to the fact that during physical activity (physical education class), if you fall sharply on your tailbone after a jump, a cracking sound may appear in the cervical spine. Usually this causes pain that passes quickly, and children do not go to the doctor. However, the resulting traumatic redistribution of axial load on the spine and discs subsequently leads to increased wear and early osteochondrosis. During an injury, you can stretch the back muscles, ligaments, or displace the joints of the spine, which leads to an exacerbation of osteochondrosis with severe back pain.

The early development of osteochondrosis is facilitated by incorrect posture, especially from childhood. Poor posture (static) is a precursor and characteristic symptom of spinal osteochondrosis. The mechanisms of these changes are complex. And we will not delve into professional details, but will focus on the main thing: treatment and prevention of exacerbations of osteochondrosis necessarily includes posture correction to correct the impaired biomechanics of the spine using manual therapy methods.

So: take care of your spine from a young age and help your children stay healthy. After all, diagnosing osteochondrosis is not as simple as it seems at first glance, even for doctors, because its manifestations are varied and unexpected.

There are stories where sick people visit many medical specialists. They complain to the ophthalmologist about the flickering of “spots” before the eyes and decreased visual acuity. The ENT doctor is told about tinnitus, hearing loss, discomfort when swallowing and frequent choking, the neurologist is told about headaches, dizziness and unsteadiness of gait, and the psychotherapist is told about depression, restless sleep and forgetfulness. Drops in the eyes and ears, various medications do not help them. The cause of the malaise is osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.

The diagnosis is made in stages. First, the doctor interviews the patient, studying his complaints and feelings. Then he finds out the history of the development of the disease, or anamnesis (translated from Greek as “memory”). After this, getting acquainted with the life history, the doctor finds out the factors that provoke osteochondrosis, the presence of heredity and anomalies in the development of the spine.

Examination of the patient is the next step in making a diagnosis. Posture and range of motion in all parts of the spine are assessed, palpation (feeling), percussion (tapping) of the spine is performed, and muscle strength is studied. It is important to diagnose motor stereotype disorders, that is, to identify immobility of some parts of the spine and hypermobility of others. Based on the results of the examination, the doctor may prescribe examination methods.

• X-ray examination (spondylography) is an important method for assessing the condition of the spine. Typically, an in-depth diagnosis of osteochondrosis begins with a spondylogram. Radiography allows you to obtain information about the condition of the vertebrae, and indirectly, the intervertebral discs and bone canals.
• Computed tomography (CT) consists of hard X-rays that illuminate an object with a narrow beam and are captured by receiving equipment at the output. The received data is processed by a computer, and the image is visible on the display. The patient is placed between the emitter and the receiver, where the entire system rotates around the axis of the patient's body. X-ray absorption is recorded at all stages of rotation. As a result, vertebral bodies, soft tissues, intervertebral discs, ligaments, and blood vessels are visible. CT scans reveal disc contour ruptures, nerve root compression, and dura mater deformations. Unlike X-rays, where images of entire sections of the spine can be taken, CT scans specifically target one or two segments. A CT scan is usually prescribed after an x-ray if it is necessary to clarify the condition of a specific intervertebral disc. With this type of study, the x-ray dose is significantly higher than with a spondylogram.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is prescribed in diagnostically difficult cases. It is mandatory when consulting a neurosurgeon and is always used during surgery. The method allows you to obtain an image due to the property of tissue hydrogen nuclei (protons) to give the phenomenon of resonance in a strong magnetic field. Constant and alternating magnetic fields are used, which create a signal characteristic of each tissue of the body. These signals are recorded, processed by a computer and produced an image on the screen. An anatomical cross-section of the body is obtained in three projections without the harmful effects of x-ray radiation. Sections are visible in different planes, the image has high contrast. Nerve roots, intervertebral discs and blood vessels are visible. On MRI, the nucleus pulposus, which has less hydrophilicity due to osteochondrosis, does not produce an MRI signal and is clearly visible.
• Doppler ultrasound (USDG) is a method for studying the blood supply to the brain, which allows you to study cerebral blood flow in cervical osteochondrosis.

Thus, having correctly diagnosed osteochondrosis using the above methods, treatment should begin. The therapy program is drawn up by the doctor, taking into account all the nuances or features of the manifestation of the disease in a particular person. This is why self-medication “according to rumors and advice from friends and relatives” is always ineffective. Moreover, as they say, “whoever is treated according to the reference book risks dying from a typo”!

We have studied how you can cope with osteochondrosis yourself.

It turns out that this is not difficult if you do everything on time.

• You need to have knowledge about osteochondrosis;
• Determine whether you are at risk;
• Carry out a diagnosis if you have an unpleasant chance of falling into this group;
• If necessary, treatment.

Specialist neurologists, chiropractors, vertebrologists (spinal specialists), massage therapists, and acupuncturists will draw up an individual treatment program and implement it.

Ambiguous forms of physical activity

If before the development of osteochondrosis a person regularly jogged or rode a bicycle, then it is difficult for him to give up his favorite sport. But doctors often insist on stopping training due to the high risk of progression of the destructive process.

Run

During running, vertebral structures are subjected to static and dynamic loads - the vertebral bodies shift relative to each other, further injuring damaged intervertebral discs. For osteochondrosis of the first or second severity, the doctor may allow short runs, which must alternate with walking.

Running for osteochondrosis.

Bike

When riding a bicycle, the spine is in an anatomically incorrect position for a long time. This provokes circulatory disorders, deterioration of trophism and excessive tension in the skeletal muscles. It is allowed to ride a bicycle with cervical or thoracic pathology using orthopedic devices - Shants collars, elastic bandages with rigid inserts. This sport is prohibited for osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral localization.

A ride on the bicycle.

Sports and osteochondrosis: beneficial or harmful?

Osteochondrosis is a pathological lesion of the intervertebral tissues of the spine. As a result, the cartilage loses strength and elasticity, which can completely destroy it.

Causes of osteochondrosis: excess weight, bad habits, long stay in an uncomfortable or incorrect position, unexpected heavy physical activity, metabolic disorders, sedentary lifestyle, lack of magnesium, calcium and B vitamins in the body.

Many do not pay due attention to this disease, and, as a result, constant headaches, dizziness, pain in the chest, shoulders and arms. And with such symptoms you can’t really run. What do doctors advise?

Is it possible or not?

There are two opposing opinions of experts regarding running with osteochondrosis. Some argue that it is impossible to run, because when a person runs, the body periodically comes off and comes into contact with the ground. As a result, the spine affected by osteochondrosis cannot cope with shock absorption. But not only the spine, but also the joints of the legs are responsible for shock absorption. Therefore, if the disease is at an early stage, and the attending physician has approved the desire to play sports, you can run. This is what experts say - supporters of a healthy lifestyle. But even here everything is not so simple and there are some nuances.

Expert advice

1. When running, the main thing is to correctly and evenly distribute your body weight. This requires that the entire foot touches the surface during landing.
2. The position of the feet also plays an important role. To prevent the body from swaying from side to side, they must be placed strictly parallel to each other. Otherwise, the entire weight of the body will fall on the front of the foot.
3. It is necessary to choose the optimal step length - not too long, but not too short. A sense of convenience and comfort plays a role here.
4. The body must be kept straight and vertical. This will help protect the center of the spine from further destruction. While running, you can help yourself by waving your arms, keep your head straight, and try not to tilt down.

All these recommendations are given only for the first stage of osteochondrosis and only after consulting a doctor. In the second, third and fourth stages, running is strongly not recommended, so as not to worsen the patient’s condition and not provoke an exacerbation of the disease. Otherwise, running can lead to serious injuries and displacement of the vertebrae. While running, each step strains the tendons and muscles, the spine is stretched, and when landing it is compressed, putting a lot of pressure on the spine.

If, after everything you’ve read, you haven’t changed your mind about running, and are firmly convinced of the need for it, here are some tips.

Adviсe

• Jogging shoes should be chosen with soft, springy soles. The insole must be orthopedic.
• For running in nature, not a hard surface (asphalt, concrete) is more suitable, but a softer one - grass or just dirt. This will help reduce the load on the intervertebral discs.
• If jogging takes place in a gym or gym, it is better to do it on an electric treadmill rather than a mechanical one. The presence of an electric motor in it will significantly reduce the amount of effort of the runner.
• Immediately before running, you need to do a short warm-up, and the exercises themselves should be held in light mode.
• It is better to start your workout with walking and slowly move on to a leisurely run.
• It’s also better to finish your workout by walking, and then take a contrast shower.

As a result, we can say that the benefits of running with osteochondrosis are much less than the likelihood of harm.
If you have a great desire to lead a healthy lifestyle, doctors advise giving preference to more gentle activities. For example, swimming, yoga, Pilates, cycling, race walking. Author: K.M.N., Academician of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences M.A. Bobyr

What conclusions can be drawn?

Daily exercise becomes an excellent prevention of involvement of healthy spinal structures in the destructive-degenerative process. They also help eliminate neurological symptoms - surges in blood pressure, headaches, dizziness, and a feeling of shortness of breath.

But the type of sports training should be agreed upon with your doctor. Otherwise, after a temporary improvement in well-being, not only the condition of the spinal segments will deteriorate, but also the functioning of all vital systems.