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.
What are the benefits of jumping rope for a healthy body?
Jumping rope exercises are of great value for maintaining health and physical activity. Regular exercise helps replace a lot of other sports equipment. Thanks to jumping, you can maintain the muscles of the whole body in working condition and normalize the functioning of internal organs.
It has been proven that training with a jump rope works effectively in different directions:
- Together with proper nutrition, they help reduce excess weight.
- Help strengthen the muscles of the upper and lower extremities, neck, back and abs.
- They train the cardiovascular system, increase its resistance to physical activity, and improve blood circulation.
- Helps improve gas exchange and increase lung capacity.
- Normalize metabolism and hormonal levels.
- Strengthen the immune system.
- They improve your mood.
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.
| Rules to follow during classes | Characteristics |
| Load dosing | Avoid movements that cause discomfort in the back area. |
| The need for breaks | It is necessary to stop training if you experience even mild back pain, as they often precede muscle spasm and pinching of the spinal roots. |
| Concentration | You need to listen to your feelings, often perform exercises that help eliminate stiffness and neurological disorders |
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.
Special complex
Each exercise is performed eight times. The beginning of the complex is a supine starting position, on your back, with your lower back pressed to the floor (if possible). It is necessary to wear clothes that do not restrict movement, the room should be warm, without drafts.
If you want to learn in more detail how to properly perform Shishonin gymnastics for cervical osteochondrosis, you can read an article about this on our portal.
Exercise 1
Lie down, straighten your body, stretch out as much as possible. Arms along, everything is relaxed, head touches the floor. Pull the socks alternately away from you and towards you (alternately). When one sock reaches the floor, the second one goes in the opposite direction. One count for two movements.
You can alternately pull both socks towards you at once, and then away from you
Exercise 2
Legs bend at the knees. In this case, you should try not to lift your foot off the floor, sliding along its surface first with the heel, then with the sole. Maximum flexion, with an attempt to reach the pelvic area with the heel, and full straightening. The execution is smooth, eight counts with each leg alternately.
First you need to bend your right leg and touch your buttock with your heel
Then repeat the same with your left foot
Exercise 3
Lift up, perpendicular to the position of the body, with straightened legs. This is done alternately for one and the other limb. In this case, the toe is pulled towards itself so that the foot, in turn, is perpendicular to the leg (parallel to the floor).
Alternate leg raises
Exercise 4
From the previous position, spread your legs wide apart, bend your knees, placing your feet firmly on the floor as close to your hips as possible. Raising one leg, touch your foot (preferably with your toe) to your knee and return to its previous position. Do the same with the other leg.
Initial position
Right leg flexion
Left leg bending
By the way. Cramps may occur while performing this exercise. This is not a reason to interrupt gymnastics. First, you can try touching your knee not with your toe, but with your heel. If the cramps do not stop, you can skip the exercise.
Exercise 5
From the same position, with legs bent and spread apart, turn the entire lower half of the body alternately to the left side and to the right. In this case, the knee of the opposite leg goes inward, and the one in which direction the stretch goes goes outward. Perform very gently, lingering at the lateral point of contact with the floor.
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 do the exercises correctly
Sports activities are useful only when everything is done according to the rules. Therefore, we will consider recommendations for performing various exercises for osteochondrosis.
Walking. This type of training will help in the treatment and prevention of osteochondrosis. You should start walking at a reduced pace, gradually increasing the load. While walking, the back should be straight, the neck continues the line of the spine, the arms are bent at the elbows and pressed to the body, the amplitude of their movement is small. You can practice walking on a special simulator under the supervision of a trainer who will help you choose the optimal mode, while you can monitor your heartbeat and pulse.
Run. For jogging, for the treatment and prevention of osteochondrosis, you should choose special shoes with shock-absorbing soles. You need to run only on special surfaces or rough terrain. Jogging on asphalt is contraindicated, since such a coating does not have shock-absorbing properties, which causes microtrauma to the back. Before running, you need to warm up your muscles. This can be done with a simple warm-up or stretching.
Nordic walking. This is a race walking technique with special trekking or ski poles. Training allows you to stretch the neck-shoulder area, normalize heart function, lose excess weight and generally strengthen the body. For training, you can take ski poles or special trekking ones, which have shock absorbers and are adjustable in height. The Nordic walking technique involves moving your foot from heel to toe as you take a step with your left foot, at which time your right arm, with the stick slightly pulled back, rises. It is important to alternate the movements of the arms and legs. The back should be straight, the eyes should look straight, the step should be slow and measured, and breathing should be calm. It is better to do Nordic walking outside for at least 40-50 minutes 3 times a week.
Training on the horizontal bar. Before playing sports on the bar, you need to warm up to warm up your muscles. It is useful to hang on a horizontal bar, which allows you to stretch the spine and free up space for the intervertebral discs. You need to grab the bar with your hands and hang with your arms outstretched, legs crossed. At the same time, you should not feel pain. You can also supplement hanging on the horizontal bar with leg raises or pull-ups.
Exercises in the gym. The danger of such training is that you can perform the exercises incorrectly without the supervision of a specialist, which only harms your back condition. Therefore, it is important to exercise under the supervision of a doctor or trainer. Exercises are performed during the period of remission, the load is increased gradually, training should be regular at least 3 times a week. If you feel pain, you should reduce the load or change the set of exercises.
Pilates. It is important to choose the right set of sports exercises, then the training will be beneficial. During Pilates classes, you need to monitor your breathing and balance, avoid overload or back pain. If you feel discomfort, you should slow down the pace.
Push ups. If you are using this type of exercise for the first time, you can start with push-ups from your knees and do more sets with fewer push-ups. Gradually, the interval between approaches should be reduced and the number of push-ups increased.
Sports during an exacerbation of osteochondrosis are also allowed, but it is important to follow some rules. It is better to exercise while lying on your back. At the same time, you should put the load on those departments that do not bother you with severe pain, this will help maintain the tone of the body, but at the same time avoid complications. Spinal traction exercises have a good effect during an exacerbation, but they should be done not in a hanging position on a horizontal bar, but lying down with minimal load.
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.
Inadmissible sports
With osteochondrosis, the shock-absorbing properties of the spine are reduced, which is important to consider when selecting exercises. Doctors recommend avoiding the following sports:
- power training;
- High jump;
- tennis, badminton.
These sports involve increased stress on the back, sudden bends and turns. All this is contraindicated in osteochondrosis, as it can lead to displacement of the vertebrae, destruction of intervertebral discs and pinching of adjacent tissues.
Playing sports, such as football or hockey, can also be dangerous with osteochondrosis, as they have a high risk of injury. Which is extremely undesirable for an already partially destroyed spine. Skiing is allowed only in special equipment and without a heavy backpack on your shoulders.
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.
Pool workouts
Swimming lessons are recommended for osteochondrosis and other types of spinal diseases. The fact is that contact with water relaxes, its supporting properties help relieve stress from the spine, the resistance of water will not allow you to make a sudden movement and injure your back. At the same time, water relieves stress, which can be a consequence of constant pain and discomfort in the back. A training program in the pool should be chosen with a doctor or trainer, taking into account the stage of the disease.