Exercise therapy for thoracic osteochondrosis: basic exercises

Constantly disturbing back pain is one of the first symptoms of serious diseases of the musculoskeletal system, of which osteochondrosis is the most popular.

The disease affects the intervertebral discs, adjacent vertebral joints, and the ligaments of the spine

If for osteochondrosis of the cervical zone the most effective non-drug treatment is massage, then for lumbosacral osteochondrosis it is gymnastics. Exercises of a complex of therapeutic gymnastics are an integral part of therapy for getting rid of the disease without surgery.

Treatment of osteochondrosis is impossible without special exercises

Prices for massagers

Features of physical therapy for thoracic osteochondrosis

In order to do exercises at home, you do not need to purchase special expensive equipment. Improvement in well-being is already noted when a person begins to regularly perform exercises for half an hour a day. There are a lot of original programs and methods compiled by doctors, athletes and other people knowledgeable in this field.

Beneficial features

For osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine, exercise therapy is prescribed to combat the main manifestations of the disease. A person usually experiences severe pain and cannot fully move. Therapeutic exercise is aimed at:

Returning ease of movement to a person and eliminating stiffness in the spinal column.
Relaxation of muscles that are constantly under tension and elimination of pain associated with this phenomenon.
Strengthening the back muscles, due to which part of the load from the bone structures will be transferred to the muscles.
Improving blood supply to tissues.
Elimination of the lack of ventilation of the lungs, which accompanies osteochondrosis.

In addition, exercises are needed to prevent dystrophic and degenerative processes in the structures of the musculoskeletal system.

Rules for therapeutic exercises

To ensure that gymnastics for thoracic osteochondrosis at home does not cause a deterioration in well-being and brings the desired result, you need to pay attention to how correctly you perform the exercises. General recommendations are:

you cannot move sharply, every movement must be slow and smooth;
training should begin with a warm-up and end with stretching the muscles of the sternum, which will eliminate pain for a long time;
do not do excessive exercises, intensity and loads should increase slowly and as far as possible;
breathe slowly and deeply, taking care of proper ventilation of the lungs;
do not do anything through pain - it will only make you feel worse;
Be attentive to your feelings - nausea, headaches, dizziness and other unpleasant phenomena indicate that you have overexerted yourself and need to slow down.

If it is difficult for you to do the exercises that the doctor has selected, try doing them gradually, with less amplitude and tension, and rest more. Gradually you will be able to make your workout more intense.

How does exercise therapy help with osteochondrosis?

When, after diagnosing osteochondrosis, a patient is prescribed conservative treatment, the complex of therapeutic measures necessarily includes exercise therapy. Special health-improving exercises have been developed for any part of the spine, including the lumbosacral. They will give the best results if they are also classified according to the stage of the disease.

What health-improving gymnastics can do.

Reduce lumbar pain.
Relieve discomfort and tension in the back muscles.

Exercise helps relieve tension
Strengthen and train the muscular frame so that it provides the best support to the spine.
Provoke a rush of blood to the spinal column, increasing nutrition of its segments.

Blood circulation improves after exercise
Increase physical activity.
Increase the patient's immunity and general health.

Important! Thanks to exercise, the disease can slow down the progression or even disappear altogether, but it is important to understand that when performing a complex of exercise therapy, the patient does not set a goal for a sports result (100 push-ups per minute or overcoming a marathon distance). This is not a sport, and the most important thing here is to do the exercises regularly and correctly. Records are not needed, we need to overcome the disease.

Exercises will be effective only if performed systematically, at least three times a week

Any complex for osteochondrosis should be shown by a physical therapy instructor. Not only the exercises themselves are demonstrated, but also, most importantly, the technique for performing them. Moreover, one demonstration may not be enough. It is important to teach the patient to do everything without errors so that he can do it independently. When the stage of the disease changes, when the treatment is effective and the patient’s condition improves, other exercises or even a change in the entire complex may be needed. If the condition worsens and an exacerbation occurs, the patient will be transferred to a special complex for exacerbations.

A set of exercises should be recommended by a doctor after examinations.

Warm-up and preparation

Gymnastics for thoracic osteochondrosis at home must begin with a warm-up. It is very important, even if at first glance it seems that it is not so. The quality of your workout, as well as your well-being after it, depends on how responsibly you approach it. Without warming up, it is easy to get injured because the muscles are not ready for the load. So, to warm up, do the following exercises, standing and ten times:

Press your body against the wall, checking that your heels and the back of your head are in the desired position. Take two steps forward, keeping your torso in the same position.
Squeeze your shoulder blades together for five seconds and return them back.
Pull your shoulders forward, similar to what you did with your shoulder blades, for five seconds. Return to the starting position.
Raise and lower your shoulders up and down together.
Raise your shoulders one at a time.
With your palms on your shoulders, rotate your elbow joint in one direction and the other.

After this, you can move on to the training itself.

Exercises for the thoracic spine with osteochondrosis

Exercises for osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine can be different. There are several options for performing it - standing, lying down or sitting on a chair. Each complex is useful in its own way, and often they are used all together. First, a person exercises while standing, then in a lying position, and then in a sitting position.

Complex from a standing position

To begin the exercises, stand straight and place your feet shoulder-width apart. After that:

with your hands on your waist, bend down, simultaneously stretching your left elbow to your right leg, and your right to your left;
extend your arms, close them and turn first to the left and then to the right;
wrap a long towel around your chest, take the ends of it in your hands, inhale deeply and, exhaling slowly, begin to tighten the towel on your chest, but do not overdo it;
with your hands behind your head, lean left and right;
lean down forward, but do not try to immediately reach the floor, it may hurt;
after bending, straighten up and stand on your toes, raising your arms up.

This completes the set of standing exercises, and you can move on to the next stage.

Complex from a lying position

Exercise therapy for a diagnosis of thoracic osteochondrosis from a lying position is best done on a special mat. It does not allow the body to slip and at the same time is soft and elastic enough to make training comfortable. You will need:

place a small cushion on your back, then slowly lift the body and then smoothly lower it;
lying down, bring your shoulder blades together without rising - only the chest can rise a little;
lying on your stomach, stretch your arms forward and hold them in this position while slightly lifting your body;
lying on your back, do the same with your legs - lift and hold them, while simultaneously trying to lift your lower back.

After this, you can begin the exercises while sitting.

Complex from a sitting position

Very useful for thoracic osteochondrosis is gymnastics, which is done while sitting. It is the final stage and is performed like this:

press yourself against the back of the chair, your arms should be down, then, inhaling, put your hands behind your back and bend forward, and as you exhale, bend forward;
turning right and left, trying to reach the back of the chair with your hands.

From the very beginning, it is not recommended to do all the exercises at once, in full force and with a wide amplitude. You need to do exercises as much as possible so as not to harm yourself. The most important thing in this matter is regularity and a responsible approach.

Exercise therapy complex for spinal osteochondrosis

The exercise therapy complex for osteochondrosis includes exercises aimed at general physical development, special corrective and breathing exercises, as well as muscle relaxation exercises. It is recommended to exercise daily, preferably in the morning. Most exercises should be performed in a position that eliminates axial load on the spine. The “starting position lying down” or in the “kneeling position” allows you to relieve tension and, to a certain extent, relax the muscles that hold the spinal column in an upright position.

Therapeutic exercises for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine

The neck muscles hold and rotate the head to the sides. The spinal cord passes through the spinal canal, and elements of the peripheral nervous system and paravertebral vessels pass through the surrounding soft tissues. Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine has a negative impact on the human condition. However, physical exercise can prevent the development of degenerative-dystrophic changes in the cervical spine.

It is recommended to include exercises in your morning exercises and repeat them throughout the working day. You can perform physical therapy exercises both in a sitting and standing position. It is not recommended to make circular and rotational movements with your head. This can lead to an aggravation of the process.

I.p. Place your palm on your forehead, press your palm against your forehead and tense your neck muscles. Perform the exercise 3 times for 7 seconds. Then press the back of your head onto your palm 3 times for 7 seconds.
I.p. Bring your palm to your temple, straining your neck muscles, press your left temple onto your left palm (3 times for 7 seconds), and then press your right temple into your right palm (3 times for 7 seconds).
I. p. Keep your head and shoulders straight. Slowly turn your head as far to the right as possible (5 times). Move to the left the same number of times.

Recommendations and exercises for exercise therapy for the thoracic spine

While walking and sitting at the table, try to keep your back straight and your shoulders back. Regular exercise therapy ensures normal mobility in all segments of the thoracic spine, promotes the development and maintenance of the tone of the back and abdominal muscles.

I.p. – stand straight, arms down, feet together. Bend back, stretch your arms up and take a deep breath. Then lower your arms, lean forward, slightly rounding your back, lower your shoulders and head - exhale. Repeat 8 – 10 times.
I.p. - sitting on a chair. Place your hands behind your head, bend back as much as possible - inhale, return to the starting position - exhale. 3 – 5 times,
I.p. – get on all fours. Bend your back as much as possible and hold for 2 - 3 seconds in this position (bending, do with caution). Keep your head straight. Return to i.p. and do the same exercise again 5 – 7 times.
I.p. – lie on your stomach and place your hands on the floor. Bend back as much as possible, trying to lift your body off the floor. 3-5 times.
I.p. – lying on your stomach, arms along your body. Bend your thoracic spine, trying to lift your head and legs up as much as possible. 3-5 times.

Since these exercises train the thoracic spine, they should be repeated during short breaks from work. A set of exercises can be included in morning exercises. It is very important to perform a preventive set of exercises daily, this will allow you to avoid the development of osteochondrosis.

Exercise therapy complex for osteochondrosis for the lumbar spine

The proposed set of exercise therapy exercises serves as an excellent prevention of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine. Include it in your morning exercises and try to do it daily. This complex will not take much time and will help keep your spine flexible and mobile for a long time.

Exercise to stretch the spine. Hanging or half-hanging for a minute on the bar
I.p. – standing, hands on hips. Tilts forward, backward, right, left. Repeat 5-10 times in each direction (bend backwards with caution).
I.p. – standing, hands on hips. Movement of the pelvis forward and backward. Repeat 5-10 times in each direction.
I.p. - kneeling, straight arms on the floor. Fold like a pocketknife, then return to the starting position. Repeat 10 – 15 times.
I.p. - kneeling, straight arms on the floor. Bend your back up as much as possible, return to standing position. Repeat 5 – 10 times.
I.p. - lying on your back. Bring your knees bent to your chest. Repeat 5-10 times.

Therapeutic massage for osteochondrosis

Medical massage is an effective means of preventing the development and exacerbation of osteochondrosis, aimed at improving metabolic processes in muscles, ligaments, and intervertebral discs, relieving muscle tension and reducing pain. The duration of the session varies from 20 to 60 minutes depending on the severity of the pathology.

Conclusion

Regular and systematic implementation of exercise therapy complexes brings a positive effect!

Note:

To clarify the diagnosis, consult your doctor before performing exercises.
Exercises are performed at a slow pace.
Avoid sudden, twisting movements.
The amplitude, frequency and intensity are selected strictly individually (there should be no pain when performing the exercises).

Contraindications

Sometimes exercises in the treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region are contraindicated, since they can only harm the patient, but not make it better. The decision regarding the use of exercise therapy should remain with the doctor.

During an exacerbation of the disease

The acute phase of osteochondrosis is accompanied by severe pain, which in itself excludes the possibility of performing exercises. You can’t do them through force and pain, since you can injure tense and inflamed structures in the thoracic region.

In the early postoperative period

If the treatment of osteochondrosis included surgery, immediately after surgery and for some time thereafter, back loading is contraindicated. This will allow the tissues to heal properly and also ensure the integrity of the seams.

For high blood pressure

Exercise therapy in the treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region will not bring the desired result if a person has high blood pressure. High blood pressure causes increased stress on all organs, and exercise can cause a sharp deterioration in well-being. If pressure surges are caused by osteochondrosis, you need to use medications that will correct the situation, and only then start training.