Exercises for the back, spine and muscle strengthening: indications, set of exercises

One of the effective ways to treat and prevent diffuse degenerative pathologies is physical exercise for the back and spine. Regular exercise therapy (physical therapy) can replace medication, physiotherapeutic procedures and surgery.

Daily morning exercises for the back help strengthen the muscle corset, increase blood microcirculation and muscle tone. All exercises should be selected individually, based on existing pathologies and structural features of the musculoskeletal system.

The benefits of morning exercises

Morning exercise is one of the least favorite procedures for every person, but few people know what benefits it represents. It is in the morning that a person prepares his body for further work, and physical activity only helps this. Even minor exercise affects the production of joy hormones.

In addition to improving your well-being, physical activity has the following benefits:

awakening of the whole body and brain;
improvement of metabolic processes and blood flow to the extremities;
development of flexibility;
instilling in a person organization and discipline;
lifting your mood if the exercises are performed to your favorite music;
increasing the body's defenses;
strengthening the muscle corset.

It is morning exercise that energizes the body for the whole day and helps a person overcome further events more positively. At night, physical activity helps relax muscle tissue, relieve fatigue and tension from the spine.

The main condition for preventive and therapeutic exercise is regularity. It is best to carry out procedures every day for 10-15 minutes, rather than several days a week for an hour. This will help the body quickly get used to the load and adapt to the new pace of life.

Regular exercise is beneficial for both young children and older people

Tibetan gymnastics

These are universal exercises recommended for various back diseases. They bring great benefits to the entire body, as they are aimed at improving and strengthening it. Stretching allows you to return the vertebrae to the correct position and increase muscle elasticity. The complex consists of the following approaches:

Rotational movements of the body. The arms are raised to shoulder level, the back is stretched. While moving the body, you need to breathe slowly.
You need to lie on the floor, press your palms to the floor, and bring your fingers together. As you inhale, the head rises and tries to reach the chin to the chest, the legs with their toes drawn are raised vertically to the floor. This involves the erector spinae muscle. After a delay of 10 seconds, return to the starting position.
Sit on your knees, thighs to the floor at a right angle, hands clasping your legs under your buttocks so that something like a niche is formed between your hands in the spine area. At the exit, the chin reaches towards the chest. Everything needs to be done slowly without sudden movements.

Tibetan gymnastic exercises are often included in a single complex of treatment of diseases. In just 15 minutes they stretch the spine, improve blood circulation in the back, and strengthen joints. It is important for the performer to monitor breathing during the process, pay attention to internal sensations, divide the complex into two approaches, and schedule it for the morning and evening. During treatment, it is important to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Basic Rules

During any physical activity to strengthen the muscles of the back and neck, you must adhere to certain rules that will help avoid sprains, injuries and dislocations. Without taking them into account, gymnastics can harm the patient and aggravate the situation.

Before starting training, a person must understand that therapeutic exercises do not train the body’s endurance and do not carry increased strength loads. Therefore, a person cannot lose weight or correct his figure. Gymnastics has a purely therapeutic and restorative effect.

During execution, you must adhere to the following rules:

Regularity. Systematic exercise will have a beneficial effect on muscle tone and overall well-being of a person. While rare activities destabilize the body.
Variety of exercises. The training should combine both strength and stretching exercises on the limbs, lumbar, cervical and thoracic regions. By using all parts of the spine, the patient will be able to achieve positive results.
Location. Charging can be started right in bed if it is difficult for a person to get up and immediately start doing it.
All movements should be slow. Sudden movements can provoke dislocation or straining of muscles, so a person should perform the following exercises slowly, evenly distributing the load.
If you experience any unpleasant sensations (pain, discomfort, burning), you should stop doing it. You can return to exercise once the pain has resolved.
Eating. After class, 30 minutes must pass before you can start eating.
Before the procedures, it is recommended to ventilate the room in which the person is practicing. Fresh air during training saturates tissues with oxygen and promotes proper breathing.

After gymnastics, you can take a contrast shower. This will help increase blood circulation and give you a burst of energy for the whole day.

For lazy and sleepy people, the beginning of the entire complex begins in bed. Smooth and slow movements will warm up the body well before further complex

Why is it important to strengthen your back?

The back muscles consist of two muscle groups:

Wide . They are tied at the bottom of the spine, higher diagonally they cover the entire back. At the top, the athletic back looks like wings; the silhouette of a person with developed muscles resembles a triangle with the top down. The lower part of the muscle encircles the waist.
Trapezoidal . They encircle the base of the skull, then hold the neck and move the shoulders.

Back muscles

Muscles and ligaments are fixed to the segments of the spine and are responsible for bends and inclinations. But their main task is to relieve stress from the spinal discs and maintain the body in a physiologically correct position.

Side and front view of the lumbar spine

If the back muscles are very weak, then certain parts of the spine bend unnaturally, the intervertebral discs are strongly pressed against each other, become thin and lose elasticity. As a result, the joints are not lubricated, and due to increased friction, accelerated wear occurs. The bones begin to irritate the nerve endings, and this leads to back pain of varying intensity and duration. Warm-up and training of the spinal muscles prevents degenerative changes in tissues and significantly improves the quality of life for many years. Regular exercises make it possible in many cases to completely restore the normal condition of the back.

Back exercises

If the back is weak, then this significantly complicates the course of acquired spinal pathology. A sedentary lifestyle, a critical lack of physical activity, and excess weight are a big problem for modern people. Warming up for the back is one of the means to eliminate or prevent unpleasant sensations.

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Indications for exercises

The main indications for exercises for the joints and spine are diffuse degenerative diseases, postoperative conditions and preventive measures. The main indications for exercise therapy include the following pathologies:

Exercises for the spine according to Norbekov

Osteochondrosis is a disease that occurs against the background of impaired metabolism in cartilage tissue. Most often, osteochondrosis manifests itself in the lumbar and cervical region.
Intervertebral hernia and protrusion - protrusion of intervertebral discs occurs as a result of impaired metabolism, high pressure on the vertebrae or their displacement. As a result of cartilage tissue protruding beyond the vertebrae, the nerve roots of the spinal cord are pinched.
Curvature of the spinal column (scoliosis, lordosis, kyphosis) is a pathological condition that is characterized by a violation of the natural curves of the spine and displacement of the vertebrae. Depending on the angle of displacement, several stages of pathogenesis are distinguished. With regular exercise you can completely get rid of the pathology.
Inflammatory diseases of muscle tissue are a complex of diseases that cause severe pain, spasms and muscle swelling. Properly selected exercise therapy will reduce muscle tone and relieve inflammation.
Arthritis and its varieties - pathology affects the joints and causes inflammatory processes. A person experiences constant pain that increases with movement, swelling of the extremities, and hyperemia of the skin. General strengthening gymnastics will help you get rid of both the symptoms of the pathology and the underlying cause.
Postoperative period and rehabilitation. After surgery on the spinal column, the patient needs to strengthen weakened muscles and speed up the process of regeneration of damaged structures. Stretching exercises and muscle development are suitable for this.

A set of exercises is also actively used as preventive measures. Elderly people, young children and adults leading a sedentary lifestyle should engage in physical activities to prevent spinal column deformities. Diseases such as osteochondrosis slowly affect cartilage tissue, which is why the first symptoms appear only after some time. In order to detect pathology in a timely manner, it is necessary to regularly conduct diagnostics of the whole organism.

The benefits of gymnastics for back health

Physical therapy for the spine is prescribed for people suffering from pinched nerves, scoliosis, incorrect posture, and joint pain, as it has a general strengthening effect and eliminates discomfort. There are many well-known techniques that, when performed regularly, restore health and well-being. A suitable set of exercises is selected together with a specialist to eliminate the possibility of harm to the body.

The main benefits of exercise therapy for the back are as follows:

strengthening and training the muscular frame;
improving the condition of intervertebral discs (especially with a hernia), ligaments and cartilage tissue;
reduction of pain symptoms;
prevention of the development of pathologies;
normalization of the spine structure:
leveling pressure on the discs between the vertebrae;
improved blood flow;
prevention of osteoporosis development;
reduction of rehabilitation time;
strengthening metabolism and metabolic processes in the body;
strengthening muscles and tendons.

Exercise therapy for the back can be performed at any time of the day, but to achieve greater results, it is better to schedule a workout in the morning. The complex should not be complicated and begin with exercises that warm up the muscles of the back and limbs. In addition to improving the health of the spine, physical education helps relieve general tension, improve mood, increase attention, performance and resistance to stress.

The complex is selected by a specialist based on the general health of the patient, as well as taking into account the sports form.

Physical therapy is beneficial at any age

Set of exercises

The following set of exercises will help the body wake up and get a surge of energy in the morning:

Exercise name	Execution method
"Cat"	In the “on all fours” position, a person kneels and rests on his palms. As you exhale, your back rises as high as possible and your head lowers. As you inhale, the body bends and the head rises up. After which the starting position is assumed.
"Downward Facing Dog"	From the “on all fours” position, the person raises his buttocks and straightens his legs while inhaling. The soles of your feet should be flat on the floor. A person remains in this position for 1-2 minutes.
"Upward Facing Dog"	From the “Downward Facing Dog” position, you need to smoothly move to the “Upward Facing Dog” position. In the final position, the back should arch and the upper body should point upward. The head is thrown back. The duration of the exercise is 1-2 minutes.
"Crocodile"	Lying on the floor, your arms should be placed at your sides. Palms facing up. After the starting position, the person should slowly perform spiral twists in one direction, then in the other direction.
"Boat"	Lying on your stomach, close your legs and place your hands in front of you. As you exhale, the body, arms and legs rise from the floor, and the back bends. After a few seconds the person returns to the starting position.
"Bridge"	Lying on your back, you need to bend your hands under you and bend your knees. As you exhale, the body rises up, legs and arms straighten. If pain occurs, you should lower your body a little lower. It is not recommended to hold your breath while on the bridge.
"Child's Pose"	The buttocks are located on the heels, the person should sit on his knees. Then, as you exhale, bend forward and place your body on your knees, stretching your arms. The head should be lowered as far as possible.

There is a whole set of exercises called “Crocodile”. It consists of 12 steps, sequentially performing which you can work your back muscles. The Crocodile exercise allows you to stretch the muscles of the lumbar region well.

Starting your workout

If you want to learn in more detail how to warm up for the back, and also consider practical tips, you can read an article about this on our portal.

To avoid serious injuries, all exercises for the spine and back are recommended to be performed under the supervision of a specialist. As a last resort, such control is needed only for the first time, and then gymnastics can be done at home. As a rule, therapeutic exercises activate only the rhomboids and latissimus dorsi muscles, but this is enough, because only these two muscles are responsible for supporting the body in an upright position.

Warm-up

All exercises, regardless of the area being trained or level of preparation, should begin with a warm-up. Only if the muscles are well warmed up can injuries be avoided. To do this, it is enough to allocate 5-10 minutes of time. Starting position for warming up: stand straight, place your feet shoulder-width apart.

A set of stretching exercises

Each warm-up element must be performed at least 5 times:

standing straight, alternately bend forward, backward, right and left. All movements must be smooth;
rotate your shoulders first forward, and then change direction;
Raise your shoulders up as much as possible and, fixing them at the top point for 1-2 seconds, slowly lower them;
straighten your right arm in front of you, and your left arm behind you. Swing your arms back and forth;
place your hands on your waist and rotate your hips, first clockwise and then counterclockwise;
keeping your legs straight, lean forward and try to touch the surface of the floor with your fingers;

If bending forward with your legs straight leads to pain under one of your sit bones, you may have injured the tendon.
Raise your hands and take a deep breath. Then slowly lower your arms while exhaling.

It is advisable to repeat the entire warm-up complex again in order to properly warm up the muscles. Many experts recommend performing the “running in place” exercise during warm-up. Only after this can you begin the main training.

Running in place

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Set of exercises

For therapeutic exercises, you will need a foam mattress used during yoga classes or a soft carpet. As with the warm-up, it is recommended to perform these exercises at least 5 times. Training duration is 20-30 minutes. This is enough to fully work out all the muscle groups of the back. Below are step-by-step instructions, following which you can strengthen your back muscles and spine.

Table. Therapeutic exercises for the back at home.

Quick workout at work

At the workplace, a person should take special care of his posture. A large percentage of office workers, programmers and people whose work involves sitting suffer from spinal curvature and degenerative diseases. However, few people pay attention to their health, so visits to the doctor are observed only in cases where the pain becomes unbearable.

The patient begins to think about the treatment of the pathology and how to eliminate unpleasant symptoms and prevent further progression of the pathology. To do this, you can use a small set of exercises that any worker can perform right at his desk:

Shoulder rotation. Sitting on a chair and straightening your back, you need to place your arms bent at the elbows on your shoulder joints and begin circular movements forward. After 10 laps forward, you should change direction.
Back twisting. Arms bent at the elbows are crossed behind the head, elbows are widely spaced and pulled back. The body turns to the left, then to the right. Number of repetitions – 5-10 times.
Bend back. Sitting on a chair, you need to put your hands on your knees and bend at the lower back. The back should be arched so that the chin points to the ceiling. You need to bend down as low as possible.
Bend forward. In a sitting position, you need to lean forward with your knees bent, holding your shins with your hands. Number of repetitions – 5-10 times.
Lateral bends. The employee must sit on the edge of the chair and place his hands, bent at the elbows, behind his head. After this, you need to tilt your torso in one direction, then in the other.

During execution, the back should be straight and the torso should not lean back. For the back muscles, such warm-ups are necessary to maintain a healthy and flexible body.

Exercises for osteochondrosis

Physical exercise perfectly helps prevent the development of pathological processes in the spine, protect discs, muscle frame and joints from age-related destruction. Charging consists of several simple approaches:

Slowly tilt the neck in different directions in a circle. During the process, the muscles tense minimally; when turning, the head is held in a lowered position for several seconds.
Feet shoulder-width apart, back slowly leaning forward, chin reaching towards the stomach. The shoulders pull each other, the shoulder blades gradually move together, the body takes a straight position. You need to do 10 repetitions.
Hands on the belt, feet shoulder-width apart, back straight. Bend forward slowly, as long as the stretch is enough, after which you need to return to the starting position.

Regular implementation of such simple approaches will strengthen your back, slow down destructive processes in the vertebrae and increase the effectiveness of prescribed therapy. During the acute phase, physical exercise should be completely abandoned.

Eastern medicine offers useful techniques for restoring health

How to choose exercise therapy for the spine?

Wondering what exercises can be used to restore health to the back and restore normal functioning of the spine, patients consider different complexes. Many scientists offer their methods, for example, the newfangled “Beloyar” technique, which was founded by a specialist in ancient Slavic massage, Norbekov’s exercises to improve the condition by stretching the spine, yoga with many options for healing techniques, and others, are popular.

The choice of exercise therapy is made together with the attending physician; the following factors are taken into account:

General level of physical fitness. If a person is actively involved in sports, then the exercises may be more difficult; for people leading a passive lifestyle, they are simpler and gentler.
Stage of the disease. During exacerbations of pain due to an intervertebral hernia, it is not at all possible to engage in physical therapy. A gentle regime should be used during the rehabilitation period, and a more comprehensive approach for preventive measures.
Patient's age. Some elderly patients cannot do anything more complicated than exercises to maintain their health; for younger and more resilient people, in addition to the main complex, additional exercises in the pool may be recommended.

With the help of a properly selected complex, the doctor can achieve accelerated growth of healthy tissue in the back area, straighten the vertebrae, strengthen the muscular frame that supports the spine, and also accelerate blood circulation (especially useful for the development of a hernia).

Exercise therapy for the spine comes in many different types: qigong, Tibetan, Chinese, classical. It is intended for prevention, rehabilitation, and treatment of a person after injuries and pathologies. It consists of simple exercises that do not cause discomfort, but when performed regularly can restore health and well-being.