Bonina A. “Joint gymnastics 60+”: exercises of the author’s course for older people, reviews

Alexandra Bonina: thoracic osteochondrosis and its elimination

One of the types of physical therapy is a set of exercises developed by Alexandra Bonina. Alexandra Bonina is a physical therapy and sports medicine doctor who has created a course of simple exercises to restore the spine. The exercises are simple and effective, help eliminate osteochondrosis, and also prevent it. Alexandra Bonina claims that after completing the course, disorders in the joints and cartilage of the spine decrease, pain and muscle spasms disappear. Alexandra Bonina’s video course for the treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis can be ordered on the Internet or you can find a video with its fragments. However, to obtain a truly high-quality result, a course of physical therapy must be completed under the supervision of a specialist. Any too strong careless movements can only aggravate the situation, and incorrectly selected exercises will either not give results or will worsen the condition.

A little about the author

Alexandra Bonina is a doctor in physical therapy and sports medicine, a fitness trainer, and the author of methods for improving the health of the spine and joint gymnastics. Alexandra maintains her blog on the Internet, and you can communicate with her directly on VKontakte or by email. The course “Joint gymnastics 60+” has been developed especially for people of retirement age.

Physiotherapy for osteochondrosis

Physiotherapy, like drug therapy, is an integral part of the treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis. Physiotherapy will include:

magnetic therapy;
laser therapy;
electrophoresis;
massage;
manual therapy;
reflexology;
physical therapy.

Exposure of the affected area to heat, electrical and magnetic radiation helps to improve nutrition of the affected area. In the thoracic spine, where the sensor of the corresponding physiotherapeutic device is installed, the blood supply is normalized and the muscles relax.

Massage and manual therapy also help to increase blood and lymph flow in the back and help put deformed vertebrae in place.

Therapeutic exercise normalizes the functioning of the spine and restores motor functions. To treat osteochondrosis of the thoracic region, elements of gymnastics are used, which have a positive effect not only on the chest area, but also on the entire body.

Alexandra Bonina - short biography:

After graduating from the medical institute, Alexandra Bonina completed 2 years of residency in her specialty and an internship at the center for restorative medicine. At the same time, she studied to become a personal fitness trainer. Now she works as a personal trainer and sports doctor at a fitness club. She is sure that our whole life and our health are only in our hands. Therefore, he adheres to the principle that every person should clearly understand his condition and know how to deal with it. First of all, do it yourself, and then seek outside help.

Alexandra Bonina has studied a large amount of information on the treatment of osteochondrosis. It would seem that such a common problem, but, surprisingly, few people clearly understand what it is. As it turned out, there is a lot of literature on the topic of osteochondrosis, but all these manuals and textbooks have one common mistake. They are written in overly complex language using a large number of medical terms. They contain a lot of unnecessary information. Which is not systematized and does not respond to the specific needs of a person who is in no way related to medicine.

Cervical osteochondrosis must be treated in any case, and the sooner the better. Especially if you have not yet experienced complications. Perhaps you have your own ideas about life without cervical osteochondrosis. Great, the most important thing is that you have them! The only thing that needs to be done is to get cured.

about the author

Before creating the unique project “No Osteochondrosis,” Alexandra Bonina received the appropriate education and completed an internship at the best health centers in the country. In addition to her medical school diploma, Alexandra also has a certificate as a professional fitness trainer.

In the programs, the author provides proven techniques that have been used in exercise therapy for a long time, and supplements them with his own complexes. All exercises are carefully analyzed, the methodology for performing them is explained clearly and in detail, and the main mistakes that beginners make are discussed. This is precisely the uniqueness of Alexandra Bonina’s technique.

The complexes proposed by the author are clearly structured. A person can choose the necessary recovery program for a specific area of the back (cervical, thoracic or lumbar). There is no need to attend classes in person - the program is aimed at distance learning through relevant videos, answers to common questions, excerpts from seminars, and so on.

Indications for the use of Alexandra Bonina’s gymnastics are as follows:

hypertension, vegetative-vascular dystonia;
weather dependence;
deterioration of vision and hearing;
poor memory;
morning fatigue;
increased sweating;
panic attacks and other neurotic manifestations;
difficulty moving, stiff neck and shoulders;
shortness of breath and arrhythmia.

Free materials on the fight against osteochondrosis

Before purchasing a full training course, Alexandra Bonina offers to download several videos for free. In particular, mini-sets of exercises are available on the Youtube service for:

cervical region;
lower back;
backs;
thoracic region.

Alexandra Bonina also posts videos with exercises and daily tips on Instagram. Therefore, even those who still doubt whether to pay for information materials or not can begin the fight against osteochondrosis.

So, for those who are familiar with the problem of back pain first-hand, it is recommended to subscribe to Bonina’s Youtube channel, join the free group “No Osteochondrosis” on VKontakte, and also study the information from the free newsletter. Over time, it will be possible to pay for individual consultations, or join a closed club. Unlike conservative treatment methods, Alexandra Bonina suggests getting rid of osteochondrosis with the help of exercise therapy without side effects and complications.

How else can you improve joint mobility in old age?

If your joints hurt so much that they prevent you from moving, then one video course will not be enough. It is necessary to contact a rheumatologist for the selection of medications. Some physiotherapeutic procedures may also be prescribed to relieve pain:

mud applications;
massages;
hydrotherapy;
electrophoresis.

It is also very important to purchase comfortable shoes. Walking in old shoes with worn out soles slowly but surely worsens the condition of your joints. If there is no financial opportunity to purchase a new pair, then it is recommended to at least buy special orthopedic insoles.

The advantage of the “Joint Gymnastics 60+” course is that it can be taken in parallel with taking medications and physiotherapy.

Who is A. Bonina’s gymnastics intended for, indications for training

Joint gymnastics by A. Bonina is designed for people of all age groups who have chronic diseases of the upper and lower extremities, as well as those who want to maintain the health of their body. According to this physiotherapeutic method, all exercises are performed over a continuous course.

Gymnastics from A. Bonina is indicated for performance by men and women under the following circumstances:

maintaining a sedentary lifestyle;
staying on your feet for a long time;
the need for the prevention of age-related changes in the structure of the joints of the upper and lower extremities (in this case, gymnastics by A. Bonina is prescribed to people over 40 years old);
warming up bone and connective tissue before heavy sports activities and physical labor;
prevention of exacerbation of chronic joint diseases;
restoration of the body in the postpartum period.

Indications for training should be determined by a traumatologist after a preliminary examination of the patient’s musculoskeletal system. Consultation with a specialist is a prerequisite for completing a course of therapeutic exercises from A. Bonina, since during the diagnostic process contraindications to intense loads on the joints of the legs and arms may be discovered.

Physical training of the treatment course

Physical training of the treatment course is carried out according to a similar principle as in the case of the use of course gymnastics exercises from A. Bonina.

During exacerbation

During the period of exacerbation of chronic osteochondrosis, it is allowed to perform all physical exercises, which are reflected in the treatment and preventive courses of Alexandra Bonina.

This gymnastics is a universal physiotherapeutic tool that allows you to maintain the health of joints and connective tissue during a period of stable remission, as well as during sudden exacerbations.

The only peculiarity of using physical exercises according to A. Bonina’s program is that during the progression of a chronic disease, longer and more high-quality muscle warm-up is required.

After completing the warm-up of the upper and lower extremities, it is allowed to perform all the exercises that are included in a particular gymnastics course. People suffering from exacerbation of cervical or thoracic osteochondrosis can use the morning and evening exercise program as guidelines for preliminary warm-up.

Then you can move on to basic exercises. During the period of exacerbation, it is advisable to reduce the number of repetitions and approaches in order to provide the diseased spine or certain joints with a gentle load regime.

Isometric exercise

Isometric physical activity involves the creation of artificial resistance, which is implemented at the time of performing physical exercise for a specific muscle group. For example, while strengthening the cervical spine.

In this case, you need to place your palms, clasped together, on the surface of the frontal lobe of your head. To develop the muscular corset, the neck and head are tilted forward, but this creates additional physical stress due to the influence of the mass of the upper limbs.

Achieved:

the effect of complex training of the muscles of the front of the neck;
tissues located in close proximity to the vertebrae are strengthened.

Creating an isometric load is possible for each segment of the cervical spine. To ensure balanced development of this part of the musculoskeletal system, it is recommended to alternately tilt the head back, to the right and left sides.

In each case, an isometric load is created using the palms of the upper limbs. The main advantage of this type of training is that you can independently regulate the degree of muscle resistance, and the risk of injury to the spine or joints is minimized.

In remission

During the period of stable remission, it is recommended to perform daily preventive morning and evening exercises, which are aimed at maintaining the health of the whole body. In order not to provoke another exacerbation of osteochondrosis or inflammatory diseases of the joints of the upper and lower extremities, long and exhausting training should be avoided.

The load on the musculoskeletal system should be moderate so that after training there is a pleasant feeling of fatigue or relaxation. If gymnastics is performed in the morning before work, then a quick warm-up of all joints is sufficient, the duration of which is 10-15 minutes.

Contraindications to classes

Bonina (joint gymnastics “top and bottom” involves working out all elements of the musculoskeletal system) created a set of physical exercises, the correct implementation of which can prevent the development of arthrosis.

At the same time, these workouts are contraindicated for people who suffer from the following diseases and pathological conditions of the body:

acute inflammatory diseases of the joints;
exhaustion of the body;
severely weakened immune system;
the presence of acute infectious diseases, regardless of the location of the outbreak of pathogenic microorganisms;
oncology;
dysfunctional thyroid disorders;
hypertonic disease; all types of severe joint pathologies that exclude physical activity.

Therapeutic gymnastics by A. Bonina involves intensive warm-up of all joints of the upper and lower extremities. People who have serious diseases of the heart and blood vessels need to undergo additional examination by a cardiologist.

Who is recommended to participate in the program “Joint gymnastics 60+”

Alexandra Bonina’s original articular gymnastics is used for the treatment and prevention of age-related pathologies in the joints. Classes “according to Bonina” improve:

joint flexibility and production of intra-articular lubrication;
coordination of movements, helping to feel more confident and stop being afraid of accidental falls and other injuries.

Even if a person has not exercised for many years, walks with a cane, or is afraid to leave the house, regular exercise will give him the opportunity to move without pain and stiffness, perform everyday activities and endure minor physical activity. The workout takes fifteen minutes a day and does not require special conditions or equipment.

Benefits of neck exercises Bonina

The positive features of gymnastics are as follows:

Completing the course recommended by Bonina makes it possible to provide in-depth treatment of a specific area of the spine.
Exercises according to the method must be performed every day, but they will not require a lot of time - to achieve results, 20 minutes a day is enough. It is only important to follow all the recommendations given in the video.
The author of the gymnastics set the goal not only to explain to patients how to get rid of pain, but also to understand why osteochondrosis appears in the first place. This will help identify the cause of the disease and get rid of it, preventing the development of the disease in the future.
The exercises are designed so that they can be easily performed by anyone, regardless of their level of training, even those who are severely weakened by illness. In addition, the program does not involve the use of special simulators and devices - you can do them at any time and in any room.
There is very little information on the Internet about what exercises should be performed in acute osteochondrosis. Bonina gathered them into a separate group. This gymnastics is aimed at eliminating pain.

Reviews about the video course

After 60, I go to the dacha with my children less often - it has become difficult to bend over, but before I used to enjoy going to the forest with my grandchildren to pick mushrooms. My son suggested trying to do the exercises according to the program he saw on the Internet. I do it instead of charging. After a month, I felt better, and I was surprised: exercise helps better than medications!

Natalya, pensioner

I showed my father several exercises from the video course. Dad previously tried to work out his joints with physical therapy, but complained that not everything was clear and it didn’t work out. He says that it’s more convenient to practice with the trainer’s tips. I bought the course at a discount - I shared the link on social networks, and the complex cost me less.

Oleg, programmer

I am a physical therapist working with older people in a nursing home. Out of professional curiosity, I watched A. Bonina’s course, about which I had heard a lot. The exercises are really chosen so that even those people who find it difficult to climb to the second floor without shortness of breath can perform them. Now I use the complex in my work. My “oldies” are happy, feeling younger, and are happy to dig in the beds.

Prevention

A set of exercises according to Bonina is recommended not only for people suffering from cervical osteochondrosis, but also for those who are at risk for diseases of the spine and stress on it.

They will help not only to avoid the development of cervical osteochondrosis, but also to maintain healthy posture and maintain body tone. This complex includes a number of exercises, some of them are described below.

Exercise for a healthy neck

One of the popular exercises for preventing illness according to Bonina’s program is called the “Dove” exercise. To do this, you need to sit up straight, straighten your head, and lower your arms along your body. Then you need to slowly move your head forward and also return it back. The exercise is repeated 5-10 times.
Another similar exercise, “Dunno,” is performed in a sitting position. To do this, you need to straighten up, lower your arms along your body. Then you need to pull your shoulders up, trying to touch them to your ears, depicting a person who does not know the answer to the question. The exercise is performed 5-10 times.
The “Relax” exercise is aimed at relaxing the neck muscles after a long day of work. To do this, you need to sit up straight, clasp your hands and place them on the back of your head, thus supporting your head and easing its weight on your neck. You need to stay in this position for a few seconds. The exercise is repeated several times.

Reviews from Bonina's followers and independent doctors

“I suffered from neck pain for a long time. The doctors did not offer anything other than blockades. When I started looking for non-drug treatment methods, I came across a video from Bonina. I did the mini-complex every day and forgot about the problem!”

“I join the positive reviews about Alexandra Bonina! Like many others, I started working on myself after watching free videos and studying information from a free newsletter. Over time, I acquired the entire “Traffic Light” course and now I continue to improve my body.”

“As a practicing physiotherapist, I can say that Alexandra Bonina did a tremendous job of creating video exercise therapy lessons. More and more patients prefer to search for information on the Internet rather than go to the hospital. All the workouts I have seen are truly designed according to sports medicine theory. But still, you should not start classes without personal consultation.”

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Exercises for cervical osteochondrosis with a stick

Exercises with a stick are very popular. Check out this effective set of exercises:

Take the stick with your hands at both ends and lift it above your head. Begin to lower the stick down, while placing it behind the back of your head. At the same time turn your head left and right.
Raise the stick behind your back as much as possible, move your arms away from your body. Turn your head, while reaching your chin towards the stick.
Rotate the stick using your arms, crossing them. At the same time, you should feel tension between the shoulder blades.
Place the stick on the back of your neck. In this position, turn your head left and right.
After 2-3 such regular sessions, the condition will significantly improve, pain symptoms will decrease.

Mini exercise therapy complex for the neck

This section describes a small set of exercises for strengthening and healing the neck, which can be performed daily without special preparation. Their essence is very simple, and it will take no more than 10-15 minutes to complete, which can be found during the working day. When performing exercises, you must monitor your well-being, do not make sudden movements, and stop them if your condition worsens.

Gymnastics

A set of exercises for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis includes several stages. The described exercises are recommended to be performed every day, regardless of the stage of development of osteochondrosis and the location.

Warm-up

Warm-up is the first part of the complex, during which you need to perform the following exercises:

Circular movements of the shoulders. To do this, you need to place your hands on your shoulders and perform complex circular movements back and forth 10-15 times. When performing such an exercise, you need to listen to your body - pain should not occur.
Flexion and extension of the arms. To perform this exercise, you need to clench your hands into a fist and bring them to your shoulders. From this position, you need to extend your arms, bringing them to a position parallel to the floor, and bring them back to your shoulders. This movement must be performed 10-15 times, maintaining a measured rhythm.

Main part

This stage of the complex involves performing the following exercises:

First, you need to cross your hands into a lock and place them on your forehead, while simultaneously exerting resistance on it and tilting your head forward. When performing this movement, you can feel the tension in the neck muscles. After counting to 5, the muscles must be relaxed, and then repeat the exercise several times in a row.
This time, the crossed hands should be placed on the back of the head. At the same time, the neck muscles also tense, and the arms provide resistance to the head, which must be held in place. This exercise also needs to be repeated several times.

Hitch

This stage consists of the following exercises:

First you need to bring your shoulders together in front, hold them for a few seconds, then slowly move them to the sides and also bring them together at the shoulder blades.
The next exercise is to correctly distribute your breathing. To do this, you need to take a deep breath, spread your arms, then lower them and exhale.

Exercises with a chair

This part of the complex, which involves a chair, allows you to stretch and strengthen the muscles of the neck and upper spine:

You need to sit on a chair and place your legs parallel to one another. Then you need to bend and bend your body to your knees, leaving only your head and neck outside them, while your back is relaxed. You need to remain in this position for a few seconds, then slowly rise and exhale. This exercise is repeated several times.
The second exercise also begins in a sitting position, with the legs remaining parallel and the back relaxed. Inhaling slowly, you need to tilt your head to your chin as much as possible. After holding this position for a few seconds, you need to exhale and return to the starting position. The exercise is repeated 5 times.

How often and for how long should you exercise?

Bonina (joint gymnastics “up and down” includes exercises for the legs and arms) emphasizes that this therapeutic complex can be used for daily training. For example, warming up joints using this method is allowed to be done in the morning instead of exercise.

In this case, the duration of the warm-up is reduced to a minimum, and its main goal is to warm up the connective and bone tissue of the joint. At the same time, gymnastics for joints from A. Bonina can be used as an element of a general course of physiotherapeutic treatment.

In this situation, a gymnastics schedule is drawn up, which can also be performed daily, 2 or 3 times a week, depending on direct medical indications.

How effective is gymnastics for the spine and joints?

Bonina (articular gymnastics “top and bottom” trains all parts of the musculoskeletal system) created a direction of therapeutic and preventive gymnastics, the implementation of which allows you to achieve the following effect:

prevent the development of chronic diseases of the spine and joints;
relieve physical fatigue after a hard day at work;
improve local blood circulation in the area of the joint in relation to which physical exercise is performed;
speed up the process of rehabilitation of the musculoskeletal system after a previous injury or surgery;
activate metabolism;
eliminate aching and sharp pain in the joints and spine;
provide a quality warm-up for the whole body before sports competitions, intense training, or performing heavy physical labor.

Alexandra Bonina has developed a therapeutic and prophylactic course of gymnastics for joints and spine, which can be used daily as an alternative to morning exercises, or used 2-3 times a week.

This training method involves step-by-step training of the upper limbs, shoulder girdle, cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine with a gradual transition to the lower body.

Particular attention is paid to the health of the knee, shoulder, and hip joints. Gymnastics from A. Bonina allows you to prevent the development of osteochondrosis, as well as speed up the processes of restoration of the musculoskeletal system.

What else can you do to help your joints?

Severe pain and health problems can be relieved with medications prescribed by a specialist, as well as physical therapy:

massage;
electrophoresis;
mud baths and applications;
water treatment.

Joint exercises go well with medication and physiotherapeutic treatment.

Secrets of a healthy neck

Gymnastics by A. Bonina allows for effective prevention of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. This course includes a set of physical exercises.

Neck bends forward

To perform this gymnastic exercise, you need to take a vertical position with your feet shoulder-width apart. Then, on the count of “one,” the head and neck bend forward so that the chin touches the upper chest. On count 2, the body returns to its original position.

The number of these inclines that must be performed during one workout is determined individually, but in most cases 10 repetitions of 3 sets are sufficient.

Cervical spine traction

To perform this exercise of the gymnastic complex, you must follow the following algorithm of actions:

Straighten your shoulders.
On the count of “one”, lower your head down so that your chin touches your upper chest.
On the count of 2, slowly raise your head up while simultaneously stretching your neck forward until it reaches a vertical position.

This exercise prevents the deposition of salts in the cervical spine and effectively prevents herniated discs.

Strengthening the muscles of the neck and shoulder girdle

This physical exercise allows you to effectively strengthen the muscle corset that protects the cervical spine.

The implementation of this element of gymnastics looks like this:

On the count of “one”, raise your shoulders up as high as possible.
Maintain the shoulder girdle in a state of tension for 5 s.
After this, return your shoulders to their original position.

This exercise can be performed for 10-12 repetitions in 3 sets. This type of gymnastics is recommended to be performed at the beginning of training, as it requires a lot of physical strength.

Course Composition

The course for joints includes movements of varying complexity, developed on the basis of exercise therapy exercises - with elements of joint gymnastics and heart-friendly cardio exercises. The complex is safe to perform for people with limited physical mobility and cardiovascular problems.

Elements of joint gymnastics restore flexibility to the knees, elbows and lower back, and improve the condition of the spine. In addition to strengthening muscles and ligaments, the movements gently massage the joint tissue, stimulating the production of joint fluid - it becomes easier to move, pain and crunching go away.

Gentle cardio training makes the heart and blood vessels work more actively, stimulates blood circulation throughout the body, increases endurance and immunity.

Classes using the Bonina method involve muscles with an intensity acceptable for an elderly person and in the required sequence. The classes are combined into five complexes, each of nine exercises: for the upper and lower body, for target muscle groups.

Classes are structured by series:

on the back;
sitting - with and without support;
on dexterity and coordination of movements;
for the elasticity of muscle fibers and ligaments;
for large (hip, knee) and other joints of the legs.

Gymnastics will not replace the systemic treatment of arthritis, arthrosis and other pathologies, but will enhance the effect of medication and physiotherapeutic procedures. In the initial stage of the complex, it is enough to see changes for the better after a month of regular exercise.

Healthy spine in 2 weeks - Alexandra Bonina and her gymnastics