Exercises with a stick for the back and neck for osteochondrosis: the importance of exercise therapy, review of gymnastic complexes, prevention, possible complications, doctors’ opinions

Osteochondrosis is a degenerative-dystrophic lesion of the spine, characterized by compression of the intervertebral discs and their nuclei, resulting in deformation of the spine and impaired mobility. The disease is accompanied by pain, and in the absence of proper treatment, it significantly worsens the quality of life.

Osteochondrosis can develop in one or more parts of the spine. The type of disease that affects the cervical spine is called cervical osteochondrosis.

Description of the problem

The disease begins with dehydration of the nuclei of the intervertebral discs; as a result, the nuclei become flattened, the vertebrae move closer together, and the spinal column itself “settles.”
At the next stage of the disease, spondylolisthesis occurs - displacement of the cervical vertebrae, ligaments and muscles change their position. Neck mobility is limited and pain appears.
The third stage of cervical osteochondrosis is characterized by the appearance of intervertebral protrusions (hernias) and the occurrence of arthrosis.
At the fourth stage of cervical osteochondrosis, osteophytes appear - bone growths, with the help of which the body tries to compensate for the lost support function. The spine is practically immobilized.

The meaning of exercise therapy

Exercises with a stick are one of the effective methods of preventing and combating osteochondrosis. Exercise therapy is especially effective in the early stages of the disease. In order to prevent further damage to the spine, you need to perform the exercises prescribed by your doctor with a gymnastic stick regularly.

Therapeutic exercise helps both relax tense back and neck muscles and strengthen them. The spine takes a physiologically correct position, pain decreases, and posture improves. Thanks to exercises with a stick:

blood supply to the brain is normalized;
fatigue goes away;
one feels a surge of strength and energy.

Advantages of a set of exercises with a gymnastic stick

By correctly compiling a set of exercises and taking into account all the nuances of implementation, training using a gymnastic stick will bring enormous benefits. Among the obvious advantages it is worth noting:

Increased immunity - it is easier for the body to fight various diseases.
Normalization of posture. Effective elimination of spinal problems.
Restoring the full functioning of many organs and systems.
Normalization of blood circulation.
Improved muscle tone.

Note. If training with sticks is needed to combat spinal pathologies, then you must first visit your doctor. He will prescribe special medications that will help eliminate unpleasant pain. Only after this can you start training.

When can it be used?

The doctor prescribes exercise therapy for spinal osteochondrosis, taking into account the individual data about the patient’s disease. You can perform exercises only in the remission stage, that is, when there are no symptoms. Before starting, you need to measure your blood pressure and pulse, especially in elderly patients. If the indicators deviate from the norm, you should not engage in exercise therapy.

Indications

Exercise therapy is prescribed as therapy and for the prevention of disease in patients:

Suffering from osteochondrosis of the thoracic, lumbosacral and cervical spine.
Elderly people.
Those with spinal injuries.
Working at a computer.
People with weakness of muscles and ligaments.
Having flat feet.

Contraindications

You cannot engage in exercise therapy for certain diseases, so as not to cause deterioration of the patient’s condition and complications. Such diseases include:

Malignant tumors and metastases.
Hypertension.
Thrombosis.
Increase in ESR.
Heat.
Bronchopulmonary diseases.
Threat of bleeding (internal or external).

Some patients may exercise with limited exercise . These are people suffering from diseases such as:

Mental disorders.
Physical disability.
Lesions leading to deformation of bone tissue.
Aortic aneurysm.

Pregnant women can perform physical therapy exercises depending on the duration of pregnancy, the characteristics of its course and the patient’s well-being.

You cannot engage in physical therapy if there is a threat of miscarriage, placenta previa or fetal growth retardation. In case of polyhydramnios and severe toxicosis, you should also refrain from doing exercises.

General recommendations for implementation

You need to do physical therapy in a well-ventilated area, or better yet, outside.
Clothing for classes should be loose and not restrictive.
You cannot exercise during periods of exacerbation of chronic diseases.
If during the exercise the patient feels pain or his health worsens, he must stop the exercises.
The load increases gradually, as does the amplitude of the movements.
It is important to control your breathing while doing exercises.
Be sure to coordinate exercise therapy sessions with your doctor.

Subtleties

Exercise therapy exercises should be performed smoothly and without sudden movements. This pace helps to relax and stretch “tight” muscles. A gymnastic stick holds the patient’s hands in the desired position and prevents them from moving to the sides. Thanks to this, the load on the muscles is distributed correctly.

To complicate the workout, over time, you can place your hands closer to each other. It is important to hold the gymnastic stick correctly, your arms should be straight. The result of the exercise directly depends on the technique of execution.

How to do physical therapy for the elderly and children?

For elderly and young patients, the load when exercising with a gymnastic stick should be small and feasible. When performing exercises for people of retirement age, you need to:

Monitor blood pressure and pulse readings.
Consider the patient's general well-being.
Consider the presence of chronic diseases.
Make movements smoothly, without jerking.
Maintain a small range of motion.
Start with a small number of repetitions of the exercise, gradually increasing to 20 repetitions.

The purpose of exercise therapy in old age:

development of joints and muscles;
maintaining spine flexibility;
increased endurance.

Don't focus on strength exercises. To avoid injury, the load should be as gentle as possible.

The rules for conducting exercise therapy classes for children are similar. When performing exercises, you need to monitor the signs of fatigue and the child’s well-being. Young children do not understand the purpose of doing the exercises. You can conduct classes with them in the form of a game or a fairy tale. The emphasis is on increasing endurance, strength, flexibility, and improving coordination of movements. At the initial stage, training time should not exceed 20 minutes , then you can gradually increase the duration of the session.

Overview of gymnastics classes

Exercise therapy classes for osteochondrosis consist of a warm-up, main and final parts. At the warm-up stage, exercises are performed to warm up the muscles, joints are developed, and the body is prepared for the load. The basic position is standing, feet shoulder-width apart, hands on the belt. The range of movement should be small.

The main part includes exercises using a gymnastic stick, which are performed standing or lying down:

bends;
body rotations;
abduction of arms with a gymnastic stick forward;
up or down;
placing a gymnastic apparatus behind the back.

The final part of the physical therapy exercise complex consists of stretching and muscle relaxation exercises.

Find out more about the types of exercises for SCH that you can do at home here.

Charger

During the preliminary stage - exercises or warm-up - perform the following exercises:

The chin stretches up, then drops.
The head describes a semicircle from one shoulder to the other.
Rotation of the arms in the shoulder joints.
Rotation of the arms at the elbow joints.
Rotation of the knee joints.
Turns the body left and right.
Body tilts to the right and left.
Rotation of the ankle joints.
Walking on the outside and inside of the foot.
Front and side lunges with emphasis on stretching the thigh muscles.

Basic elements for the neck in the supine position

The main part of the exercises is performed mainly while lying on your back or stomach.

“Berezka” – shoulder blade stand:

The arms are straight, the stick is held with a wide grip.
Pull your knees to your chest, hold your hands with a stick under your buttocks.
Hands with a gymnastic apparatus on the floor, legs straightened, stretched upward.
Slowly lower your legs.
Repeat 2-3 times.

Lying on your stomach, perform the “Boat” exercise:

Gymnastic stick in hands with a wide grip.
Hands with the projectile stretch forward and upward as much as possible.
The head and upper part of the body are raised.
Smoothly lower your arms and body.
Repeat the exercise 5-10 times.

For back and neck

Exercise therapy for cervicothoracic osteochondrosis is performed in a standing, sitting or lying position and includes turning, bending and lifting the body. The back should be as straight as possible.

Approximate complex

Standing, feet shoulder-width apart. The stick is placed behind the back, resting on the shoulders, hands on top of the stick. The body rotates right and left.
While standing, the stick is placed behind the back and parallel to the lower back. Body rotations are performed.
While standing, the stick is extended upward with straight arms. The body leans forward until it is parallel to the floor.
Sitting on a chair, the stick is placed behind the back and is located in the area of the shoulder blades, parallel to the floor. The head goes down and returns to its original position.
From the same position, the head moves forward as much as possible, returns to its original position and moves back as much as possible.
Lying on your back, stick on your arms outstretched in front of you. Body lifts are performed.
Sitting on the floor, straight legs extended forward, a stick in your hands in front of you. Reach your whole body towards your legs, try to reach your feet with a stick.

According to Shishonin

A set of exercises for the neck, developed by the famous rehabilitation physician Dr. Shishonin, is aimed at strengthening the muscle corset and restoring the flexibility of the spine.

These exercises have been successfully used in the correction of cervical osteochondrosis since 2008. It is advisable to perform gymnastics according to Shishonin at stages 1 and 2 of the development of osteochondrosis ; at the last stages, the exercises are no longer effective. The complex includes seven basic exercises.

Read more about the features of Dr. Shishonin’s gymnastics for cervical osteochondrosis in this material.

Metronome

The exercise is performed while sitting on a chair. The back is straight, the head is held level.

A smooth tilt of the head to the right shoulder is performed, the position is held for 30 seconds.
Then the starting position is taken and the same is done in the other direction.

Heron

Starting position: sitting on a chair, hands on your knees.

The arms go down and are pulled back a little.
The head goes up. This position is maintained for 30 seconds.

Goose

Stand straight with your chin parallel to the floor.
The neck is pulled forward, while the chin remains in place in an unchanged position.
Then the neck turns to the left, goes down and returns to its original position.
Repeat the action in the other direction.

Looking to the sky

The head smoothly extends forward to the maximum possible distance.
Then the neck turns to the left and down, the head returns to its original position.

Frame

Starting position: sitting on a chair, back straight.

The right hand is placed on the left shoulder, the left hand lies on the left knee.
The neck turns to the right side.
The position is fixed for 30 seconds.
Then the exercise is repeated in the other direction.

Fakir

The arms are raised above the head, slightly bent at the elbows.
The fingers are clasped together.
The head turns right and left, each position is fixed for 30 seconds.

Spring

Sit up straight.
Lower your chin down and hold the position for 5 seconds.
Then raise your chin, stretch it first forward, then up.

Gymnastics according to Dikul

Exercise therapy according to Dikul includes several groups of exercises, including stretching exercises and strengthening the neck muscles. Gymnastics according to Dikul is easy to perform, does not take much time and can be done daily:

Starting position: standing straight, arms relaxed, feet shoulder-width apart. As you inhale, your head leans forward as much as possible, your chin touching your chest. As you exhale, the head tilts back.
From the same position - while inhaling, the head tilts towards the shoulder. As you exhale, it returns to its original position. Then the exercise is repeated towards the other shoulder.
Slowly rotate your head in a circle.
Turns the head to the right and left, as if trying to look behind one’s back. The chin is parallel to the floor.

A complex that can be done at the workplace

When working at a computer or staying in a static position for a long time, it is recommended to do a simple warm-up from time to time. Exercises that can be done right at the workplace are a good prevention of cervical osteochondrosis , relieve muscle spasms and give a surge of strength. Gymnastics is performed sitting on a chair, with a straight back:

Smooth turns of the head from right to left.
Pull your chin forward and back.
Lower your head as low as possible.
Place the elbow of your right hand on the table, place your palm on your right temple. Tilt your head, providing slight resistance with your hand. Repeat on the other side.
Place your palm on your forehead and tilt your head, overcoming the resistance of your hand.
Raise your shoulders as high as possible, hold in this position for 10 seconds, then lower down.
Massage the back surface of the neck and back of the head with your fingertips with intense, but not sudden movements (for more details on how useful it is to knead the neck for osteochondrosis and how to do it correctly, read this material).

Other options

Lunges and squats are performed with a gymnastic stick pulled back or holding it in front of you. These exercises are used not only for rehabilitation of osteochondrosis, but also to maintain good physical shape.

Performance:

Standing, one leg is fixed in place, the other moves forward as much as possible.
The stick is held from behind with support on the shoulders or in front, with outstretched arms parallel to the floor.
From this position, perform a slow squat.
We return to the starting position.
The same leg is moved back as far as possible.
A slow squat is performed.
The exercise is repeated in the same way for the other leg.

Preventive

Starting position: standing, legs apart. Press your forehead onto your palm and hold the position for 7 seconds. Do it 3 times.
From the same position: press the back of your head onto your palm. Perform 3 times for 7 seconds.
Press your left temple onto your left palm. Then with the right temple on the right palm. 3 times for 7 seconds.
Tilt your head back slightly. Then press your chin to your chest. Do it 5 times.
Slow turns of the head to the right - left.
Lower your chin to your neck. Slowly turn your head to your right shoulder, then to your left.
Throw your head back. Try to reach your right shoulder with your ear, then the left.

Seated presses

Exercise for the chest, arms and shoulders, including the abdominal muscles.
Sit on a chair or armchair, lean back (you cannot sit without support under your lower back). Look ahead and slightly up. The stick is pressed to the chest from above, the arms are bent and pressed to the body, the elbows are back. Straighten your arms forward in front of your chest, return them to their starting position. Straighten it up above you (you can lean back slightly and tilt your head), return to the starting position again. One approach - 20 such cycles.

Perform 2-3 approaches.

Photo: AiF/Eduard Kudryavitsky

Possible complications

If the exercises are performed incorrectly, the effect of physical therapy will be negative. This is due to the fact that the training takes place under heavy load, at an inappropriate pace, or the muscles were not warmed up and were not ready for exercise.

Complications may be the following:

Increased pain . Causes: excessive effort when performing exercises, injury as a result of sudden movements.
Muscle spasms can also be the result of overexerting yourself or due to a lack of proper stretching at the end of a workout.
Sprained ligaments: the reasons are the same - too much effort and training with tense muscles.
Spinal instability, blockages, fractures are the consequences of incorrect exercises and repeated repetitions.

Sumo deadlift

The exercise effectively strengthens the back and shoulders, removes fat from the hips, and makes the buttocks denser and more toned.

Place your feet as wide as possible, with your toes turned outward. The stick is in your hands, lowered in front of you. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and lift your chin slightly, your back will bend slightly back, this deflection must be maintained throughout the entire exercise. Squat and at the same time tilt your body forward, lowering the stick to the floor. The stick moves along your legs, do not move your arms forward! When lowering the stick, do not slouch or let your chin rest on your chest. Spread your knees outward so as not to move your hands forward with the stick. Move slowly, imagine that you are pulling a heavy barbell from the floor. One approach - 20 repetitions.

Perform 2 approaches.

Photo: AiF/Eduard Kudryavitsky

What's the use?

Opinion of doctors and patients

Doctors unanimously say that movement is the most effective remedy in the fight against osteochondrosis. Many famous doctors speak about the benefits of exercise therapy in the treatment of osteochondrosis. For example, Dr. S. M. Bubnovsky speaks highly of this method, calling therapeutic exercises using a stick a simple but effective combination of exercises that gives maximum effect in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis (read more about Dr. Bubnovsky’s exercises and exercises here).

Feedback from patients after completing a course of exercise therapy:

Elena, 30 years old: “I work at the computer.
One day I noticed that my shoulders began to hurt, and there was fatigue and tension in my neck. I went to the doctor, he ordered an x-ray. As a result of the examination, it turned out that I have cervicothoracic osteochondrosis. The doctor prescribed me a special diet and therapeutic exercises using a special stick (body bar). At first I did the exercises with difficulty, then they began to come to me easily and even with pleasure. After about two weeks of daily practice, I noticed that there was ease in my movements, my neck and back hurt less. I will continue to do physical therapy!”
Pavel, 40 years old: “Working as a driver caused me to have back problems. The doctor said that I need to do physical education, exercise therapy. I set aside time in the morning to exercise. I did special gymnastics for 20 minutes. Now it's much easier for me! It’s good that I was prescribed physical therapy on time, otherwise I would have had to take pills.”

What does Dr. Shubin say?

The famous neurologist and chiropractor, Dr. Dmitry Nikolaevich Shubin, is entirely in favor of physical education, and is himself a supporter of a healthy lifestyle. However, the doctor says that running and jumping negatively affect the spine. These exercises are contraindicated for people diagnosed with osteochondrosis, as they put a shock load on damaged vertebrae and discs, contributing to the destruction of damaged tissue.

But swimming and walking have a beneficial effect on the spine and help correct degenerative changes in it.

Therapeutic exercises for cervical and any other type of osteochondrosis are necessary. This is the best remedy for maintaining a healthy spine and beautiful posture for many years. Physical education maintains a high quality of life in old age. Gymnastics is very useful for children. If there are no contraindications to performing therapeutic exercises, do not neglect the exercises.

To treat osteochondrosis, Alexandra Bonina’s gymnastics, Butrimov’s exercises and yoga are used, which you can read about in more detail on our website.

Solutions

Maintaining correct posture is a preventive measure against osteochondrosis. Don't sit in one place for hours. When working sedentarily, it is recommended to do a warm-up every 40-60 minutes, or better yet, a small set of exercises for the back.

Important! With healthy posture, a person in a standing position should experience tension in the area of the shoulder blades, buttocks and abdomen.

In addition to daily exercise, people at risk of developing osteochondrosis need to eat well and regularly attend physiotherapy and therapeutic massage sessions.