Diseases of the spine bring discomfort and pain. It becomes impossible to take a comfortable posture during sleep, the back and neck are constantly numb, a feeling of pulling pain haunts the patient. The best way to get rid of pain is regular exercise therapy (physical therapy). How to strengthen the spine at home, the most effective exercises and recommendations for a healthy diet you will learn from this article.
Common reasons why the spine hurts
Most often, pain in the lower back, neck and thoracic spine is caused by the following problems;
- chronic osteochondrosis;
- scoliosis (curvature of the spinal column from 2 to 50 degrees to the left or right);
- radiculitis;
- hernia (degenerative changes in the intervertebral disc).
The presence of these diseases imposes serious restrictions on the patient’s lifestyle. He often experiences pain, weakness, and malaise. He is forbidden many types of physical activity. Only swimming and exercise therapy (physiotherapy exercises) are allowed . How to strengthen the spine, if the pain syndrome only worsens? It is important not to overload yourself, and approach the execution of each exercise with utmost care.
General principles of gymnastics for the spine
Physical therapy training should be carried out as follows:
- sudden movements, jerks, blows are prohibited;
- Before starting a workout, you need to perform joint warm-up;
- the use of dumbbells, barbells and other equipment for weightlifting is prohibited;
- jumping, running, sharp attacks are prohibited;
- stretching should be performed after warming up exercises, after joint warm-up.
If you ignore these rules, you can get injured and provoke increased pain.
Is it possible to perform exercises with weighting in case of problems with the spine?
Weightlifting fans will have to take a time out for back problems. Weight lifting of more than three kilograms is possible only after consultation with a sports doctor and orthopedist.
In the presence of osteochondrosis, kyphosis, scoliosis, hernia, exercises with axial load on the spine are contraindicated. Here is a list of them:
- Squats with a barbell on the shoulders or in the hands;
- dead, Romanian deadlift;
- leaning forward with a barbell on the shoulders;
- Squats in Smith's car and in the hack simulator;
- army bench press;
- lunges with a barbell on the shoulders;
- dumbbell and barbell shrugs;
- tilt rod pull.
After consultation with a sports doctor, it is permissible to perform the following exercises in the gym that do not provoke axial load on the spine:
- leg press in the simulator;
- leg extension in the simulator;
- bending the legs while lying in the simulator;
- rise on socks while sitting.
Warm up before training
It is very important to carry out joint warm-up before each exercise therapy. This will prevent injuries and warm the muscles. Here is an example warm-up execution algorithm:
- Starting position - standing, feet shoulder width apart. Take a deep breath, stand on your toes and pull your arms up, while trying to stretch the spine as much as possible.
- Without changing position, try to bend as low as possible, reach with your fingertips to the floor.
- Extend one arm up above your head and slowly reach right, then left. Repeat with the other hand.
- Spread your arms to the sides parallel to the floor, slightly bend at the elbows. Rotate to stretch the shoulder joints.
- From the starting position, standing, with a straight back (make sure that the shoulders do not fall down and stoop), make a deep slow lunge forward, first with one foot, then the other. This movement will help stretch your hip joints.
Cervical Exercises
How to strengthen the muscles of the spine in the cervical region? The following exercises will come to the rescue:
- Starting position - standing, back straight, press tense, arms freely extended along the body. The gaze is directed forward. Slowly tilt your head to the left and try to reach your shoulder with your earlobe. Then repeat the same thing with the right shoulder. Perform the exercise ten times in each direction.
- Tilt your head forward and try to reach your chest with your chin. If it was possible to do this the first time - fine, then the mobility of the spine in the cervical region is still preserved. Perform the exercise ten times.
- Tilt your head back (it should be done as carefully and slowly as possible), then again reach the chest with your chin.
- Perform ten rotational movements of the head around its axis clockwise, then ten times counterclockwise.
Thoracic Exercise
Scoliosis often forms in the thoracic spine. The main causes of this ailment are low physical activity, weak back muscles, a sedentary lifestyle, and a too soft sleeping mattress. How to strengthen the spine at home? Exercises will help to do this effectively without additional financial costs and trips to the doctor.
Here is a list of exercises to strengthen the back muscles in the region of the thoracic spine:
- Starting position - lying on the floor face down. Legs and arms are extended and relaxed. Raise the upper body with arms extended as high as possible, then return to its original position. If the exercise is difficult to perform with outstretched arms - you can ease it by not including your hands in the work.
- Push-ups from the knees (men should use the socks option, since their shoulder girdle is tighter) - an effective exercise not only to strengthen the muscles of the back of the thoracic spine, but also the front deltoid muscles, triceps, upper chest, and biceps. You must complete a minimum of 8 pushups from the floor in one go.
- Pull-ups on the horizontal bar effectively strengthen not only the broadest muscles of the back, but also those that surround the spine and the posterior deltoid muscles. Pullups can be performed with a hernia (after consultation with a sports doctor). How to strengthen the muscles of the spine with a hernia, if pull-ups are prohibited? Pay attention to the following exercise.
- Starting position - lying on your back, arms and legs extended and relaxed. You should strain your back a little, rest your buttocks on the floor and try to raise the upper body above the floor. The exercise may not work out the first time, but after a month of regular training, the muscles around the spine will strengthen significantly, and the exercise will be obtained without difficulty.
Lower back exercises
How to strengthen the lumbar spine if exercise with axial load is prohibited? As you know, the most effective exercises for the muscles of the lower back are the dead, dead and Romanian traction, as well as inclinations with a barbell on the shoulders. With diseases of the spine, all these movements are contraindicated, as they cause discomfort and pain.
Here is a list of safe exercises for the lumbar spine:
- Asana from yoga "cat": get on all fours, bend your back as low as possible. Then bend it high so that the pose resembles an angry cat.
- Lying on your back, turn the lower torso to the right, then to the left. There may be a slight crunch of the vertebrae - do not be afraid of this.
- Lying on your stomach, tear your arms and legs off the floor and try to reach up as high as possible.
- Lying on his stomach face to the floor, tear the upper body off the floor and stretch up, perform at least ten times.
Warm up after all exercises
After physical education, you need to perform a light stretching - this will avoid muscle soreness the next day. Stretching has a beneficial effect on the spine. If you perform it regularly, you can keep your back flexible and healthy until old age:
- Starting position - lying on the floor, on the back. Raise straight legs up, put them behind the head. If flexibility allows, touch the knees of the floor behind the head. This exercise splendidly stretches the entire vertebral column. In hatha yoga, it is known as asana "plow."
- Sitting on the buttocks on the floor, spread straight legs as wide as possible. Alternately lean towards the left and right toe as low as possible. This exercise not only develops the flexibility of the spine, but also allows you to maintain the health of the hip joints.
- Lying on the floor on his stomach, rise on outstretched arms and bend as much as possible in the lower back. This exercise will help to stretch your abs.
How to strengthen the back with a hernia of the spine?
Strengthening the spine with a hernia is a difficult task. An integrated approach is needed. Here are the main measures that will help alleviate the condition of a patient with a hernia:
- drug therapy aimed at eliminating pain and relieving inflammation - anesthetics are often used;
- intake of vitamins and cartilage tissue protectors;
- surgical intervention;
- physical therapy classes;
- proper nutrition - a sufficient amount of protein, fat and carbohydrates in food;
- weight control - obesity is a common cause of hernia;
- regimen and healthy lifestyle.
What should be the human diet for diseases of the spine?
Bone tissue cannot be healthy without adequate intake of calcium, selenium, and magnesium with food. The trace element iodine is also very important - many believe that it is a vitamin, but it is not. Iodine restores metabolism and has beneficial effects on bone tissue and back muscles. How to strengthen the spine, if the diet is unbalanced, the patient regularly drinks coffee (which helps to wash out calcium) and alcohol Alas, this will not be possible.
People with diseases of the spine and bone should include the following foods on a daily basis in their diet:
- chicken and quail eggs;
- olive, cottonseed and linseed oils;
- lean meats - chicken, turkey, rabbit;
- fish
- milk products are obligatory, at least 200 grams of grain cottage cheese should be eaten per day, drink kefir, fermented baked milk, ayran;
- durum wheat pasta is a great source of carbohydrates.
It is necessary to completely abandon the use of alcoholic beverages and coffee. Coffeemen should switch to chicory - it is most beneficial for the body, unlike caffeinated drinks.
How to strengthen the spine, if there is no flexibility to perform exercises?
Older people often care how to do physical therapy for the spine, if there is no flexibility and aching joints? in fact, there’s nothing wrong with that. Nowadays, even young people have problems with spinal flexibility.
Try daily exercises. Without jerking and overstrain - this is a prerequisite so as not to damage the back. How to strengthen the spine in old age? The principles of implementation for recovery are all the same as for young people.
Prevention of hernia, osteochondrosis and radiculitis
It is always easier to prevent a disease than to treat it. Follow the following simple preventive rules:
- If the state of health allows - you can perform exercises with axial load on the spine under the supervision of a trainer. This will strengthen the muscles of the back and generally improve and rejuvenate the body.
- You should not sleep on a soft feather bed, but on a hard mattress.
- Engage in swimming - this is a universal and safe sport that will help strengthen your back muscle corset.
- Office workers need to get up from the computer every hour and do a five-minute exercise, which includes the simplest exercises for the back. You can use the training example from this article.
- On a day, you need to walk from three to ten kilometers and minimize the use of public transport and driving time.
We examined how to strengthen the corset of the spine. I wish you good health!