Exercises for a herniated disc

Therapeutic exercises for a hernia of the spine is the right decision on the way to getting rid of the unpleasant symptoms of the disease. This pathology is often found among the adult population, which is associated with lifestyle, constant high loads on the spine, ignoring the general improvement of the body and the prevention of pathologies of the musculoskeletal system.

In children, spinal hernia is an exception, and occurs mainly after surgery or as a result of a traumatic injury to the back.

Therapeutic exercises are prescribed for protrusion of the intervertebral disc in order to compensate for the lack of movement, which leads to malnutrition of the cartilage tissue. The tasks of physical education will also be to strengthen the natural muscle corset and eliminate a number of symptoms: swelling, muscle spasm, back tension, discomfort, numbness of the lower extremities.

A hernia is a rupture of the annulus fibrosus of a disc that extends somewhat beyond its anatomical position. The protrusion can be from 2 to 15 mm or more in size, and a hernia of 9 mm will be an indication for surgery.

Conservative methods of therapy are indicated at the initial stage, when there is a protrusion and a slight protrusion of the disc. In advanced cases, when the hernia is large or sequestration occurs, the use of non-surgical techniques will be a useless measure, and then an operation is already prescribed.

A set of exercises will be shown to the patient even after the disc is removed, which is performed by discectomy or laminectomy.

Exercise therapy for the cervical spine

Gymnastics for a herniated disc of the spine in the cervical region is aimed at strengthening the muscles of the neck and eliminating spasm. An important artery passes through this segment, which supplies the brain with blood, and its compression by tense tissues can cause cerebrovascular accident. For the treatment of the intervertebral disc in this department, daily exercises and a set of exercises for the back muscles are shown, which is prescribed individually.

When performing the complex, it is important to remember that the benefits of therapeutic exercises will be nullified if the patient ignores other doctor's instructions.

Gymnastics to strengthen the muscles of the neck with a vertebral hernia:

Performed standing up, repeated several times throughout the day. You need to try to stretch your neck up as much as possible without throwing your head back. Do about 15 seconds.
Standing straighten your back and relax your shoulders. Place the palm of your right hand on your left temple and press it with your head, resisting. Repeat with the left hand. Perform several times a day, giving the exercise 1-3 minutes.
Standing, arms relaxed, back straight, feet shoulder-width apart. Make head turns to the right, left, back and forth. Perform 10-20 times several times a day.
Cross your fingers together, put them under your chin and press your hands as hard as possible, resisting for 10-20 seconds.
Hands folded in the castle, on the back of the head. You need to tilt your head at the same time, pressing on your hands.
Sitting on a chair, back straight, legs together. You need to alternately raise small dumbbells with your hands, leaning your elbow on your leg.
Standing in the pose of a boxer, imitate punches, holding dumbbells in your hands.
Standing, feet shoulder width apart. Raise your hands with dumbbells in front of you, then take them to the side.
Sitting on a chair, palms on knees. Try to tilt your head back as much as possible, leaning on the back.

It is useful to do exercises with dumbbells for 2-3 minutes 3-4 times a day. Between them, the usual complex is performed without additional devices.

Important! To increase the effectiveness of gymnastics with a hernia in the neck, you need to choose a comfortable and correct orthopedic pillow.

Exercise therapy for the chest

Therapeutic exercises for intervertebral hernia in the thoracic region are performed in order to stretch the spine and increase the space between the vertebrae. Exercises for the back with hernias should also help strengthen the muscles around the ridge, regardless of the location of the pathological focus.

Gymnastics from a vertebral hernia is also needed after surgery to remove the pathological focus, which will be important in the late period of rehabilitation, 4-8 weeks after surgery. Those who have complications after radical treatment can start physical education a little later, after about 2-3 months.

A set of gymnastic exercises for stretching the spine in the chest area:

Sitting on a chair, hands lie on the back of the head, the spine is pressed to the back. Bend your arms, leaning forward. Repeat up to 5 times.
Lying on your back. Place a soft roller under the back in the thoracic region, place the hands under the head. Arch your back, then lift your upper body. Repeat 5-7 times.
Sitting, wrap the chest with a towel, take the free ends with your hands. On the exhale, try to pull off the towel as much as possible, on the inhale, loosen it. Repeat up to 20 times.
Sitting on a chair, hand on the back of the head. Bend your back back, then lower your chest to your legs. Repeat 5-10 times.
Lying on your back, hands behind your head, legs bent at the knees. Raise your shoulders and head, tensing your abdominal muscles. Repeat 10-15 times.

Exercise therapy for the lumbar

Intervertebral hernia is most often found in the lumbar region, and for those who are faced with this disease, various sets of exercises are offered. Stretching the spine, stimulating metabolism, relaxing and strengthening muscles - all this is necessary for the localization of pathology in the lumbar region.

This disease in the lumbar region often affects the functioning of the pelvic organs, and when there is a serious threat, an operation is performed. After surgery to remove the protrusion of the spine, exercise therapy will be part of the rehabilitation.

Treatment of a hernia of the spine in the lumbar includes the following exercises:

Lying on your back, arms parallel to the body. Tighten the abdominal muscles for 5 seconds, repeat 10 times. You can simplify the exercise when pain occurs by bending your knees.
Lying on your back, legs slightly bent at the knees. Put your left hand on your right knee, with your right hand press hard on your left knee for 15 seconds.
Lying on your back, legs bent at the knees. Raise the upper body, slightly turning to the sides.
Hang on the horizontal bar for a minute, grabbing it from different sides, bending your knees.
Hang on the bar with straight arms. Relax your body as much as possible. Raise alternately straight legs and bent at the knees.

Yogic asanas

Yoga with a hernia will be the best option to improve overall well-being. Some yoga asanas are suitable for strengthening the muscles of the neck, abs, back, arms and legs. It would be even better to do yoga after surgery to remove a herniated disc . You can learn simple asanas on your own by watching a video, but it will still be safer to consult a specialist who will select the optimal complex and determine whether certain exercises can be done with a separate clinical picture of the disease.

Useful yoga poses for spinal hernia:

"Upward facing dog" . Lying on your stomach, place your palms on the floor in front of you, leaning on them. Raise your torso as much as possible, holding on to your hands. Stay in this position for as long as possible. Get back down and relax. A similar “Cobra” pose differs in that the weight of the body is distributed only on the arms, and the legs are closely pressed to the floor.
" Bridge " . Lying on your back, feet pressed to the floor. Raise the hips, lifting the legs, pelvis and torso off the floor, holding on to arms extended along the body. This exercise is suitable for neurological symptoms of pathology, when headaches and numbness of the extremities bother you.
" Child " . On your knees, put a pillow in front of you. Slowly lower your body forward, pressing your stomach to your legs, stretching your arms forward in front of your head. Stay in this position for a minute, return to the starting position.

Despite their simplicity, such asanas also have contraindications. Without knowing the execution technique, you can get the opposite effect, and this will only aggravate the serious condition.

General rules

To obtain the desired effect from exercise therapy, the following rules should be followed:

Before starting classes, consult with a specialist , undergo an examination by a neurologist, orthopedist or vertebrologist.
The first classes should be held under the supervision of a trainer , who will show you how to correctly perform individual movements.
It is important to understand which exercises are categorically contraindicated, and this can be done at the first session with the doctor.
Physical education is possible only with good health, when pain and general malaise are not disturbed.
If the exercise is accompanied by pain and discomfort, the exercise should be stopped , and in the future, the movement that caused discomfort should be excluded.
You need to perform exercises daily , otherwise the spine, muscles and ligaments will not respond to such treatment. The regularity of classes and a gradual increase in load is the key to the effectiveness of therapeutic exercises.

Contraindications

It is contraindicated to engage in therapeutic exercises in such conditions:

serious condition of the patient (according to the attending physician);
severe pain syndrome;
internal bleeding and pathology of the hematopoietic organs;
intoxication of the body, general malaise, leukocytosis and an increase in ESR;
the period of treatment of oncological pathologies;
exacerbation of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
acute respiratory diseases, bronchial asthma;
metabolic disorders, diabetes mellitus, the last degree of obesity.

Relative limitations for performing exercises will be pathologies of the nervous system. These are some organic and functional disorders. In this case, simple exercises are selected, and exercise therapy includes sports without elements of competition. Vision pathologies will also be relative contraindications. It is impossible to engage in physiotherapy exercises in the first weeks after eye surgery.

With a hernia of the spine, exercises for twisting, jumping, fast running are excluded. But swimming will be the most useful activity for pathologies of the spine. In the water there is no compression of the spine, the muscles relax.

Useful exercise therapy exercises

In addition to a special set of exercises for spinal hernia, a number of therapeutic and preventive measures are prescribed that act like physiotherapy exercises, that is, they help strengthen the muscular corset and improve overall well-being.

What is useful to do with the pathology of the spinal column:

Swimming . A necessary measure for the prevention of pathologies of the musculoskeletal system. Swimming is also prescribed for hernia in the cervical, thoracic and lumbar regions. Swimming has a complex effect on the body, relieving the load from the diseased area and helping to strengthen the muscles.
Walking . Regular walks and brisk walking will be useful for disc pathology, but only with a dosed load. An important precaution is to avoid landing on your heels and jumping.
Charging . Every morning it is important to prepare the spine for stress, which will help simple exercises to stretch the muscles. These are the usual rotations of the head, rotations of the joints, tilts of the torso.

An excellent addition to physiotherapy exercises will be massage and manual therapy, which can be administered in parallel.

These treatment methods will help stretch the spine and increase the space between the vertebrae, which, when herniated, compress the intervertebral disc, and the latter begins to put pressure on the nerve roots and spinal cord.

A mandatory measure for the prevention of complications will also be the exclusion of high loads on the spinal column. It is important to give up hard physical work, and do light work that cannot harm weakened muscles and ligaments. Gradually, the muscular-ligamentous apparatus will return to normal thanks to a set of therapeutic exercises, and it will be possible to return to normal life, but observing all the same preventive measures.