Back and limb pain is one of the most common disorders.This is the second most common cause of medical attention after respiratory diseases.About half of people of working age in their lives withstand episodes of back pain and prolonged damage.
What is osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis is a disease in which degeneration of the intervertebral disc occurs.
The intervertebral disc consists of a fibrous ring (concentric layers of strong connective tissue fibers) and the core of the jacket in the center.The share of the discs is about a quarter of the length of the spine, they play the role of the shock absorbers - with a vertical position, turns, slopes and lengthening of the spine, nucleus and fibrous river of the disc, it stops the axial loads, it takes up the starting position.Significant load falls on the discs of the lumbar and cervical spine as these departments have the most mobility.This explains the fact of the largest weight of degenerative changes in the cervical and lumbar spine.
One of the reasons for the degeneration of the discs is their insufficient nutrition, which in turn is a consequence of a person's poor physical activity.
The water content and the elastic disk properties are also significantly reduced by age.The fibrous ring of the disc loses its elasticity, there are cracks in which, at each new load, the strong nucleus begins to be introduced more and more, moving to the edge of the disc, with the complete rupture of the rings of the fibers, the contents of the nucleus exceed its limits - there is a hernia.The lateral displacement of the disc in the direction of the intervertebral opening through which the spinal cord passes.In this regard, the most common manifestation of hernia is to remove the corresponding root and the development of a characteristic pain syndrome.Under the influence of pulses from the receptors of the affected segment, the muscles of the spine reflexively progress, their asymmetrical stress causes lateral curvature of the spine
Risk factors for osteochondrosis
At present, the risk factors for the onset of osteochondrosis pain include:
- hereditary weakness or congenital spinal defects;
- Spinal injuries that lead to structural changes;
- heavy and unbalanced physical activity;
- Long stay in forced posture with distortion and turn;
- Hypodynamia, inaction, monotonous work.
Contributing factors to the onset of osteochondrosis and its exacerbations can be various infectious diseases, cooling, fatigue, strength disorders, including lack of vitamins, obesity, environmental factors and habits, endocrine disorders, etc.
What should I do if the back is sick
Pain is a warning signal and prevents the effects inside the body.First, the pain occurs when moving, changing the posture and passes at rest as the disease progresses, a morning stiffness occurs, which can last for 30-60 minutes.The duration of the disease can be several weeks or months.
What should I do if your back hurts?Be sure to consult a doctor for the first 3-5 days (to avoid chronicle the disease).Use simple tips, in addition to your doctor's recommendation:
- Overload should be avoided.To avoid problems, try to constantly monitor the proper position of the body.Excess weight increases the load on the spine.Not all sports are the same useful.It is better to avoid sports in the game and jump and choose tourism, skiing and swimming - they will only benefit from the spine.
- Organize sleep properly, food and rest.For the maximum effect, choose a very difficult mattress and an orthopedic pillow will be the best choice.
- Organize your workplace properly.The chair with a low seat tilted to the back, which should be protruding in the place of the lumbar spine (or is recommended to put a roller) will be perfect.
- Treatment of the position.With a rather high roller installed under the lower lumbar lordosis, the "tense" muscles relax, the pressure on the buttocks of the damaged discs of the lumbar spine decreases, the pain decreases.After a working day, it is advisable to spend 30-60 minutes in this position at home before going to bed.
- Therapeutic gymnastics (exercise therapy).Gymnastics forms a strong muscle corset around the spine, dedicating 15-25 minutes to it every day (you can for 2-3 approaches).The set of exercises should be prescribed by the attending physician depending on the intensity of the pain, at the end of the article we will give the most common complexes of therapeutic exercises depending on the disease period (acute phase, remission, etc.)
Motor regime recommendations in the acute period
In the sharp periodIn the presence of acute pain, a strict rest of the bed should be observed.LFK is mainly used for hygienic purposes and has a general strengthening by nature.Exercises that cause pain should be limited by amplitude, degree of muscle tension, or excluded at all.It is very important not to deal with pain and do everything very slowly, repeating every exercise 8-10 times.
When the lower limbs are moved, they prevent an increase in lumbar lordosis (bending of the spine forward), which can enhance the pain syndrome.In the second stage of the acute period, with a decrease in the intensity of the pain, you should carefully include isometric exercises to train abdominal muscles and large gluteal muscles.
By reducing the pain syndromeThe possibilities for using special and development exercises are increasing.During this period, in addition to the exercises that increase the strength of the abdominal muscles and the muscles of the hip joint, the exercises are important, with the bending of the lumbar spine.
When choosing both special and developing exercises, it is important to ensure that they do not increase lumbar lordosis.Pain is a signal for a change in the structure of the exercise (to relief) or to turn it off.At the end of the second period, you should gradually include exercises that increase the strength of the posterior muscles, they can be performed in a circular system 2-3 times.They are the most important.Take the number of repetitions of special exercises up to 15-50 times.The rate of exercise can gradually increase.
In the period of remissionExercises are added to increase the mobility of the spine.However, exercises aimed at solving this problem should be performed carefully and in light starting positions.Automation should be achieved by maintaining a specific posture in the upright position and in walking when the lumbar spine is bent.The reduction of repetitions of special exercises from the second period increases to 50-100 times (may be disturbed during the day).The use of pool exercise therapy is recommended for the period of the period, but the gymnastics in the pool does not replace, but complements the main "dry" classes.
Other exercise tools are recommended to use those that will not affect the negative ways on damaged discs: swimming, terrain, skiing, treadmill, bicycle ergometer, rubber bandage exercises.Apply such means as volleyball, tennis (large and small), road bicycles, cross -dancing, fast dancing, rhythmic gymnastics should be extremely careful, as sudden movements and turns can cause osteochondrosis exacerbation.Dumbbell exercises are preferably performed in the position of lying down (on the back, abdomen) to exclude the vertical loads of the spine.
Exercises using clean suspension due to the strong tension of the tensioned muscles of the body, jumping into the depths of the elevation, the exercises of the rowing machine and the throw are undesirable.In any case, during exercise therapy, it should be remembered that the constant injury and overload of the spine, the blows along the axis of the spine prepare the appropriate background for the breakdown of the damaged disc and exacerbation of the pain syndrome.