Exercise therapy for intervertebral hernia of the lumbosacral region. Therapeutic exercises for intervertebral hernia: exercises, important rules. Causes of the appearance of an intervertebral hernia

Hernia exercises lumbar the spine is the most important element in the treatment of this disease. Physical exercises give such a result because when they are performed, blood circulation improves, nutrition of the vertebrae, muscles and ligaments of the spinal column are strengthened.

About the disease

The process of the appearance of a hernia develops as follows. The vertebrae are interconnected by special flexible cartilaginous discs. They consist of a pulp surrounded by a dense fibrous ring, due to which they are elastic.

With increasing loads or with age, the surface of the discs shrinks, it gradually wears out, flattens, and the cartilage extends beyond the vertebrae. This process is called protrusion. It is characterized by pain and neurological symptoms.

If the load does not decrease and there is no treatment, the fibrous ring of the disc ruptures, its contents protrude outward - this is the resulting hernia. This is an approximate picture, but the principle of the appearance of hernias is exactly that. With a hernia, the nerve root of the vertebra is almost always clamped, due to which sharp pains appear.

The appearance of hernias depends on:

The processes of degeneration develop imperceptibly and gradually over many years, until the onset of back pain. Only then the person will know about his hernia. These pains in the lower back are aggravated by the sharpness of movements, they pass to the legs and pelvis.

To cure a hernia, medication alone is not enough. Medicines can overcome pain for a while, but changes in the spine will remain.

Often, if conservative treatment is ineffective, surgery is prescribed, especially when the hernia is directed towards the canal, if there is a possibility of spinal cord injury.

The benefits of gymnastics

Physiotherapy with a hernia of the lumbar spine is absolutely necessary both after surgery and during conservative treatment. Only she is able to smoothly change the state of the elements of the spine. To help her, and is used.

Due to the stretching of the spine, the hernia is minimized. Thanks to the creation of a muscular corset, the discs are released from pressure and their height increases, the muscles themselves become stronger and more resilient. Finally, therapeutic exercises will reduce the weight that almost always accompanies hernias.

Best of all, an individual complex for you will be selected by a specialist, he must also check your execution technique. You yourself can not calculate the load and cause deterioration.

Basic training rules

The wrong opinion is that physiotherapy exercises for hernias are contraindicated. It is unrealistic to restore the mobility of the spine and its strengthening without exercise therapy.

All exercises are performed lying down or on all fours, never sitting or standing.

This is understandable: the vertical load on the vertebrae is always the greatest. For classes, you need a gymnastic mat that will provide a moderate hardness of the surface. There should be no drafts, clothes should be light, natural.

Stretching the spine, strengthening its muscles and general strengthening techniques are mandatory. In the acute period, classes are excluded. First, the pain is relieved with medication.

Exercise should only be slow and smooth, without jerks. The weight is the weight of the person himself, although special ones can be used.

Graduality is the main key to success: there should be no more than 5 repetitions, the loads for the beginning are minimal, it is impossible to perform the entire complex at once.

You need to go to training at least 2 times a week, for a start, the duration of classes should be no more than 5 minutes. Physical education should be stable and regular.

If you stop exercising when you feel better, the pain will soon return because the muscles will become weak again. It is necessary to accept the fact that now gymnastics must always be performed. Before classes, a lumbar massage is very indicated to warm up the muscles.

Forbidden exercises

You can not do the following with a hernia of the spine:

• tilts with dumbbells or other weights;
• the use of a fitball;
• any kind of twisting of the spine;
• jumping, pushing, running;
• you can not jump up sharply from a horizontal position;
• exercises can not be performed with malaise, hyperthermia, internal pathologies.

It is also necessary to get used to the idea that gymnastics is performed for a long time, stretching of the spine should occur very gradually. In the end, you yourself brought your spine to this state, which means that you must be patient now. Most importantly, don't get discouraged.

Types of therapeutic training

For the spine with a hernia, there are 3 modes of exercise:

• for an acute period - sparing;
• recovery period - treatment-training mode, which prepares the muscles for activity;
• training mode - aimed at creating a corset of muscles, and this increases the flexibility of the spine.

There are several methods of practicing with a hernia of the lower back:

• - its effectiveness has been proven repeatedly;
• Dr. Bubnovsky's technique - using special simulators;
• Dikul's system - his set of exercises is aimed at maintaining muscle tone.

Stretching of the vertebrae

The following exercises are used to stretch the spine:

What will help in the acute period?

Exercises for a hernia of the spine are also acceptable in the acute period, but special ones. Bed rest is observed, the bed is preferably wide, it is required. The most optimal position is on your back with bent legs or lying on your side. Allowed exercises with the adoption of relaxing poses:

• lying on the stomach with a roller;
• lying on your back, put your feet on a special bench so that a right angle is formed at the knee, you can stay in these positions for 10 minutes 3-4 times a day.

When the pain subsides, exercises for tension of the hands and feet are added - twice a day for 5 minutes. This is sliding with the feet and squeezing the brush into a fist. Lying on your back, on a fairly elastic mattress, make attempts to slowly bend your legs alternately. Even later, head rotations in a circle with a pose on all fours join.

Recovery period of the disease. In parallel with treatment, after 2–3 weeks, with a decrease in pain, the exercises become more difficult: now gymnastics for a hernia of the lumbar sacral department spine aims to increase muscle tone. IP ( initial position) - on the back or stomach. Isometric exercises for tension. Tension pose time - 7 seconds. So where to start:

1. Exercise "Half-cobra" - raising the head, lying on the stomach. Then also 1 or 2 hands according to fitness.
2. Rounding the back, standing on all fours.
3. "Boat" - lifting the torso and legs with arms extended forward from a prone position.
4. Lying on your side, moving your legs to the side.

Full comprehensive program

Starting the lesson, put a soft roller with a diameter of 3–4 cm under the lumbar region. When doing the exercises, be sure to focus on your pain, if they appear, stop performing this complex.

You should not rush to the records and give all the best to the last, this is not allowed.

What exercises can be done with a hernia:

1. First you need to breathe in your stomach. IP - lying on your back, legs bent, hands folded on the stomach. It is necessary with deep 10 breaths and exhalations, control the movements of the abdomen with your hands. It is very beneficial for the heart and diaphragm.
2. Abduction of arms and legs. The same IP, it is necessary to straighten the bent leg and take it to the side, at the same time take the opposite arm to the side. 10 repetitions will be enough. This exercise helps to stretch the muscles and coordinate movements.
3. Throwing a leg over the leg - lying on the floor, throw your legs alternately on top of each other, bending them at the knee. Clasp your hands behind your head. 10 repetitions. This strengthens the abdominal muscles. One of the more difficult variations of this exercise is to try to get the opposite heel with your hand with your leg thrown up.
4. Foot rotation. IP - lying on your back, legs extended, shoulder width apart. Rotate simultaneously with the feet and hands of bent arms, 5 circles on each side.
5. Calf stretch. IP does not change. Alternately pull the toe of the outstretched leg towards you for 10 seconds to stretch calf muscle. Reps 5.
6. Grasp the knees with your hands - lying on your back, alternately pull your legs to your chest, clasping your knees. 5-7 repetitions.
7. Sliding your hands over your thighs. IP - lying on the floor. It is necessary to slowly slide your hand along the thigh, gradually bending the torso in the same direction. At the same time, the other hand slides up from the other side. The exercise is performed 5-8 times.
8. Lying knees turns, arms thrown back. It is necessary to lower the bent legs to the sides alternately to a state of comfort - 10 times. Heels do not come off the floor.
9. "Home" - standing on all fours, back straight, socks on the floor. Slowly raise the pelvis up until an angle appears between the legs and the torso, the back is straight all the time - stand like this for 5-10 seconds, return to the PI. Legs can not be fully straightened, kept half-bent. Repeat 5 times.
10. Leg abduction to the side - from a lying position, it is necessary to raise the legs 10 times on each side.
11. Exercise "Cat": standing on all fours, you need to slowly bend the spine, like an awakened cat - 10 times.

There are also 3 more classic exercise therapy exercises with a hernia of the lumbar spine:

1. IP - lying on your back with bent legs. It is necessary to hold your breath and strain your stomach while inhaling, then relax with an exhalation. The number of repetitions is 15.
2. IP is the same. It is necessary to lift the torso and legs at the same time for 10 seconds - “Boat”. Repeat 15 times with a 10 second break.
3. IP is the same. Bend the leg a little, try to push it away with your hand, and push the brush out with your knee at this time - such a tense movement lasts 10 seconds, followed by relaxation. There are 10 such repetitions with a 15-second break.

It is not recommended to choose any of the above exercises without the consent of your doctor. Such actions can only further aggravate the situation.

As you know, it is a protrusion of the fibrous ring, which can continue until it ruptures, as a result of which the nucleus pulposus moves towards the protrusion, until it falls into the spinal canal. As a result, the nerve endings of the spinal cord are compressed, which respond to this effect with severe pain, and the work of some internal organs may be disrupted. An intervertebral hernia can form in any part of the spine, but most often it manifests itself in the cervical and lumbar regions. The basis of treatment (not counting the moment of pain relief) are physical exercise for the spine with a hernia, which allow you to restore the muscle corset and improve the condition of the ligamentous apparatus, thereby preventing relapses of the disease.

Causes of the appearance of an intervertebral hernia

Any disease is much easier to prevent than to cure.

Such a problem does not arise at one moment, it is the result of long-term negative processes that occur in the spine and in the body in general, and these processes last for many years. But the very manifestation of the disease occurs after exposure to a provoking factor, which is a kind of “last straw”, and not the cause of the onset of the disease. Most often, such a provoking effect is the wrong lifting of a heavy load, when the weight is lifted not with the legs, but with the back.

The cause of a herniated disc is the degenerative processes that occur in the discs. The reasons for these processes are:

• wrong load on the back. This is not only about lifting weights incorrectly, it is also important to follow, work in a comfortable position, etc. Failure to follow the simplest rules leads to the fact that the destruction of the intervertebral discs is accelerated;
• lack of water in the body has an extremely negative effect on connective tissues, including intervertebral discs. The main task of the discs is the spring function, they can fully perform it only if there is a sufficient amount of fluid that they absorb from the surrounding tissues. If there is little fluid, then the discs will literally dry out, which will seriously increase the likelihood of a hernia;
• lack of moderate physical activity. It is not for nothing that the basis of treatment for a hernia of the spine is physical exercises, but they are also needed in everyday life. Thanks to just such exercises, the ligaments and muscles of the spine develop, the task of which is to maintain the spine in optimal condition. In addition, the intervertebral discs "feed" (receive the necessary nutrients, as well as get rid of unnecessary ones) through diffusion. For it to be successful, a certain load is needed, which will improve blood circulation. And the easiest way to create such conditions is with the help of physical exercises.
• is a serious problem and proper nutrition. Both the spine and the intervertebral discs constantly need certain trace elements that can only enter the human body with food. The most important of them are known to all - calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, etc. With a lack of these elements, the bone tissue becomes porous and weak, and the intervertebral discs begin to collapse. So proper nutrition is essential for back health.

Basic rules for performing exercises with a hernia of the spine

You need to start performing such exercises immediately after you managed to cope with the pain syndrome. But at the same time, certain rules must be observed, otherwise physical. exercises for a hernia of the spine instead of benefit will be harmful.

Exercises for a herniated spine should be performed after you cope with pain syndromes

1. When choosing exercises, you must carefully monitor your own condition and the absence of pain. This is necessary because the protrusion of the intervertebral disc could occur in any direction. It is necessary to perform those exercises that do not cause any discomfort, it is these exercises for the treatment of spinal hernia that will be really useful. If during the exercise there is a slight feeling of discomfort, then it must also be performed, but as carefully and carefully as possible. The exceptions are those exercises, during which there is a sharp pain in the spine. It is clear that it makes sense to postpone such exercises "until better times", but they can act as a kind of diagnostician. If after a while you repeat this exercise and it causes less pain, then you are moving in the right direction.

2. At the initial stages, those exercises that involve "twisting" the torso should be avoided.

3. Avoid blows to the back, jumps and sudden shocks.

4. You need to do the exercises as often as possible throughout the day (2-6 times), but at the same time divide the set of exercises into several separate parts that you will perform at different times.

5. Do not apply sudden efforts to problem areas of the spine.

6. You need to start exercises with a minimum amplitude and load, and only then gradually increase them.

7. No need to try to recover in one day, instantly "setting" all the vertebrae and discs at once. The spine must be restored gently, while it is necessary to gradually increase blood circulation in the diseased area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe spine.

Exercises for lumbar hernia of the spine

In most cases, a herniated disc appears in the lumbar region. The set of exercises below is standard, it is aimed at people who have been suffering from a herniated disc for a long time. But it should be borne in mind that the treatment is almost always individual, which means that the attending physician may recommend additional exercises to this complex. In general, the purpose of these exercises is to strengthen and develop the functionality of the spine, as well as the general training of the muscles of the body.

Exercise 1

Lie on your back, stretch your arms along the body, legs should be in a slightly bent position. When performing the exercise, do not hold your breath. Tighten your abdominal muscles until firm. You can control the condition of the muscles by placing your hands on your stomach. This exercise is performed 10-15 times.

Exercise 2

It is also performed lying on your back, arms lie along the body, legs should be extended. It is necessary to slightly raise the body, while the legs should be on the floor all the time. This position is maintained for 10 seconds, after which the body must be slowly lowered, returning to its original position. After completing the exercise, take a short break, no more than 10 seconds. This exercise is repeated 10-15 times.

Exercise 3

The starting position is lying on your back, while the legs should be slightly bent. It is necessary to stretch the right arm forward, placing the brush on the knee of the left leg. Then you start bending left leg, while resisting the leg with the right hand, preventing the leg from approaching the head. This exercise is performed with an effort of about 10 seconds, after which the starting position is slowly and smoothly taken. This is followed by rest for 10-15 seconds. Such an exercise is performed 5-10 times, after which it is necessary to change the arm and leg (the left hand rests on the right leg), repeat the exercise another 5-10 times. During rest, you should relax the muscles of the trunk, arms and legs as much as possible.
Video:

Therapeutic exercise for a hernia in the cervical spine

The following set of exercises is performed with a hernia of the spine in the cervical region. But it should be noted that the cervical region in many ways is very "capricious", so the exercise should be approached with caution. In addition, the exercises are selected individually, so the attending physician can add some exercises to the complex below. Also, exercises should not be performed during the period of an acute course of the disease, on the contrary, during this period it is recommended to wear a fixing bandage, which will provide rest to the diseased vertebrae and discs.

Turning the head to the right to the left with a hernia cervical spine

The above exercises of the complex are aimed at restoring the elasticity of the neck muscles and improving the mobility of the vertebrae.

Exercise 1

Performed sitting or standing, arms lowered along the body. It is necessary to perform smooth turns of the head to the extreme right, and then to the extreme left position. The exercise is repeated 5-10 times. With a lightweight version, small turns are made to the sides.

Exercise 2

The starting position is similar to the previous exercise. You need to gently lower your head down, trying to press your chin to your chest. It is performed 5-10 times.

Exercise 3

It is performed standing or sitting, with arms lowered along the body. Slowly throws the head back, while you need to retract the chin. The exercise is repeated 5-10 times.
Video:

It should be noted that any exercises should be performed only after consulting a doctor. The above sets of exercises for a hernia of the spine will not hurt, of course, but only a doctor will be able to take into account all the nuances, taking into account your specific case.

Also, do not forget that the exercises performed after surgery to remove a hernia of the spine may differ slightly from the above complexes.

We offer you a complex developed by exercise therapy specialists at the Moscow Center for the Rehabilitation of Sick and Disabled Persons on the basis of City Clinical Hospital No. 10.

Exercises must be performed lying down, making more gentle movements - with a smaller amplitude or shorter duration on the affected side. It is better to do at the same time, 25-30 minutes, making intervals for rest between exercises.

1. Starting position: lying on your back. Place your arms bent at the elbows chest. Arch your chest, making a kind of half-bridge, linger in this position, lower yourself to the starting position, relax. The optimal number of repetitions is 7-8 times.

2. Starting position: lying on your back. Bend your knees, arms along the body. Slowly lift the pelvis up, squeezing the buttocks, linger in this position, tensing the muscles of the back and lower back, lower yourself. The optimal number of repetitions is 6-7 times.

3. Starting position: lying on your back. Legs are straightened, outstretched arms lie on the floor. Straining your back muscles, try to rise a few centimeters above the floor, leaning on your palms and shoulders. Repeat 3-4 times.

4. Starting position: lying on your back. Hands behind your head. Bend one knee, pull it to your chest, straighten it, lower it. Repeat the exercise with each leg 6-7 times.

5. Starting position: lying on your back. Raise your left arm and left leg at the same time up, hold in the air for 8 seconds, lower. Do the same with the right arm and leg. Repeat 6-7 times.

6. Starting position: lying on your back. Arms and legs are straightened. Raise one leg straight up, the other bent at the knee. Hold for 10-20 seconds. Slowly lower and repeat the exercise, changing the bent and straight legs. Repeat 7-8 times.

7. Starting position: lying on the stomach. Press the palms of the arms bent at the elbows to the ears, lift the upper half of the body up, hold, lower to the starting position. Repeat 5-6 times.

8. Starting position: lying on the stomach. With the palms of your hands bent at the elbows, rest on the floor at chest level. Lift your upper body up, bend. Get down. Repeat 7-8 times.

9. Starting position: lying on the stomach. Arms to the sides, relaxed, legs bent at the knees. Chatter your feet.

10. Get on all fours, palms shoulder-width apart, looking inward. Stretch your pelvis back, sinking to the floor, then move forward, as if you had to crawl under a low fence, almost slide your chest across the floor, straighten up. Repeat 8-10 times.

11. Standing on all fours, “walk” with your elbows on the floor back and forth. The back is straight.

12. Standing on all fours, move your knees across the floor to the right and left. Repeat 4-6 times.

Article publication date: 05/06/2015

Article last updated: 11/10/2018

Therapeutic exercise is the main method in the conservative. Regular exercise with a lumbar hernia gives a much greater effect than taking medication. Gymnastics helps to avoid surgery, prevent complications, exacerbations and progression of the disease. Back exercises unload the spine and relieve pain, restore flexibility and help restore mobility.

An example of a complex during an exacerbation of the disease

With an exacerbation of the intervertebral lumbar hernia, a limited number of exercises are allowed. All of them are performed from the supine position, when the spine is completely unloaded, and the pressure inside the discs in the lumbar region is reduced by half compared to the vertical position.

Exercises with flexion of the spine (kyphosis), with turns and twists (rotational), which can lead to disc displacement, are prohibited.

Perform all exercises from 5 to 15 times, rest between them: breathe deeply while lying on your back, focusing only on breathing and relaxing your body as much as possible.

Starting position (IP)	Execution technique
Lying on your back	On the count of one to five, pull the toes away from you, on the count of six to ten - on yourself.
Lying on your back	Raise the straightened right leg above the floor by 15–20 cm and hold it for a count of one to ten. Repeat with the left leg.
Lying on your back	Slowly bend your knees and bring your heels to your buttocks without lifting your feet (as if sliding them along the floor). Then slowly straighten your legs.
	Helping with your hands (you can clasp your knee), slowly pull the bent right leg to the chest. In this case, the back should be firmly pressed to the floor, the spine should be straight (do not bend, do not raise your head or pelvis). Return to IP. Repeat with the left leg.

A sample set of exercises for lower back pain. Please consult with your doctor before performing

An example of a complex outside of a hernia exacerbation

With a disc herniation without exacerbation, exercises are allowed from the supine and standing positions on all fours. The complex includes exercises for stretching the spine with flexion and extension, turns are allowed. Sharp movements are excluded.

All exercises also perform from 5 to 15 times and rest between them.

(if the table is not fully visible, scroll to the right)

IP	Execution technique
Lying on your back	Exercise "Bicycle".
Lying on your back, legs bent at the knees, heels pressed to the buttocks	Grasp your knees with your hands and pull both legs to your chest, at the same time raise your head and try to reach your knees with your chin, as if curling up into a ball. Fix the pose for a count of one to five. Slowly return to IP.
Standing on all fours	Slowly bend your back (hunch over) while inhaling, while exhaling - bend the spine as much as possible, slightly throwing back your head.
Standing on all fours	Hold on the weight of the straightened right arm and left leg for a count of one to ten. Repeat for the left arm and right leg.
Standing on all fours	Lower the pelvis to the left, sit down. Return to IP. Lower the pelvis to the right, sit down.
Standing on all fours	Tilt your head while bringing your right knee to your chin. Return to IP. Repeat with the left leg.
Standing on all fours	Tilt your pelvis back, squatting on your heels.

Exercise "cat"

Video lessons

A very good, integral complex in which movements are combined with breathing exercises:

Simple exercises for the back that do not require special training; suitable for daily execution Houses:

Five rules of training

Choose a complex together with an exercise therapy instructor, after consulting with a neurologist or orthopedist. Provide the instructor with an extract from the medical history or a referral from the attending physician. Be sure to ask him to teach you how to properly perform the necessary exercises and test your technique. Check the list of prohibited exercises.

It may be that physical education is contraindicated for you.

Gradually increase the load on the spine (the complexity of the exercises and the duration of the exercises). With a herniated disc, intensive loads are prohibited. Start with the simplest movements for 5 minutes a day, adding a minute at each subsequent lesson.

Perform all movements slowly and smoothly, without sudden jerks and jerks. Careless movements with a lumbar hernia can provoke an exacerbation or complication of the disease.

Combine the complex for the lower back with a hernia with exercises for other parts of the back and general strengthening gymnastics. This approach will make your physical activity"whole" and will strengthen the whole body.

In no case should training be accompanied by pain or exacerbate existing back pain! Pain is a danger signal that indicates correct execution movement or inadequate loading. You can’t tolerate it, and if even just unpleasant sensations arise, stop exercising, rest lying on your back; and then try to continue training, but with less load.

conclusions

For successful treatment of intervertebral hernia of the lumbar spine, be sure to do therapeutic exercises.

Trite, but important! Although all patients are aware of the benefits of gymnastics for the back, only a few of them do it regularly. Someone enthusiastically starts training, but abandons them after the first results; and someone is lazy or "cannot find the strength in himself" to practice every day.

All this may sound boring, but it is so simple and so important for successful treatment. In fact, patients are ready to pay for expensive medicines, massage courses or manual therapy, but so rarely do they overcome their own laziness, start exercising and do it all the time - they make it their habit for life.

With a herniated disc in the lumbar spine no other methods of treatment without gymnastics will ever give a good and stable result. Even an operation performed (let's forget about its complexity and risks for a second) does not guarantee a 100% recovery, and after it you still have to do gymnastics to recover.

Approach the choice of exercises for the lower back with caution (this is important), make a complex together with the exercise therapy doctor. Without consulting a doctor, do not use untested techniques and complex intense exercises, even if you find good reviews about them from friends or on the Internet. Inadequate load is dangerous and can provoke complications.

Be healthy!

Owner and responsible for the site and content: Afinogenov Alexey.

An intervertebral hernia, localized in one or another part of the spinal column, is a fairly common pathology of a modern upright person. In the pathogenesis of the disease is the deformation of the intervertebral disc (anatomical structure connecting the vertebrae) and its protrusion beyond the spinal column. The protruding part of the disc compresses nearby tissues, including nerves, blood vessels, and sometimes the spinal cord, which leads to the development of typical symptoms of the disease and dysfunction of the spine and internal organs.

The disease is often associated with osteochondrosis of the spine, considering it one of the main causes of deformation of the intervertebral discs. However, the list of causes and factors predisposing to pathology is much wider, and it develops due to improper loads on the spine.

Treatment of the disease is complex, selected individually depending on the stage of the disease, the general condition of the patient and comorbidity, includes methods of conservative therapy, and in some cases resort to surgical intervention. Therapeutic exercises for hernia of the spine is an essential element of treatment, helps to strengthen muscles, activate blood circulation in the affected segment of the spine and reduce symptoms.

Features of gymnastics with a herniated disc

Treatment of a hernia with exercises contributes to the formation of adaptive mechanisms that are aimed at establishing physiological balance in the affected segment of the spine. Classes can prevent further progression of the disease, accelerate the processes of resorption, which lead to resorption or a significant reduction in the size of the hernial protrusion. Physical activity accompanies the main therapy, treatment regimen, diet and other measures prescribed by the doctor and, if performed correctly, leads to:

• pain reduction;
• elimination of other symptoms (tingling, headaches, numbness in the back, limbs, etc.);
• restoration of spine flexibility;
• increase in general tone and mood. And the right motivation, as you know, only contributes to the treatment of the disease.

For each section of the spinal column, there are separate sets of exercises. Depending on the stage and severity of the disease, classes are held in a sparing, therapeutic-training and training regimen. The first two lead to mobilization and stretching of the spine, as well as relaxation muscle tissue. The third is aimed at stabilizing the spinal column.

Rules for conducting exercises for a hernia of the spine:

All techniques, their combination, the number of repetitions should be selected by the doctor! With a sharp or incorrect movement, an infringement of the nerve roots or even a rupture of the fibrous ring of the damaged disc may develop. It is advisable to learn therapeutic exercises in a rehabilitation department under the guidance of an exercise therapy instructor, and at least consult with your doctor if it is possible to perform certain techniques in your particular case.

1. Any techniques that require sudden movements, high-amplitude tilts from a standing position, jumps, significant rotational movements trunk, deep squats, heavy lifting and strong twisting of the spinal column, as well as running.
2. Classes are held regularly, every day, in a pre-ventilated room, best of all on the floor on a special gymnastic rug.
3. All techniques are performed at a slow pace, smoothly and accurately, monitoring the condition and any sensations: dizziness, numbness, tingling and pain indicate that the exercise is performed incorrectly or is contraindicated in a particular case. If there is a slight pain after the first day of training, you should lie on your back on a flat surface, unload your back.
4. The load and range of motion increase gradually.
5. Technically complex exercises should not be attempted the first time. The spine should become more flexible, and this is possible only after 1-2 months of training.
6. Each exercise, unless otherwise indicated, is repeated 5-10 times.
7. After class, there should not be severe fatigue. If this is the case, you need to reduce the duration of exercise therapy and the number of repetitions.
8. In addition to the complex, additionally during the day, subject to good health and an adequate reaction of the body, the following are recommended:
   • morning exercises in the form of a 10-minute warm-up;
   • short warm-ups and unloading of the spinal column every 2 hours;
   • unloading the back before going to bed (calm walk, swimming, breathing exercises Strelnikova).

How can a therapeutic effect be quickly achieved? It is difficult to answer this question, even in mild cases, treatment can stretch for a period of six months to several years. In any case, one should not hope for an instant cure (and even more so to believe in dubious methods and healers who promise to get rid of a hernia in a week). This is a long process that requires patience and perseverance from the patient.

Exercises in the acute period with intervertebral hernias of different localization

Gymnastics for the back with a hernia in the acute period eliminates the direct load on the spine (including active movements) and is aimed at complete relaxation of the muscles in the affected segment. In parallel, movements are carried out with tension in the muscles of the arms and legs and other parts of the body. This unique combination provides the maximum effect and leads to a significant improvement in the condition, stretching of the spine and elimination of discomfort in the limbs.

Training is carried out from a supine position, on a hard, flat surface.

Execution technique	Effect	Picture
Lie on your back. Close your eyes and try to relax your body as much as possible. Perform deep even breaths and exhalations. Run for at least 5 minutes.	Relaxation of muscle tissue and relieving tension from the spinal column.
The starting position is the same. Slowly pull your toes towards you to feel the stretch in your spine, then relax. Repeat 4 more p.	Stretching of the spine.
Bend your knees in a sliding motion so that your feet do not come off the floor. Slowly bring your knees to your chest, wrapping your arms around your shins and pressing them to you. Bend your head, try to reach your knees with your chin. Fix this position, as if curling up into a ball. Repeat 1 p.
Lying flat on your back, arms parallel to the body, calm breathing: quickly squeeze and unclench your fingers. Repeat 10 p.	Normalization of blood circulation in the upper limbs, elimination of paresthesias.
Lie on your back. Spread your arms, bend them at the elbow joint and clench your hands into a fist, try to touch your shoulder with your fists. Then straighten your arms and relax your hands. Repeat 10 p. at a fast pace.	Strengthening the muscles of the shoulder, restoring blood circulation, getting rid of paresthesia.
Alternately pull the toe of the left, then the right foot. Repeat counting from 1 to 20 at a fast pace.	Normalization of blood circulation and getting rid of paresthesia in the lower extremities.

What exercises to do with a hernia in remission

The complex should begin with techniques performed on the back. After mastering the latter, you can add exercises on the stomach, all fours from their sitting position. But exercises from a standing position with an intervertebral hernia are not recommended even after stabilization of the spinal column, since they give the maximum load on it (the exception is the pathology of the cervical region).

Execution technique	Effect	Picture
Lie on your back, raise your head and keep it in the air, counting to 10, while pulling on your toes. Repeat 4 p.	Strengthening muscle tissue, upper back and neck. Stretching of the spine.
Lie on your back, raise your head and keep it on the weight, counting to 5, raising the straightened right leg and holding it at a distance of 15 cm on the weight. Repeat the same technique with the left leg. Repeat 4-8 p.	Strengthening the muscles of the back.
Lie on your back, and "turn the bike", first with one leg, then with the second. Start at 30 sec. minute on each leg, bring to 2.5 minutes.	Strengthening the muscles of the legs and back.
Lie on your back, arms to the sides, bend your knees, put your feet on the floor. Tilt your legs to the right and left, performing a gentle twist in the lumbar region.	Restoration of mobility and flexibility in the lumbar spine.
Lie on your stomach, stretch your arms forward, palms down. Tear straight arms and legs off the floor (slightly, to a height of about 10 cm) and fix this position for 10 seconds. Repeat 2 p.	Strengthening the muscular corset of the back.
Lie on your stomach, arms parallel to the body. Quickly bend your knees, trying to touch your buttocks with your heels. Repeat 10 times.	Stretching the spine, improving blood circulation in the legs, strengthening the back muscles.
Get on all fours, bend your back, raising your chin up. Then arch your back in an arc, lowering your head down. Repeat 5-10 times at a slow pace.	Improving the flexibility of the spinal column.
Sit on the floor, slowly tilt your head back and forth, and then left and right.	Restoration of flexibility in the cervical region.
Hang on the bar on straightened arms so that the body is in weight, but without push-ups, as much as possible. This exercise can be performed only in consultation with the doctor - in some cases, stretching the spine leads to even more muscle spasm!	Unloading and stretching of the spine.

Gymnastics for the back with hernias of different localization in remission

Exercises for cervical hernia

You can start them after the acute period has passed, the main symptoms have gone or have significantly decreased. Exercises for a hernia of the cervical region help to improve blood circulation in the brain and damaged areas, eliminate pain in the neck and head, and tinnitus. They help to restore the mobility of the spinal column, increase its flexibility, relieve tense muscles.

Execution technique	Picture
Lie on your back on a soft gymnastic mat or a flat couch. Gently, without strong emphasis, press the back of your head on the couch / rug. Then, from the same position, press the back of the head on the hand. Do several approaches.
Lie on your back and raise your head above the floor at an angle of 45 °. Try to hold it in this position for 10 seconds. Repeat 5 p.
Lie on your stomach and press your forehead against the surface (similar to the above). Then, from the same position, press the back of the head on the hand.
Sit on a chair or on the floor with a straight back. Alternately lower and raise your shoulders. Repeat for 3 min.
Sit on a chair or on the floor with a flat back (or become, if it is more convenient), relax your hands and put them on your knees or on your belt (if the exercise is performed while standing). Turn your head left and right, at first with a small amplitude, gradually increasing the angle of rotation. Shoulder girdle must be fixed.
The exercise is performed similarly to the one described above, but the head is tilted back and forth, trying to touch the chin to the chest notch. However, you can’t tilt your head back too much. The shoulder girdle must be fixed.
From a sitting position, slowly turn your head to the right, then fix for 5 seconds. in this position, and to the left, also fix for 5 seconds.
Get on all fours and slowly lower your head down so that it hangs freely, and with its weight, as it were, stretches the spine. Stay in this position for 1-2 minutes.

Exercises for chest hernia

The lesion in this department develops slowly and often occurs against the background of injuries or osteochondrosis. Gymnastics for the spine with a hernia thoracic improves the mobility of the spinal column, provides the possibility of deep breathing.

Execution technique	Picture
Sit on a chair, put your hands behind your head and bend back so that your back is pressed against the top of the back of the chair. After that, lean forward. Repeat 3-4 p.
Sit on a chair, put your hands behind your head, upper back should rest against the edge of the back of the chair. Perform backbends similarly to those described above, but with the observance of the breathing technique: inhaling when bending back and exhaling when bending forward. Repeat the exercise 3-4 p.
Lie on your back on a straight surface, put a medium-hard roller with a diameter of 10 cm under the thoracic region. Put your hands behind your head. Bend and inhale, then lift the torso and exhale. Repeat 3-4 rows, moving the roller along the spine.
Lie on your back, bend and pull your legs to your chest. Slowly understand the head and bring the forehead closer to the knees, slowly taking the initial position. Repeat 10 p.
Lie on the floor, bend your knees, put your elbows on the floor at shoulder level. From this position, raise the body to form a small bridge, fix the position and lower. Repeat 5 p.
Sit on a chair and wrap a towel around the lower part of the chest, grab the free ends of the towel with your hands. Inhale deeply, and as you exhale pull off the towel. Take a breath, loosening the tension of the towel. Repeat 5-10 p.
Get on the floor, put your legs a little apart. Stretch your arms above your head, while with your left hand grab the wrist of your right hand. Tilt to the left, while sipping your right hand. On the right side there will be a feeling of stiffness of the lateral muscles of the chest. Change hands and repeat in the opposite direction. Run 5-10 p. to each side. Exercise is permissible only after six months of training!

Exercises for lumbar hernia of the spine

Gymnastics helps to strengthen the muscular corset, improve blood circulation, develop adaptive mechanisms to restore physiological balance in the lumbar spine. Exercises for lumbar hernia reduce disc protrusion, help eliminate blocking of the nerve roots.

Lie on your stomach and stretch your arms forward. Slowly raise your arms and legs, arch your torso and hold this position for 3 seconds, then try to bend even more, feeling the tension in the muscles of the lower back. Slowly lower yourself to the starting position. Repeat 4-5 p.
Lie on your stomach, bend your arms at the elbows, rest your palms on the floor shoulder-width apart. Slowly raise a healthy leg (which does not give pain from the back) and bend. Hold the position for 3 seconds. and get down on the floor. Repeat 4-5 p.
Lie on your stomach, at the same time stretch your right arm up and forward, and your left leg back slightly up. Then change arms and legs. It should feel like the spine is stretching.
Get on all fours. On inspiration, hunch over (bend your back up) and hold this position for a couple of seconds, and on exhalation, bend down, throwing your head back. Repeat 4-5 p.
Lie on your back, bend your legs at the knees. Raise the pelvis, straining the muscles of the buttocks. Hold the body at the top for 3-5 seconds and slowly lower to the floor. Repeat 4-5 times.
Lie on your back and alternately pull your legs bent at the knees to your chest, hold at the top for a few seconds and slowly return to the starting position. Repeat 5 p. on each leg.
Lie on your back and perform “bicycle” leg movements for 1-3 minutes.
Lie on your back, stretch your arms in front of you, bend your legs slightly at the knees, slowly raise upper part body, stretching to the knees. Stay in this position for 10-15 seconds, lie down slowly. Repeat 3 p.

With a hernia of the lumbar spine, yoga, swimming in the pool, Pilates, body flex and special training systems according to the authors are also useful.

Bubnovsky's exercises for hernia deserve special attention, with which the doctor and his colleagues teach patients in kinesitherapy centers. All methods are based on the use of internal reserves of the body, i.e. on self-healing. In addition, in the centers of Bubnovsky there are special simulators developed by him, which enhance the effect of training. Bubnovsky's gymnastics is unique: medical complexes cannot be found on the Internet, they are developed individually for each patient, taking into account the restorative capabilities of the body. Many people who have been treated in the doctor's centers consider themselves absolutely healthy people. However, not everyone, including those in the medical community, supports the author's method of treatment; they consider it dangerous to completely abandon drug treatment, which is positioned by Bubnovsky.

Exercises after hernia removal

An early recovery period eliminates the load on the spine, so exercise therapy can be prescribed no earlier than 2-4 weeks after the operation.

A well-established exercise program that all patients adhere to after hernia removal does not exist today. Rehabilitation and the choice of specific methods depend on the degree of complexity of the disease, and on the method of surgical intervention, and on the characteristics of the patient's body. For each period of rehabilitation, a set of exercises is selected, it is very important not to exceed the permissible load and, in general, to observe a sparing, restrictive regimen that will avoid relapse.

Exercise for a herniated disc is not a panacea, but a proven, effective and free way to control the disease and improve your health!