Exercises for thoracic osteochondrosis: a complex for home implementation

Daily physical therapy exercises for thoracic osteochondrosis are the most effective way to treat it. At the initial stage of the disease, regular exercise often allows you to completely stop taking medications. By strengthening the back muscles, the patient’s well-being quickly improves - pain in the thoracic region and stiffness of movement disappear. A physical therapy doctor is present at the first classes and tells you how to do the exercises correctly and dose the load.

In what cases can exercises help with thoracic osteochondrosis?

Neurologists and vertebrologists refer patients with thoracic osteochondrosis to a physical therapy doctor immediately after eliminating severe pain. The stage of the pathology does not matter. But it must be taken into account by the physical therapy doctor when compiling a set of exercises. The more pronounced the damage to the intervertebral discs and vertebrae, the more carefully the physical activity is dosed.

Physical therapy exercises, as a method of therapy, are especially useful for already developed complications of thoracic osteochondrosis. Doing exercises and daily exercises help get rid of shortness of breath, pain in the heart, a sore feeling and a “coma” in the throat. It is also recommended for patients with progressive osteochondrosis extending to the cervical discs.

The pictures show a decrease in the gap between the vertebrae in the thoracic region.

Clinical manifestations

Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis imitate other pathologies - genital organs, stomach, heart, kidneys, lungs. Damage to the skin is often observed - itching, rashes, peeling. Because of this, it is difficult to make an accurate diagnosis - the patient complains of heartburn, nausea, flatulence, angina pectoris or renal colic, although in fact he has pinched nerve roots in the chest area. The doctor is required to be extremely attentive and have a detailed conversation with the patient so as not to miss a single detail. Often, the help of specialized specialists is required - a cardiologist, gastroenterologist, pulmonologist, nephrologist.

Most often, thoracic osteochondrosis is manifested by the following symptoms:

pressing pain in the chest (behind the breastbone);
difficulty breathing;
pain syndrome, which is concentrated not only in the area of pinching, but also in the upper extremities when they are sharply raised or when the torso is bent;
“pins and needles”, numbness, itching in the legs;
pain between the shoulder blades;
poor circulation in the lower extremities (cold feet);
problems with stool (diarrhea, constipation);
intercostal neuralgia.

On a note. Gymnastics for osteochondrosis of any localization is most effective at the first stage. In advanced cases, it is unlikely to help, as, indeed, other methods of therapy. Osteochondrosis is a pathology that is easier to prevent than to cure.

Training effectiveness

Daily exercises help increase the range of motion in the thoracic spine and eliminate muscle spasms. And after performing stretching exercises, the distance between adjacent discs and vertebrae increases. They stop squeezing the spinal roots, which allows you to avoid the risk of acute, piercing pain. What positive changes are still happening:

surges in blood pressure, panic attacks, and dizziness, often caused by pinched vertebral arteries, disappear;
the muscles of not only the thoracic region, but also the entire back, as well as the neck and shoulder girdle are strengthened;
ventilation of the lungs improves, which allows patients not to worry about pain when taking a deep breath;
blood circulation in the area of vertebral structures affected by osteochondrosis is accelerated, nutrient reserves are replenished;
Correct posture is formed and the physiological curves of the spine are restored.

Physical therapy exercises are indicated not only for patients with osteochondrosis. They are recommended for people who are at risk of premature disc failure. As a rule, their work involves staying in one body position for a long time.

Indications

It is recommended for all people, without exception, to use this method. If there are any contraindications (congenital diseases of the spine), then the exercises are prohibited.

First of all, this course is suitable for people who lead a sedentary lifestyle. They can develop many diseases of the spine and joints. If you already have illnesses, then gymnastics will be important.

The course is recommended for people with various pathologies . Pathologies include:

Violation of the position of the spine.
Joint diseases.
Dorsalgia.
Pain in the neck and lower back.
Muscle weakness.
Osteochondrosis and spondylosis.

General rules of therapeutic exercises

Only compliance with all the rules of therapeutic exercises will help achieve the expected result. This is due to irreversible changes in the discs and vertebrae that have already occurred in the thoracic region. It is necessary to dose the loads so that strengthening the back muscles does not cause even greater destruction of the vertebral structures. The following medical recommendations should be followed:

warm up before training and stretch after it;
increase physical activity gradually as you build up your muscle corset;
completely eliminate any sudden movements that provoke microtrauma of the discs;
exercise every day, and skip workouts only because you feel unwell.

During classes, you need to listen to the sensations that arise. Pain, shortness of breath, and dizziness become signals to stop training. And if certain movements lead to a pleasant feeling of muscle stretching, then they need to be done more often - in 2, and sometimes in 3 approaches.

Causes of the disease

Thoracic osteochondrosis is a relatively rare disease of the spine. Its “share” in the total number of patients with osteochondrosis is about 15%. The fact is that the thoracic vertebrae, to which the ribs are attached, are not very mobile physiologically - on the contrary, they must provide stability for the chest organs. Therefore, their intervertebral discs are less susceptible to wear, injury and cracking, and vertebral displacements and hernias are rare. But osteochondrosis of the thoracic region is also “difficult to access” for treatment. Therefore, it is important to exclude or compensate for the following causes of the disease in advance:

excessive physical activity, incl. household, professional and sports;
poor posture and other deformations of the musculoskeletal system;
undeveloped muscle corset and poor physical shape;
overweight;
prolonged sedentary work without warming up (for example, working while driving or in front of a computer);
back injuries (not only thoracic, but also other parts);
gastrointestinal diseases;
bad habits;
infections;
hypothermia;
hormonal disorders;
chronic stress;
Excessive salt consumption and lack of habit of drinking water are the causes of long-term disturbances in the water-salt balance in the body;
incorrect selection of shoes and incorrect carrying of bags and other heavy items.

Other - unfortunately, cannot be completely eliminated - causes of thoracic osteochondrosis: circulatory disorders (with atherosclerosis or diabetes), metabolic syndrome, autoimmune diseases and genetic predisposition. In women, treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis may be required during multiple pregnancies.

It is important to prevent the disease - even if there are no indicative symptoms and sensations for the treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis. Only a doctor can assess the correct posture of a teenager. After all, for example, kyphosis often occurs smoothly and is imperceptible to a non-specialist. And in particularly advanced cases, by the age of 15 the first signs of degenerative processes in the vertebral joints may appear.

Fortunately, it is possible to start developing posture and treating thoracic osteochondrosis even at the age of 40!

A set of exercises for osteochondrosis of the thoracic region

The first classes do not last longer than 15-20 minutes. The back muscles must adapt to the loads that arise, so first you need to perform the simplest exercises. If there is no discomfort and increased mobility of the thoracic region, you can increase the training time to 30-40 minutes. And the exercise therapy doctor will include complex exercises in the treatment complex, but also more effective for osteochondrosis.

Sitting on a chair

Patients with thoracic osteochondrosis will need a chair, not a stool. When performing some exercises, you need to focus on its back:

sit in such a way that your shoulders and upper back are pressed tightly against the back of the chair. Try to bend back, arching your lower back, and then slightly lean forward;
sit up straight, put your hands on your shoulders. Try to lift them, resisting with your palms.

The number of approaches is from 5 to 10. Such exercises are often used for combined cervicothoracic osteochondrosis.

Lying on your back

For thoracic osteochondrosis of 2-3 degrees of severity, you will need a small pillow for exercise, which should be placed slightly above the lower back. What exercises are most effective:

Bend your legs at the knees, rest your feet on the floor. Raise your shoulders, trying to keep your neck motionless;
straighten your legs, spread your arms to the side. Raise one hand, place it behind the chest, trying to bring it as close as possible to the floor surface;
straighten your legs, place your arms arbitrarily and, without using them, try to roll over first on one side, then on the other.

Repeat the exercises 10-15 times. As your muscles strengthen, you should stop using the pillow.

On all fours

It is convenient to do therapeutic exercises in a standing position on all fours on a thick gymnastics mat. For thoracic osteochondrosis, the following exercises are usually included in the complex:

round your back, lowering your chin, and then bend it, raising your head up;
sit down without lifting your hands from the floor, stretch your lower back, and take the starting position of your body. Then straighten your legs, focusing on your hands, and bend well again.

Perform exercises 7-10 times. Hold in the position of maximum tension of the back muscles for 10-20 seconds.

For two

Paired gymnastic exercises are convenient to perform during training sessions conducted by a physical therapy doctor. At home, you should use the help of a family member. What exercises are most useful for damage to the thoracic discs and vertebrae:

sit down, spread your legs wide, rest your feet on the ground. Hold hands, bend forward and backward in turn;
press your backs together, grab with your elbows. Perform shallow bends without straining your back muscles too much;
stand with your backs to each other. Pass an object, such as a ball, first from the right and then from the left.

Repeat exercises 10 times. The effect of training is greater if the partner is approximately the same height and weight.

Complex for stretching the back muscles

After completing the main complex, you must definitely do stretching exercises to strengthen, increase muscle elasticity, and adapt to subsequent loads:

sit on a chair, or better yet, on a stool, wrap your arms around your chest, as if hugging yourself. Try to continue placing your hands behind your back;

stand up, press your legs together, bend over, trying to touch your forehead to your knees;
lie down, bend one leg and cross it behind the other, trying to touch the floor with your knee. Repeat the exercise in the opposite direction.

The number of approaches is arbitrary. When performing stretches, only pleasant sensations usually arise, so you can repeat them up to 20 times.

Respiratory

Patients with thoracic osteochondrosis often breathe shallowly, which reduces the mobility of the costovertebral and sternocostal joints. The following exercises will help increase the volume of air when inhaling:

sit up straight and wrap a narrow towel or scarf around your lower chest. While stretching the fabric with your hands, take deep breaths. At the maximum point of tension, hold your breath for 5 seconds;
sit down, raise your hands, clasping your fingers. Inhale deeply to tighten your abdominal muscles. As you exhale, bend first to one side, then to the other. Inhale again and stretch upward.

At the initial stage of training, you need to do the exercises about 5 times due to the high likelihood of dizziness. Gradually the number of approaches should be increased to 10-15.

In acute form of pathology

During a relapse of thoracic osteochondrosis, acute pain occurs in the area of damaged discs. Any sudden, awkward movement can intensify it. Therefore, doctors often do not recommend exercising during the acute period. If the pain is moderate, then the following exercises are allowed:

Lie on your stomach, stretch your arms to the side. Take a deep breath, slightly raise your head and arms. Stay in this position for 5 seconds, exhale, take the starting position;
turn on your back, put your hands behind your head, stretch, straining the muscles of your back, neck, and shoulder girdle;
lie on your stomach, stretch your arms along your body, relax. Try to bring your shoulder blades together only by tensing your muscles, and not by moving your arms or shoulders.

If osteochondrosis worsens, you can repeat the exercises no more than 5 times. In this case, movements should be smooth, slightly slow, without jerking.

Physical activity

Prevention of spinal diseases requires regular physical activity. Working out in the gym, long walks, running, and swimming help a lot.

One of the most effective activities is healthy walking, during which the main muscle groups are activated, the performance of the heart and respiratory organs improves, and energy consumption increases. Swimming is also used for preventive purposes, since water makes it possible to increase the range of joint movements and relax the muscles.

Stretching after exercise

During the period of remission, stretching after the main workout is successfully replaced by hanging on a horizontal bar or crossbar for 5-10 minutes. You can also do the following exercises:

sit sideways, spread your legs slightly, place your hands on your knees. Try to lean towards the back. When performed correctly, the exercise should tighten the lateral muscles of the back. Repeat movements in the other direction;
in a sitting position with a straight back, inhale deeply, bending back, trying to bring your shoulder blades as close as possible. Stay in this position for 5 seconds, and while exhaling, return to the starting position;

standing on all fours, place your hand under your stomach and pull it to the side, performing a twist. Repeat the exercise in the opposite direction.

Strengthening the spinal muscles is facilitated by alternate and then simultaneous lifting of the arms and legs while lying on the stomach.

Massage and self-massage

Massage is a fairly effective way to prevent osteochondrosis, thanks to which it is possible to eliminate excessive muscle tension and increase muscle tone. As a rule, the procedure is carried out in courses. Between sessions, muscle condition can be maintained with self-massage. One procedure should last about 10-15 minutes.

To avoid the development of spinal diseases, special attention should be paid to their prevention. It is necessary to properly organize the conditions of rest and work, do massage and perform physical exercises. Everyone is able to prevent the development of osteochondrosis with the help of simple preventive measures that do not take much time and bring long-term benefits and effects.

Contraindications for implementation

Acute, piercing pain in the back, radiating to the hips and shoulder blades, is an absolute contraindication for exercising. You should not perform exercises in the following pathological conditions:

tachycardia, bradycardia;
severe dizziness, loss of coordination of movements;
high or low blood pressure;
respiratory, intestinal infections;
elevated body temperature.

Training should be postponed in case of exacerbation of other chronic diseases. If you have recently undergone surgery, then performing exercises is strictly prohibited.