Exercises for a hernia of the lumbar spine
The content of the article:
-
Therapeutic exercises for hernia of the lumbar spine
- Warm up
- The main complex of gymnastics
- Recommendations for the exercise of exercise therapy
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Other methods
- Drug therapy
- Surgery
-
General information about the disease
- The reasons
- Symptoms
- Video
Correctly selected exercises for a hernia of the lumbar spine can significantly improve the patient's condition. Exercise, when done properly, can eliminate spasms, improve blood circulation and metabolic processes in tissues, reduce pain, and strengthen muscles.
If the patient begins to do gymnastics at home in the early stages of pathology, this can prevent the development of complications and allow avoiding surgery.
Perform therapeutic exercises for intervertebral hernias under the supervision of a specialist
A frequently used complex of physiotherapy exercises (exercise therapy) is Bubnovsky's gymnastics, which can be used to treat and prevent the development of degenerative-dystrophic diseases of the spine. However, it should be remembered that any exercise for this disease should be prescribed and selected by a doctor.
Therapeutic exercises for hernia of the lumbar spine
Warm up
Doing physical therapy at home is recommended to start with relaxing exercises.
To do this, you can use this method:
- Place a pillow on the chair.
- Lie on a chair with your stomach, leaving your legs bent at the knees.
- Relax your muscles as much as possible.
- Stay in this position for 3-5 minutes.
After relaxation, you can proceed to the main complex.
The main complex of gymnastics
Great importance in physical therapy for a hernia of the lumbar spine is given to the position of the body. Exercises from the supine position, on the stomach, on the side, and on all fours are usually recommended.
- The patient takes the starting position - lying on his back on the floor. The lower limbs need to be bent at the knees, the arms are located along the body. After that, you should tighten the abdominal muscles and do breathing exercises according to the scheme: inhale for eight, exhale for four. Repeat the exercise 12 times.
- For the next exercise, the person remains on the floor, but he should straighten the lower limbs, then raise the body without lifting the legs from the horizontal surface, stay in this position for about 10 seconds, return to the starting position, repeat all actions 15 times with rest intervals between sets of 15 seconds.
- In the supine position, the patient spreads his arms to the sides and bends his knees, after which one knee must be pulled to the chest, grabbed with his hands and pulled towards himself. The exercise is done 5-8 times for each leg in turn.
- The patient assumes a starting position on his back with his hands under his head. Bend one leg at the knee, leave the other on the floor. Pull the toe of a straight leg towards you for 10 seconds, do the same with the other leg. These steps are repeated 5 times for each limb.
- From a supine position, slowly slide the palm of one hand down the thigh, bending the torso in the appropriate direction. The other hand simultaneously slides up the opposite side of the body. The exercise must be repeated 5-8 times in each direction.
- In the prone position, spread the upper and lower limbs to the sides and try to stretch them as much as possible for 15 seconds. The exercise must be repeated 10 times.
- Lying on your stomach, spread your legs as far as possible without lifting them off the floor, and then bring them together. The exercise is repeated 5 times, 10 repetitions in 1 approach.
- In a lying position on your side, bend the upper leg at the knee and pull it to your chest, and then return to its original position. The exercise is performed 10 times in 1 approach, after which they turn over on the other side and do the same. It is recommended to do 5 approaches for each leg in one workout.
- Lying on its side, lower limbs straight. The leg that is on top must be lifted up and returned to its original position. The exercise is repeated 10 times for each leg.
- The starting position is standing on all fours. In this case, the arms should be straight, palms facing forward. After that, the patient lowers his head down, at the same time bending his back up, and returns to the starting position. Repeat the exercise 10 times in one lesson.
- Do push-ups from the floor 10 times, while controlling that the lower back and back remain straight. The exercise is repeated 5 times.
After completing the exercise cycle, it is recommended to lie on your back for a while, relaxing as much as possible.
Recommendations for the exercise of exercise therapy
The complex of physiotherapy exercises is one of the most effective ways to deal with the problem, however, it is necessary to start exercising after consultation and under the supervision of the attending physician, since attempts to conduct independent training (according to photo or video lessons) can lead to a displacement of the intervertebral (intervertebral) disc and deterioration the patient's condition.
You should also consider the following:
- Gymnastics are contraindicated during an exacerbation of the disease.
- In the first few months, specialists usually forbid the patient to perform crunches, as they can have a negative effect on the spinal column.
- Therapeutic exercises are usually recommended to be done daily, sometimes (on the recommendation of a doctor) - several times a day. The complex should take at least 20 minutes.
- Abrupt movements should be avoided. Exercises should be done slowly and smoothly, the load should be increased gradually and only with the permission of a specialist. When doing gymnastics, the patient needs to pay attention to his feelings. So, if the patient begins to experience pain during training, it should be stopped.
No equipment is required for practice, the patient may only need a mat. A roller can be used for some exercises.
Other methods
The doctor may recommend that the patient sleep on a hard surface. In some cases, spinal traction (traction therapy) shows good results.
Drug therapy
Depending on the cause of the development of the disease and the severity of the symptoms, certain drugs may be prescribed.
Table. Drugs prescribed for hernia of the lumbosacral spine
| Drug group | Indications |
| Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs | Prescribed in a short course, if necessary, to relieve pain, inflammation, a feeling of constriction in the affected area |
| Muscle relaxants | Used for muscle spasms |
| Antidepressants | Used when it is necessary to relieve psycho-emotional stress, which the patient cannot cope with on his own |
Surgery
This form of the disease often demonstrates resistance to conservative treatment. An absolute indication for the operation is the development of pronounced disorders against the background of clamping of the nerve roots (including fecal and urinary incontinence), the relative indications include the lack of effectiveness of the conservative treatment.
General information about the disease
An intervertebral hernia is a disease of the human musculoskeletal system, in which there is a displacement of a part of the affected intervertebral disc. According to statistics, this pathology most often occurs in the lumbar spine, less often hernias develop in the cervical spine, the most rare localization of the lesion is the thoracic spine.
In the lumbar spine, an intervertebral hernia develops most often
Degenerative-dystrophic diseases of the spine are detected in about 80% of the population aged 30 to 60 years.
The reasons
The main reasons for the development of the pathological process include:
- sedentary lifestyle;
- overweight;
- spinal injury;
- regular physical overload.
Symptoms
A patient with a hernia of the lumbosacral spine has:
- Pain. Aching pain often occurs with sudden movements, prolonged sitting, lifting weights. In the absence of adequate treatment, with the progression of the pathological process, pain sensations can become permanent. The pain can radiate to the buttock, thigh and lower leg on the affected side.
- Discomfort in the affected area, especially in a sitting position and during physical exertion (torso tilts, turns, etc.).
- Paresthesias. They arise due to compression of the nerve roots of the spinal cord by an enlarging hernia. The patient may complain of numbness in the lower extremities, groin, back, tingling sensation throughout the body.
- Muscle weakness. For this reason, some patients develop a shuffling gait.
- Violations of the pelvic organs. So, in some patients, fecal incontinence, urinary and potency disorders are observed.
Video
We offer for viewing a video on the topic of the article.
Anna Aksenova Medical journalist About the author
Education: 2004-2007 "First Kiev Medical College" specialty "Laboratory Diagnostics".
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