After sitting with your head down for a long time, will you feel neck pain, shoulder pain, or even headache and dizziness? This is a precursor to cervical spondylosis. The habit of lowering your head for a long time can easily lead to the straightening of cervical spine curvature, cervical spine arching, and even cervical disc herniation. Today I will teach you 5 stretching exercises, which can effectively improve the stiffness and soreness of the cervical spine. Long-term training can also improve the curvature of the cervical spine and prevent the occurrence of cervical spondylosis.
Before that, we must know that there must be a reason for the occurrence of cervical spondylosis. Only by finding out the causes and correcting them can you effectively prevent cervical spondylosis.
1. Causes of cervical spondylosis:
① Chronic strain is the root cause of cervical spondylosis.
The so-called chronic strain refers to activities that exceed the maximum range of normal physiological activities, including: improper working posture, sitting for a long time, working with the head down for a long time and maintaining a posture. Although the workload is not large and the intensity is not high, cervical spondylosis , The incidence rate of lumbar disc herniation is particularly high, such as white-collar workers, secretaries, accountants, civil servants, electronic industry employees, teachers, college students, etc. are all high-risk groups for cervical spondylosis. In addition, playing with mobile phones and watching TV for a long time in life can also cause chronic strain injuries.
② Poor sleeping position is a contributing factor.
Because of its long duration, it will cause imbalance of paravertebral muscles, ligaments and joints, which will affect the tissues in the spinal canal and accelerate the degeneration process. Especially if the pillow is too high and the head is always in a flexed state, it is more likely to cause cervical spine strain.
③ Improper physical exercise can also cause cervical spondylosis.
Activities or sports that exceed the spinal endurance can increase the load on the spine and cause minor damage to the ligaments, joints and intervertebral discs of the spine. Over time, degenerative diseases of the spine may easily occur. If physical exercise is performed without proper guidance, the consequences of trauma will be even more serious.
Adopting correct living and working styles in response to the above reasons in daily life can reduce the occurrence of cervical spondylosis and prevent cervical spondylosis from taking advantage of it.
2. Five stretching actions
① Lean forward and backward to stretch the neck
Slightly close your lips, put your hands on your hips, raise your head and lean back, inhale at the same time, look at the ceiling, stay for a moment; slowly lower your head to the collarbone, keep the lower chin as close to the chest as possible, inhale while looking at the floor (here) Repeat the action 4 times, do it slowly and easily, so as not to feel uncomfortable).
② Raise your arms and turn around
◆ Raise your right arm, palm facing inward, raise your head and look at the palm of your hand, slowly turn your body to the left, and stay for a moment. When turning, pay attention to turning your heels 45 degrees and leaning your body's center of gravity forward.
◆ Turn your body to the right back again, inhale slowly when rotating, and exhale slowly when turning. The whole movement should be slow and coordinated. When turning the neck and waist, try to turn it as far as possible and stay for a while.
◆ After returning to the natural state, change the left arm. When changing the left arm, slowly press down the lowered right hand along the base of the ear. Do the same action after changing the arm.
③ Rotate left and right
◆ Put your hands on your hips and slowly turn your head to the left. Inhale at the same time to straighten the right side of your neck and stay for a moment.
◆ Slowly turn to the left side and exhale at the same time. After straightening the left neck, stay for a moment. Repeat 4 times.
④ Raise shoulders and shrink neck
Slowly lift your shoulders, retract your neck as far as possible, stay for a moment and slowly lower it, stretch your head and neck naturally, and restore the natural posture; then sink your shoulders with force, pull your head and neck upward, stay for a while, relax your shoulders, and naturally Exhale. Inhale slowly when stretching and contracting the neck, hold your breath when staying, and try to relax your shoulders and neck when relaxing. Repeat 4 times.
⑤ Swing left and right
Slowly tilt your head toward your left shoulder, place your left ear against your left shoulder, stay for a moment, and return to your natural state;
Then tilt towards the right shoulder, place the right ear against the right shoulder, stay for a moment, and then return to the natural state.
In addition, daily attention should be paid to preventing cervical spondylosis:
1. Good working posture
The sitting posture should be as natural as possible and maintain normal physiological curves. Adjust the position that best suits you by raising or lowering the height ratio of the tabletop to the chair. If possible, you may wish to set up a sloping work board with an angle of 10 to 30 degrees from the horizontal line, just like a drawing board. Writing on this sloping board will also help protect the neck. In daily life, you should pay attention to maintaining the correct posture of your head and neck. Don't tilt your head and shrug your shoulders. When reading or operating a computer, you should look straight and keep your spine straight.
Workers who have their heads bent at their desks for a long time should pay attention to the combination of movement and stillness. When operating the computer, they should ensure that the entire sole of their foot is on the ground. During working hours, take multiple short breaks. Stand up and do interwork exercises every hour or so to move your limbs and cervical vertebrae to eliminate fatigue of neck muscles and ligaments and prevent strain. Don't lie down and read or watch TV.
Adhering to neck health care and strengthening exercises can enhance the strength of neck muscles and ligaments and the stability of the cervical spine, which is beneficial to improving the physiological functions of neck joints. Relieve neck and back muscle spasms, improve local blood circulation, eliminate fatigue, and reduce clinical symptoms. Especially for car owners and people who sit in offices for a long time, they should take a certain amount of time to exercise every day, and pay special attention to strengthening the neck and shoulder muscles. , In addition, mountain climbing and swimming are more effective in preventing cervical spondylosis.
2. Good sleeping position
When sleeping, you should choose a suitable pillow, which should not be too high or too low. The height of the pillow should be as high as your fist, or as high as your shoulders. The content of the pillow core must be finely chopped and soft. The shape of the pillow is preferably an ingot shape with a low middle and high ends. This form can use the central depression to maintain the physiological curvature of the cervical spine, and can play a role in relative braking and fixation of the head and neck.
3. Eat properly and prevent infection
First of all, we must prevent alcohol abuse, because alcohol will affect the deposition of calcium on bones, making people susceptible to osteoporosis and osteomalacia, and accelerate cervical spine degeneration; reduce fat intake, appropriately supplement amino acids, and the diet should be rich in For nutrients such as calcium, protein, B vitamins, vitamin C, and vitamin D, you should eat more fish, beans, fresh vegetables, and dairy products.
Secondly, we must prevent common respiratory diseases such as throat inflammation and upper respiratory tract infection, because once this type of inflammation spreads to the neck and joint capsule through the lymphatic system, it often becomes the direct cause or inducement of cervical spondylosis. Always keep warm, prevent various upper respiratory tract inflammations, prevent colds, and keep your mouth clean. Do not blow electric fans and air conditioners directly. Pay attention to neck protection when riding in a car or exercising, and avoid sharp turns, sudden braking, or sudden neck rotations. People with cervical spondylosis should avoid turning their heads suddenly and bearing weight on their head and neck, do not doze off while riding in a car, and avoid violent techniques during massage.
