Cervical spondylosis is a common disease among the elderly, especially those who work at desks or have a history of neck injuries. The aging and degenerative changes of cervical intervertebral discs are the fundamental causes of cervical spondylosis in the elderly. For elderly patients with cervical spondylosis, choosing appropriate exercise programs for exercise is not only a treatment method, but also an extremely important means of consolidating therapeutic effects. Because the cervical spine is the part with the largest range of motion in the entire spine, but it rarely has the opportunity to reach its maximum range of motion in daily life. Elderly cervical patients, due to cervical aging and degenerative changes, have affected their physiological functions and caused a series of clinical symptoms. So, how can we exercise to enhance the neck physiological function of elderly patients? How to improve pain?
A simple exercise method suitable for the elderly:
1. Shoulder rotation exercise
In daily life, you can frequently rotate your shoulders, which is the simplest and most effective way to relieve cervical pain, promote blood circulation, and avoid excessive tension in the neck.
2. Shoulder protection with both hands
If you feel stiff in the neck, you can raise your arms above your chest and then move them to the other shoulder. When you grab your hand with the other hand, slowly pull your palm towards yourself. At this point, there will be a pulling force at the shoulder blades. Hold for 15 seconds and repeat the operation.
3. Shoulder up
Slowly tighten both shoulders for a few seconds, then hold both shoulders up for a few seconds before repeating the operation. This can relax the back muscles, and then swing the head and neck in various directions to relax the neck muscles.
4. Strengthen neck muscle exercises
Hold both thumbs against the chin and slowly lift back to maintain a healthy state of the head. Repeat the operation for 6-10 seconds. Then use the other hand to place the head on the opposite ear and move the head back and forth, left and right, alternately repeating for 6-10 seconds. Finally, cross the back of the head with both hands and ten fingers, causing the neck to pull the head back and hold for a few seconds.
5. Look left and look right
This exercise can be done standing or sitting, with hands on hips and head rotating left and right alternately. Rotate to the maximum extent and then slightly back beyond the original range, and try to look back with both eyes as much as possible.
6. Looking up at the sky
The posture of this exercise is similar to looking left and right above, with hands on hips and head tilted back, gradually increasing the amplitude, persisting for a few seconds before returning.
7. Turn around and look back
Stand and take a right forward lunge, while rotating your body to the left, use your right palm to support your left turn and pull down forcefully, then turn back and look at your left hand. You can alternate left and right movements.
8. Neck arm resistance: Take a standing or sitting position, cross your hands tightly against the headrest. Stretch your head and neck back forcefully, then use your hands to resist for a few seconds before returning to normal. Do it 6-8 times in total. Another method is to take a standing or sitting position, with both hands gripping the headrest and the forearms gripping the neck on both sides. Turn left with force on the head and neck, while resisting with force on the left forearm for a few seconds, then relax and restore, and then do in the opposite direction. Do it 6-8 times each.
9. Surrounding the neck: Take a standing or sitting position, relax and rotate the head and neck, alternating clockwise and counterclockwise directions. Do it 6 times in total.
10. Prone and tilt back: Patients with cervical spondylosis should place their hands on their hips, first lift their heads and then tilt back, while inhaling and looking up at the sky with both eyes, and pause for a moment; Then slowly lower your head towards your chest while exhaling and looking at the ground with both eyes. When performing this action, patients with cervical spondylosis should close their mouths and keep their lower jaw as close to their chest as possible. After a moment of rest, repeat it up and down four times.
11. Shoulder lifting and neck tightening: Patients with cervical spondylosis should stand naturally before doing exercises, with their eyes level, feet slightly apart, parallel to their shoulders, and hands naturally hanging down. During the movement, patients with cervical spondylosis should slowly lift their shoulders and lower their neck as much as possible. After a moment of rest, the shoulders should slowly relax and lower, and the head and neck should naturally extend to restore their natural state. Then, they should apply force to lower their shoulders and pull and extend their head and neck upwards. After a moment of rest, the shoulders should relax and exhale naturally.
12. Left and right swing: Patients with cervical spondylosis should stand naturally before doing exercises, with their eyes looking straight, their feet slightly apart, parallel to their shoulders, and their hands on their hips. During the movement, the head slowly tilts to the left, with the left ear pressed against the left shoulder. After a moment of rest, the head returns to the center position; Then tilt towards the right shoulder, keeping the right ear close to the right shoulder, stay for a moment, and then return to the center position. Repeating this left and right swing four times can effectively alleviate the condition of cervical spondylosis patients.
13. Left and right rotation: Patients with cervical spondylosis should place their hands on their hips, slowly turn their head to the left, inhale into their chest, straighten their right neck, hold for a moment, then slowly turn to the right, exhale, straighten their left neck, hold for a moment, and repeat this process alternately 4 times.
The harm of cervical spondylosis in the elderly is significant. Although it is a physiological degenerative disease, it can also be accompanied by other symptoms. It is important to pay attention to neck maintenance, control the intensity and amount of neck exercise, and avoid excessive and prolonged movements to avoid accidents. In addition to exercising, it is also important to avoid excessive fatigue and it is best to exercise gradually.