Cervical spondylosis is referred to the general ageing of the spinal disks and the neck joint. This general wear and tear can be due to the drying and shrinking of the disks and cause discomfort. Cervical spondylosis is very common and about 85% of people over the age of 60 experience it.
As it is caused due to ageing, it may not be completely avoidable. Hence, it is ideal to understand how can we reduce the pain and discomfort it may cause. In this article, we discuss some easy-to-follow at-home exercises that m might help you reduce the pain.
5 easy-to-follow at-home exercises to reduce cervical spondylosis pain:
Push forward
This exercise is very easy to follow and also helps better flexibility in the neck. Here's how to perform the neck push-forward exercise:
- Stand straight
- Try to push your neck forward as far as possible
- At this point, your neck would be protruding forward ahead of the rest of your body
- Hold this stretch for a few snoods and release
- Repeat it a few times daily
Neck tilts
Neck tilts as the name suggests help in stretching the neck in different directions and help relieve pain and stiffness. Here is how you can practice neck tilts.
- Try to place your head on your right shoulder
- At this point, your right ear should be touching your right shoulder
- Hold this position for a few seconds
- Now witch, with your head resting on your left shoulder
- Repeat this at least 4-5 times, a few times a week, or whenever you feel discomfort
Neck bowing
Similar to the pushing the neck forward exercise, neck bowing focuses on stretching the neck out as far as possible. A combination of these two regularly can ensure better flexibility and reduction in pain in the neck. Here's how you perform the neck bowing exercise:
- Try to rest your neck on your chest
- In this position, your chin should be touching your chest
- Hold this position for a few seconds and release
- Repeat this along with push forward exercise, alternatively
- Repeat at least 3-4 times
Look behind
As the name suggests, the looking behind neck exercise focuses on stretching the neck behind. For this exercise, the motive is to turn your neck around in an attempt to see behind you. Here's how to practice the look behind the exercise:
- Stand straight and turn your neck to the left as far behind as you comfortably can
- Hold for a few seconds
- Repeat on the other side
- Repeat this set 4-5 times or more, however comfortable
- Please note that your body must stay in the same position and angle throughout
Raised shoulders
This is another easy-to-follow exercise for cervical spondylosis. It also helps release tension from the neck and promotes a calming feeling. This is how to practice raised shoulders:
- As the name suggests, try to raise your shoulders as you normally would
- At this point, your shoulders might be touching your ears
- Hold this position for a few songs and release
- You can practice this position 10-15 times daily to reduce pain and stiffness
In conclusion, timely stretching of the cervical can help reduce cervical spondylosis pain. Furthermore, these at-home exercises do not require any pieces of equipment and hence can be practiced anywhere. Besides this, we also encourage you to follow a good diet rich in calcium, protein, and other nutrients that maintain and better the health of your bones and muscles.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
