Exercises | Cervical spine syndrome symptoms

Exercises

Exercises against a cervical spine syndrome are manifold and should be individually coordinated by a specialist for the respective patient. However, there are some causes for a cervical spine syndrome that are common and against which there are easy to perform and helpful exercises. A comprehensive collection of exercises can be found in the following articles:

• Stretching exercises to relax the shoulder and neck muscles: The patient sits straight on a chair, tilts his head to one side as if he were holding a telephone receiver between his shoulder and ear, without lifting his shoulders.

  With the hand on the same side he can exert a slight pull on the head to increase the stretching of the lateral neck muscles. The other shoulder is pulled as far down as possible to make the distance between shoulder and ear as large as possible. The stretch should be noticeable in the elongated side of the neck.

  After about 20-30 seconds the position can be released, or the head position can be modified by a slight rotation so that a new stretching position can be held.

• Another helpful exercise is the retraction exercise. Here the patient is again in a straight upright sitting position on a stool. From this position, the patient pushes his head back as far as possible, as if he wanted to do a double chin.

  The back of the head is pushed upwards. The final position is kept short, the tension should be noticeable in the back of the neck and may well radiate into the upper GCS. The final position can be strengthened by applying light pressure to the chin. The position is released and then taken up again. It can be performed 15 times in a row.

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Therapy

The therapy of a cervical spine syndrome depends on the cause. This should first be identified in a detailed report in order to take appropriate measures. Part of the therapy are, in addition to the intake of painkillers, doses of painkillers should be taken and, in case of long-term pain, should be discussed with a doctor in order to prevent side effects.

The active participation of the patient in the therapy is essential to achieve long-term success. A conscious attitude in everyday life, a review of the workplace and leisure activities can also be helpful to effectively treat a cervical spine syndrome.

• Active exercises
• Soft tissue techniques such as massages or friction to relax the muscles
• Heat applications as a means of physical therapy are perceived as very pleasant in case of severe pain
• Manual therapeutic techniques such as mobilizations can also be helpful if there is a functional disorder within the cervical spine joints