Is yoga good for cervical spondylosis?

It is beneficial to do some activities that help the cervical spine after suffering from cervical spondylosis. Many people with cervical spondylosis like to do yoga. If yoga is done well, it has both preventive and therapeutic effects. However, you also need to understand that each yoga movement must be performed step by step. After all, everyone's flexibility and physical constitution will vary greatly. If you do yoga inappropriately, it will aggravate the condition of cervical spondylosis.

Is yoga good for cervical spondylosis?

Generally speaking, each yoga movement is gradual, and everyone's flexibility and physique are different, but most movements require maximum stretching to achieve maximum relief. However, if the patient has cervical spondylosis, the neck is rarely moved, and the cervical spine is not healthy, then sudden and frequent exercise will definitely cause pain. Continuing to practice incorrectly or over-exercise is likely to aggravate the condition.

Precautions for practicing yoga for cervical spondylosis

Because when the human body looks straight ahead, the normal curvature of the cervical spine is the physiological forward curvature of 25°, at which time the muscles and bones are balanced. Once the cervical curvature changes, a series of cervical diseases will follow. When the cervical curvature becomes straightened, the cervical nerves will be compressed, the blood vessels will be twisted, and the local blood supply to the body will be insufficient. Mild symptoms include soreness and discomfort in the neck and shoulders, while severe symptoms include numbness of the hands. Excessive stretching exercises for patients with cervical spondylosis are equivalent to pulling a rubber band that is about to break. Not only will it fail to cure the disease, but it will aggravate the condition. During yoga exercises, the shoulders, neck and other parts of the human body are fixed in a non-physiologically comfortable position for a long time, and the cervical spine will be unevenly stressed. During the stretching process, the muscles on one side of the body are in a tense state and are under too much pressure. At this time, the muscles will show local fatigue, leading to symptoms such as soreness, edema, and cervical disc herniation. Therefore, some patients with cervical spondylosis are not suitable for practicing yoga. Of course, this cannot be generalized. There are also simple and easy-to-master movements in yoga, which are also helpful for the relief of cervical spondylosis. It can promote blood circulation in the neck and relieve tension in the neck muscles to a certain extent. In short, people with cervical spondylosis are best to practice yoga under the guidance of a professional doctor and should not exercise blindly.

How to practice yoga for patients with cervical spondylosis

1. Make circles with your jaw to keep your cervical spine stretched and your eyes looking straight ahead. Stick your lower jaw forward and rotate clockwise, inhaling when you rotate out and exhaling when you rotate back in. Turn 5 to 10 times. Then circle counterclockwise. 2. Be careful to bend your neck slowly and keep your cervical spine extended. Exhale when you bend and inhale when you return to the straight position. Do 3 to 5 times in each direction, taking a short break in between. 3. Lie on your back with your neck raised and lie flat on the ground. Stretch your arms backwards, bend your elbows, make your upper arms and shoulders in a straight line, and make your upper arms and forearms at right angles and flat on the ground, with your palms facing up. Inhale, keep your arms still, and try to lift your neck and the connection between neck and shoulders upwards, then exhale and return to the ground. Do 3 to 5 times and rest for a while. Practice again. If you are able, you can also hold the neck and neck-shoulder junction off the ground for a few breaths. 4. Twist the neck to the left and right, and twist the cervical spine. It is divided into looking sideways, looking backward and downward, and looking backward and upward, that is, there are three movements in each twisting direction. For example, twist to the left, look straight to the left, look at the ground behind and below your left shoulder, and look at the sky behind and above your left shoulder. 5. Antagonize the cervical vertebrae. Use your hands to add resistance when the cervical vertebrae move independently. For example, when bending your neck to the left, support your left cheek with your left hand, apply a certain amount of force, and then slowly let your head lean towards your left shoulder.