When suffering from a disc herniation, it is very important to perform proper exercises that will help to improve the nutrition of the intervertebral disc,
strengthen the muscular corset, reduce pain and inflammation. I have prepared the simplest 15-minute complex of exercises, which anyone can do at home, regardless of the severity of the condition.
This complex can be performed both during remission and during acute phase of inflammation, because it is scientifically proven that regular gentle stretching exercises reduce inflammation, relieve pain and accelerate the healing.
Complex of Simple Yoga Exercises for a Herniated Disk
From a sitting position, very gently, leaning on your elbows, lie on your back, feet shifted together, put your hands at the sides behind your head and connect the pads of your thumbs together.
Stretch out intensively to both sides and as you inhale pull your toes towards yourself. As you exhale, pull your toes forward and stretch even more intensively, keeping deep breathing through the nose.
Inhale – toes towards yourself…. Exhale – pull the toes forward… When inhaling pull them towards yourself…. With exhalation, pull the toes forward and fix in a static position, stretch intensively… inhale… exhale… inhale… breathe smoothly and deeply… exhale. And stretch even more intensely… inhale… exhale… exhale….
Release the workload and slow and steady turn to the right side. Place the left palm at the level of the abdomen, near the solar plexus, pull the right hand forward as far as possible.
We try to go as far as possible with the right ribcage and in the simple variant, leaning on the palm of the hand, keeping the feet on the mat. Pull your left ear toward your left shoulder. If you can – lift the palm, leaning on the fingertips, and fix in the final position.
Breathe in this position – breathe in – breathe out. You can lift your feet off the floor for even more intensity. Breathe in. Breathe out. Keep the balance, stretch intensely… breath in… breath out… breath in… breath out… Breath in… breathe out and another breath in… after releasing the workload, slow and steady turn on your stomach, stretch your hands forward, feet on the width of the pelvis, hands on the width of the shoulder joints.
Lift your body a little bit, Pull your ribs as far forward as possible…. And after lowering the body, lower the head, press the forehead to the floor, pull the toes forward. And fix in this position…
breathe in, stretching intensely… Exhale. Inhale… Exhale… Inhale… breath smoothly and deeply, through the nose… exhale… inhale….
Exhale… the fifth inhale… exhale and even more actively stretch… inhale, exhale… excellent, release the workload, turn to the left side and repeat the exercise in a mirror version towards the left side, now we put the right palm at the level of the solar plexus, go even farther with the left hand, try to put the ribs away.
Either the simplest variant, or lifting the palm or lifting the feet. Fix in this position for 6 deep breathing cycles, breath out…. Breathe in.
Breathe out…maintain deep breathing… breath in…breath out…third breath in…breath out….. Breathe in… breathe out… stretch out intensely…. Breathe in… Breathe out. And the sixth breath in.. Breathe out.
Well done! lower down and turn on your back, bend your legs at the knees, your feet on the width of the pelvis. Hands at the sides go behind the head, palms on the width of the shoulders. As you inhale, push the pelvis upwards, contract the gluteal muscles and as you exhale, fix in the final position, intensely stretching backwards with your arms.
Inhale… Actively stick out the abdomen as you inhale, exhale… inhale…. Exhale… The third inhale… exhale… maintain the workload, inhale…. Exhale… Inhale… Exhale… inhale… Exhale…
Excellent, as you inhale, lower the pelvis and turn over the right side… Kneel down… hands shoulder-width apart… check the symmetry… fingers at the same line… resting on the knees… resting on the feet. Toes in line. And simultaneously with the inhalation, perform deflection in the lumbar thoracic and cervical spine, look up.
As we exhale, press the chin, arch your back and go a little forward with your pelvis.
Breathe in, a wave, deflection … move slowly, breathe out, arch your back, move your pelvis a little forward … breath in. Breathe out. Fourth deep breath in. Breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in. Breathe out.
Very good! Now get into plank position. In the simplest version, we rest on our forearms and stay in this position. Straighten your legs at the knee joints if you can handle it.
If we want to complicate it even more – lean on the palms of your hands and remain on straight arms. Be careful and avoid deflection in the lower back. It’s better to slightly round your lower back. Fix in your working position, exhale…
And breathe six deep cycles. Inhale, exhale. Stretch out intensely, with the top of the head forward.. Inhale, legs well tensed. Exhale. Feel the contraction of the abs… Inhale. Exhale. Inhale… Exhale… and the sixth inhale… Exhale.
Good job! Kneel down and, if you can, sit with your pelvis on the heels and spread your knees wide apart. If you feel discomfort in this position, just do as Polina shows. Straighten your legs and spread them wide apart as well.
Take your right hand behind your back and place it behind, on the mat. The left hand fixates the right hip and helps to realize a soft calm twist over your right shoulder. Fix in this position, take a deep, smooth breath …
Breathe out. Pulling the top of the head upwards. Breathe in. Breathe out. Perform very gentle and soft twisting. Breathe in… breathe out… breathe in… breathe out… breathe smoothly, deeply… breathe in… breathe in… Breathe out and breathe in. Breathe out.
When inhaling, return to the starting position and do the same in the mirror version to the other side. Right hand on the left thigh… exhale… Left hand goes behind the pelvis. Hold, inhale. Pull the top of the head upwards. Exhale. Inhale… exhale… inhale….. Exhale… breath gently and deeply through the nose… inhale… exhale… exhale… inhale…. Exhale… and the sixth inhale… exhale… perfect!
When inhaling, move to the central position and carefully lie down on your stomach.
Put the hands in front of the face, leaning on the hands – pull the spine forward intensively, move the ribs as far forward as possible and put them on the floor. Bring the shoulder blades together, elbows pressed against the body, intensively stretch the top of the head forward and upwards. Exhale… fix in this simple position, or lift the legs up with the toes pulled back….
Inhale… exhale… Inhale…. Exhale… maintain deep breathing, inhale…. Exhale… inhale… exhale… exhale… Feel the back muscles working, inhale… exhale… and another inhale…. Exhale. Well done, release the workload and rest for a few minutes.
I am sure that you feel much better after doing these exercises. Perform this complex twice a day – in the morning after waking up and in the evening before going to bed.
For Even greater efficiency, I highly recommend working on the DREVMASS medical simulator for 5-10 minutes before performing these exercises.
It will take the tension out of the muscles along the spine and improve local blood circulation. Exercise regularly, stay healthy and share your achievements in the comments!
