Exercises for Disc Degeneration
I've looked around and, without much effort, found a few exercises for disc degeneration. After consulting with your health care professional, give these suggested exercises a try. They will help to strengthen the muscles that surround the spine and to support our backs while making us stronger and more flexible. I'm going to list just a few exercises to wet your appetite and to encourage you to find even more for yourself and your specific needs. These exercises for disc degeneration will strengthen, stretch and increase the needed blood flow to your spine to make your daily movements and your life in general easier. As I have mentioned in my other posts here on Elderly Elder, disc degeneration is where the discs (cartilage) that lay between each vertebrae in our spine shrink, tear and become less supple. Exercises for disc degeneration will be a good aid in helping you live with this condition and give you more mobility. Please remember if these exercises hurt at all to stop immediately. You don't want to create any new problems, now do you? That expression "No pain; No gain" does not apply here. Here are a few exercises for you to do lying on your back and a couple for your stomach and the last two are on your hands and knees:
(1) Lying on your back tighten your stomach muscles and bend your knees with your feet on the floor leaving your arms to you side. Now slowly raise your left leg off the floor about 3 or 4 inches. Lower your left leg then raise your right leg. The goal is to march for 30 seconds then rest for 30 seconds. Do this one for two to three repetitions.
(2) Now do this same exercise but now include your arms. Lift each arm over your head to really make it feel like a march of sorts. The goal is to do two to three sets.
(3) Remember the Jane Fonda exercise tapes? I remember this is one of hers, she called it the 'Pelvic Tilt'. Laying on your back with your knees bent put your feet about 5 - 10 inches apart. Slowly raise your buttocks. Hold this upright position for 10 seconds then slowly lower back to the floor. You'll notice that you will get stronger on this one quite quickly. The goal is to be able to complete two sets of ten lifts (or pelvic tilts as Jane would say).
(4) This one looks like you are doing a Breast Stroke. Both your arms and legs are outstretched. Raise your left arm and right leg at the same time about 2 - 3 inches above the floor. Hold this for about 5 seconds then slowly lower these limbs. Raise the right arm and left leg for about 5 seconds.
(5) These are similar to the previous exercises but care must be taken not to twist or sag your back. Kneeling on hands and knees raise one leg with your knee slightly and hold for 5 seconds. Again while you are counting to five check your posture with no arch in the back. Two sets of 10 leg raises would be your goal.
(6)If you are feeling like a little more exercise you can take this exercise to a higher level by raising one leg and the opposite arm for 5 seconds then slowly lower down to the starting position before lifting your opposite limbs. You'll notice a difference here quickly too. Ten leg raises would be a great goal.
Just because there isn't a cure for disc degeneration, we don't have to take it lying down, literally. As a card carrying member of the Elderly Elder Club, I've learned that Old age ain't no place for sissies. ~Bette Davis~. I also know that this sack of bones isn't finished yet, not by a long shot and doing these exercises for disc degeneration will not only give me some strength, flexibility but it also gives me confidence that I'm not letting it stop me from living my life to the fullest. By Yvonne Kelly BACK to Senior Health articles LEAVE Exercises for Disc Degeneration article and go to Home Page |
