1. It is best to allocate special time for training on the “Smart Spine” system. I recommend exercising three times a week.

2. At the end of the lesson, it is best to do cardio training, that is, a light jog, exercise on a treadmill, exercise bike or in the pool.

3. Don't be overzealous and practice every day. The muscles and nervous system should be given rest. In this case, classes will bring more joy and they will become more effective.

4. Many exercises from the “Smart Spine” system can be performed at work, sitting on a chair, or while traveling. Thanks to this, you will be able to do micro-breaks and mini-warm-ups, bringing your spine back to normal.

Make the Smart Spine system your habit, and then your spine will become not only smart, but also healthy.

LEVEL 1 EXERCISES

CERVICAL POSITIONAL GYMNASTICS

Correct posture starts with the position of your head. Our movements are subordinated to one goal - maintaining balance of a body part, which collects greatest number information about the surrounding world. And this is our head, where the organs of vision, deafness, and balance are located.

Working in a sitting position, at a computer, leads to the fact that the head is constantly tilted excessively. This causes the cervical spine to flex and form kyphotic deformity- that is, the arch of the spine is directed backward.

In a healthy cervical spine it should be the other way around: the arch should be facing forward.

The correct position of the head and neck is easy to control: the plane of the ears should be in the plane of the shoulder joints. This is exactly the position a soldier takes in formation at the command “Attention!”

The following exercises are aimed at acquiring the correct position of the head and neck and strengthening the muscles necessary for this.

The described exercises for the cervical spine are an excellent tool not only for strengthening muscles and acquiring correct posture, but also for relieving tension headaches from which most people suffer. After this gymnastics, muscle spasm disappears, and blood circulation in the brain is normalized.

These exercises can be convenient office gymnastics, which is advisable to perform several times a day to maintain general tone, both at work and during sedentary travel on an airplane, car, etc.

Initial position- sitting on a chair. Place a medium-sized book on the top of your head.

1. Start light rocking movements with your head back and forth.

2. As soon as you feel the book slipping, start moving in the opposite direction.

Rice. 3

This way you will balance the book in a neutral position. This is the ideal correct position of the head and neck.

Try to hold the book for 1-5 minutes. Five minutes a day is enough for the muscles to remember the desired position.

The following exercises are performed in isometric mode - that is, without movement. During the exercises, resistance to movement is carried out using the hands. Apply pressure and tension to the neck muscles gradually, avoiding pain.

The duration of each voltage is from 10 to 20 seconds. At the end of the exercise, gradually, smoothly remove the pressure from the hands and the tension in the neck muscles.

EXERCISE 2. “CONSENT”

We nod our heads when we agree, and this exercise is similar to a nod.

Initial position- sitting straight on a chair. One hand is placed on the forehead.

The first phase - try to bend your head, “agree,” while simultaneously resisting this movement with your hand. Continue for 10-20 seconds without moving.

Second phase isometric- at the end of the exercise, you can slightly throw back your head and tilt it back. It is permissible to help yourself with the hand that is already on your forehead. Place your other hand on the back of your neck, creating support for movement.

This way you stretch the anterior neck muscles that were involved in the exercise. It is important to perform this stretch without violence and without the slightest pain for 2-5 seconds.

EXERCISE 3. “SKY”

An attempt to look at the sky involves throwing back your head - this is the movement that is used.

Initial position- sitting straight on a chair. One hand is placed on the back of the head.

First phase isometric- try to throw your head back as if you want to look at the sky, while simultaneously resisting this movement with your hand.

The second phase - at the end you can slightly bend your neck. It is permissible to help this with the hand that lies on the back of the head.

This movement stretches the back muscles of the neck that were involved in the exercise. It is important to perform this stretch without violence and without the slightest pain for 2-5 seconds.

EXERCISE 4. “OH-OH”

When we groan, we often shake our heads from side to side. This movement is basic in this exercise.

Starting position - sitting straight on a chair. One hand is placed on the side of the head.

The first phase is isometric - try to tilt your head to the side while resisting the movement with your arm.

The exercise lasts 10-20 seconds without movement.

The second phase - at the end of the exercise, you can slightly “ooh”, that is, tilt your head to the side with the hand that rests on your head. The other hand is located on the side of the neck on the opposite side and creates support for movement.

This exercise stretches the lateral neck muscles that were involved in the movement. It is important to perform this stretch without violence and without the slightest pain for 2-5 seconds.

EXERCISE 5. “NO-NO”

An expression of disagreement is accompanied by a turn of the head - this is a basic movement.

Starting position - sitting straight on a chair. The mouth is closed and the teeth are tightly closed. The palm of one hand is placed on the cheek.

The first phase is isometric - try to turn your head to the side while resisting the rotation with your arm.

The exercise lasts 10-20 seconds without movement.

Second phase - at the end of the exercise, you can slightly turn your head to the side and slightly upward with the help of the hand that was lying on your cheek. The other hand simultaneously lies on the side of the head on the opposite side and helps rotation.

This movement at the end of the exercise stretches the neck muscles that are involved in rotation.

It is important to perform this stretch without violence and without the slightest pain for 2-5 seconds.

Repeat the exercise on the opposite side.

EXERCISE 6. “THE CAT LOOKS UP”

The exercise is designed to train the muscles of the back of the neck.

The first phase is isometric - smoothly raise your head up, look up. Hold this position for 15-30 seconds. This is the tension phase.

The second phase - smoothly lower your head down, it should hang freely.

This stretches the back of the neck muscles.

Perform the exercise for 15-30 seconds. This is the relaxation phase. Repeat the exercise 1-3 times.

EXERCISE 7. “THE CAT LOOKS TO THE WAY”

The exercise is intended to train the muscles of the back and side of the neck, the muscles of the cervical-occipital region.

Starting position - standing on all fours.

The first phase is isometric - smoothly raise your head up and at the same time turn it to the side, look up and to the side. Hold this position for 15-30 seconds. This is the tension phase.

Fig 16

Rice. 17

Figure 19. Voltage phase

The second phase - smoothly lower your head down, it should hang freely. This stretches the back of the neck muscles. Perform the exercise for 15-30 seconds. This is the relaxation phase.

Repeat the exercise with your head turned in the other direction.

Total number repetitions from 1 to 3 times.

EXERCISE 8. “SUNBANNING”

The exercise is designed to train the muscles of the anterior group of the neck.

Starting position - lying on the couch, a small cushion is placed under the lower back, the head is located behind the edge of the couch. The hands are located under the neck.

The first phase is isometric - tilt your neck and head slightly forward; in case of muscle weakness, you can easily help with your hands. This is the tension phase.

Rice. 22

rice. 24

This position should be held for 15-30 seconds.

The second phase is dynamic- lower your head smoothly, together with the arms that support it, to the level of the couch, then below the level of the couch to the lowest possible level - the head should hang freely and smoothly from the edge of the couch.

At the lowest point, the arms smoothly release the head and move freely to the side.

This is a phase of stretching or relaxing the muscles, its duration is 15-30 seconds.

Repeat the exercise 1-3 times.

Current page: 9 (book has 12 pages total) [available reading passage: 8 pages]

Part IV. Smart Spine system

The Smart Spine system is an approach to the spine that allows us to teach our back to be healthy.

This system is developed based on rehabilitation technologies for astronauts and pilots. Daily sedentary work, physical and psychological overload lead to a person hunching over under the pressure of constant problems. To have a healthy spine, it is not enough to tell yourself “Sit up straight!” Within a few seconds, the body forgets the order, and the stoop, pain and bad mood return. Our task is to teach the muscles and nerves that control the spine, correct movements and poses. Just like a child who first learns to hold his head up, then sit, stand and finally walk, the spine needs to be taught the simplest things. correct movements. These movements and poses maintain proper posture, while simultaneously strengthening the muscles and ligaments of the spine, relieve pain in the spine and prevent spinal diseases.

The Smart Spine system step by step strengthens exactly those muscles that are important for the healthy functioning of the spine. It is an excellent prevention of spinal diseases. If there is pain and movement disorders associated with spinal disease, it allows you to naturally relieve muscle spasms and restore local blood circulation in the spine and brain.

That is, the Smart Spine system also serves as a therapeutic agent.

As a result, back pain disappears, headaches go away, mood and sleep normalize. The figurative names of the exercises make them easy to remember and perform even with children. And most importantly, it becomes part of our healthy lifestyle.

Exercises

Cervical positional gymnastics

Correct posture starts with the position of your head. All our movements are subordinated to one goal - maintaining balance in the part of the body that collects the greatest amount of information about the world around us. And this is our head, where the organs of vision, hearing, and balance are located. Working in a sitting position, at a computer, leads to the fact that the head is constantly tilted excessively forward. This causes flexion of the cervical spine, and its kyphotic deformation is formed - that is, the arch of the spine is directed backward. In a healthy cervical spine it should be the other way around - the arch should be facing forward. The correct position of the head and neck is easy to control: the plane of the ears should be in the plane of the shoulder joints. This is exactly the position a soldier takes in formation at the command “Attention!” The following exercises are aimed at acquiring the correct position of the head and neck and strengthening the muscles necessary for this.

Exercise "Pendulum"

Starting position – sitting on a chair. Place a medium-sized book on the top of your head. Begin gentle rocking movements with your head back and forth. As soon as you feel the book slipping, start moving in the opposite direction. This way you will balance the book in a neutral position. This is the ideal correct position of the head and neck. Try to hold the book for 1-5 minutes. Five minutes a day is enough for the muscles to remember the desired position.

The following exercises are performed in isometric mode - that is, without movement. During the exercise, movement is resisted with the hands. Apply pressure and tension to the neck muscles gradually, avoiding pain. The duration of each voltage is from 10 to 20 seconds. At the end of the exercise, gradually, smoothly remove the pressure from the hands and the tension in the neck muscles.

Exercise "Consent"

We nod our heads when we agree, and this exercise is similar to a nod. Starting position: sitting straight on a chair. One hand placed on the forehead. Try to bend your head - “agree”, while simultaneously resisting this movement with your hand. Continue for 10-20 seconds without moving. At the end of the exercise, you can slightly tilt your head back and tilt it back. It is permissible to help this with the hand that is already lying on the forehead, and place the second one on the back of the neck, creating support for movement. This at the end of the exercise stretches the anterior neck muscles that were involved in the movement. It is important to perform this stretch without violence and without any pain for 2-5 seconds.

Exercise "Sky"

An attempt to look at the sky involves throwing back your head - this is the movement that is used. Starting position – sitting straight on a chair. One hand placed on the back of the head. Try to throw your head back - look at the sky, while simultaneously resisting this movement with your hand. The exercise lasts 10–20 seconds without moving. At the end, you can slightly bend your neck. It is permissible to help this with the hand that lies on the back of the head. This stretches the back muscles of the neck that were involved in the movement. It is important to perform this stretch without violence and without any pain for 2-5 seconds.

Exercise "Oh-oh"

When we groan, we often shake our heads from side to side. This movement is basic in this exercise. Starting position – sitting straight on a chair. One hand is placed on the side of the head. Try to tilt your head to the side while resisting this movement with your hand. The exercise lasts 10–20 seconds without moving. At the end of the exercise, you can slightly “ooh”, that is, tilt your head to the side with the hand that rests on your head. The other hand is simultaneously located on the side of the neck on the opposite side and creates support for movement. This stretches the lateral neck muscles that were involved in the movement. It is important to perform this stretch without violence and without any pain for 2-5 seconds. Repeat the exercise for the opposite side.

Exercise "No-no"

An expression of disagreement is accompanied by a turn of the head - this is a basic movement. Starting position – sitting straight on a chair. The mouth is closed and the teeth are tightly closed. The palm of one hand is placed on the cheek. Try to turn your head to the side while resisting the rotation with your hand. The exercise lasts 10–20 seconds without moving. At the end of the exercise, you can slightly turn your head to the side and slightly up using the hand that was lying on your cheek. The other hand simultaneously lies on the side of the head on the opposite side and helps rotation. This movement at the end of the exercise stretches the neck muscles that are involved in rotation. It is important to perform this stretch without violence and without any pain for 2-5 seconds. Repeat the exercise for the opposite side.

The described exercises for the cervical spine are an excellent tool not only for strengthening muscles and acquiring correct posture, but also for relieving tension headaches from which most people suffer. After this gymnastics, muscle spasm disappears, and blood circulation in the brain is normalized. These exercises can be convenient office gymnastics, which is advisable to perform several times a day to maintain general tone, both at work and during sedentary travel on an airplane, car, etc.

Chest positional gymnastics

The following exercises work the muscles of the shoulder girdle, which are located at the level of the thoracic spine. Very often, sedentary workers and patients with cervical and thoracic osteochondrosis of the spine complain of pain between the shoulder blades, and less often in the chest. “Chest gymnastics” allows you to relieve muscle spasms and effectively fight pain.

The “chest gymnastics” exercises described below have two parts. First - isometric, that is, muscle tension without movement. Second part - dynamic aimed at stretching working muscles.

Exercise

"Japanese greeting"

Starting position – sitting or standing. Place the palms of both hands together in front of you, pointing your fingers upward like a Japanese greeting you. The palms are located at the level of the pectoral muscles. For 10–30 seconds, apply pressure with your palms on each other. At this time, the pectoral muscles work. Gently start and stop applying pressure. After which it is necessary to stretch the working muscles. To do this, go to a free corner of the room or stand in an open doorway. Hands are placed on the walls of a corner or on the edges of a doorway. As you move your torso forward, you will feel the pectoral muscles stretch. Duration of stretching is 10–30 seconds.

Of course, you should feel complete comfort when moving - and no pain.

Exercise "Castle"

Starting position – sitting or standing. Clasp the palms of both hands in front of you, hooking the fingers of one hand over the fingers of the other. Stretch your arms for 10–30 seconds. The distance from the arms to the chest is approximately 10 centimeters. It is important to feel the tension in the back muscles, especially the muscles between the shoulder blades. Then you need to stretch them. To do this, grab the opposite elbow joint with the palm of one hand and pull it. In this case, behind the elbow joint stretches the shoulder, shoulder joint, shoulder blade, and behind it the back muscles. Continue stretching for 10–30 seconds. Like other exercises, they should be painless. Repeat the stretch on the other side.

Exercise "Bird"

The flight of a bird is the flapping of its wings, which allows it to overcome any obstacles. In this exercise, the arm movements resemble bird flight. The muscles of the chest are directly involved in the act of breathing, so in this exercise it is especially important to coordinate movement and breathing.

Starting position – standing in an upright position.

The first part of the exercise is to slowly inhale while raising your arms vertically up. At the highest point, inhalation reaches its maximum. In this position, you should hold your breath for 2-3 seconds.

The second part of the exercise - you continue to hold your breath while inhaling and slowly lower your arms down. In this phase you feel filled with air chest– hold the state of inhalation with your arms down for 2-3 seconds.

The third part of the exercise is to slowly exhale and get complete relaxation. Unlike previous exercises, in the “Bird” exercise, most of the part is dynamic, that is, associated with movement, the static part is associated with holding the breath. During this part, the lung tissue is stretched, which has a beneficial effect on breathing and oxygen exchange.

The total number of repetitions of the exercise is from 3 to 10. The exercise should be performed smoothly, without pronounced tension, enjoying breathing.

As an office option, the Bird exercise can be performed while sitting on a chair.

Exercise "Door"

This exercise is aimed at strengthening and stretching the lateral muscles of the back, among which the most massive are the latissimus muscles. The movements of this exercise are similar to opening a door.

Starting position – standing. Find an object that you can pull yourself by - it could be a beam Swedish wall, a real door handle, or, if there is nothing suitable, you can pull yourself by the opposite knee in a sitting position. The static part of the exercise involves tension in the lateral back muscles - feel it.

The duration of the tension is from 10 to 20 seconds.

The second part of the exercise involves stretching the lateral muscles. To do this, you need to stand upright, raise both arms and bend to the side, stretching the lateral back muscles that were previously working. For greater effect, stretch these muscles while inhaling, while taking the hand that previously “opened” the door by the wrist and, helping with the opposite hand, further stretch the lateral muscles of the back. Duration of stretching is 5–10 seconds.

Repeat for the opposite side of the body. Total number of repetitions 1-3.

Lumbar positional gymnastics

Low back pain is the most common complaint of patients with spinal osteochondrosis. Therefore, “lumbar gymnastics” is aimed not only at maintaining the spine, but also at relieving pain. It normalizes the tone of the muscles that hold the lower back, equalizes the pressure inside the lumbar discs and thereby reduces pain irritation during exacerbation of lumbar osteochondrosis, serves prevention and treatment of pain due to herniated intervertebral discs.

1st levelExercise "Heel"

This exercise involves lifting your heels off the floor. Outwardly simple, it is very complex from a biomechanical point of view. In a sitting position, a person begins to gradually hunch over, the lower back bends back, and the head drops down. As soon as you lift your heel off the floor, your body involuntarily straightens. Such changes are associated with the biomechanics of the body, since when the heel is raised, it is more difficult for the body to maintain balance, and it begins to engage the back and abdominal muscles that were not working until this moment.

Starting position – sitting on a chair. Alternately lift your heels off the floor and lower them. Do the exercise for 1 minute. It is important to keep your abdominal muscles tense during the exercise.

A more difficult version of the exercise. Starting position – sitting on a chair. The hands are placed on the knees. As you lift your heels off the floor, apply pressure to your knees and hips, making it difficult for your legs to move upward. At the same time, tighten your abdominal muscles. Do the exercise for 1 minute. At the same time, the calf muscles are also strengthened.

You can maintain good posture while sitting at work all day long. For To do this, you just need to slightly lift the heel of one foot off the floor. No one will notice this. However, your correct posture will be appreciated very soon. This is a very useful habit for the spine!

Exercise "Press"

The abdominal press is the main stabilizer of the lower back. Weakening of the abdominal muscles contributes to improper load distribution and pressure on the intervertebral discs and joints, which leads to pain.

Starting position – lying on your back. Hands along the body. It is necessary to tense your abdominal muscles and maintain tension. The breathing is not interrupted, although it does not become very deep. It is allowed to periodically increase muscle tension, while holding your breath as you exhale for a few seconds. The total duration of the exercise is 1 minute. After which you can rest for 1 minute and repeat. The total number of repetitions is 2–3.

The more complicated version is intended for more trained practitioners. While tensing your abdominals, you can use both hands to apply additional pressure to your stomach, increasing the load on your abdominals.

When performing this exercise, it is important to tense not only the abdominals, but also the perineum. The muscles of the pelvic floor and anus support the organs abdominal cavity and affect intra-abdominal pressure. This exercise, like all others, should not be performed immediately after eating.

Office option – abdominal tension while sitting on a chair.

Exercise “Swimming with your hands”

Starting position - lying on your back, legs bent at the knees, arms extended in front of you. The abdominal press tenses smoothly, slowly, and at the same time we move our arms in opposite directions - one rises to the head, the other lowers to the legs, then the arms move in opposite directions. The total duration of the exercise is 30–60 seconds. Repeat the exercise 1-3 times.

Exercise “Swimming with your feet”

Starting position - lying on your back, legs bent at the knees, arms extended in front of you. The abdominal press tenses; smoothly, slowly, alternately raise the bent legs up to right angle hips with the plane of the floor. The total duration of the exercise is 30–60 seconds. Repeat the exercise 1-3 times.

Exercise "Stapler"

In this exercise we bring opposite arms and legs together - a real “stapler”. Starting position: lying on your back, legs bent at the knees, arms extended up behind your head, lying on the floor. The abdominal press tenses, and smoothly, slowly and simultaneously raise the bent right leg and left hand up until the knee and hand meet, slowly return them to the opposite position. Repeat for the opposite side. The total duration of the exercise is 30–60 seconds. Repeat the exercise 1-3 times.

The following exercises train the long and short back muscles.

Exercise “Fish-hands”

Starting position: lying on your stomach. You can place a small towel pad under your lower abdomen and pelvis, and a small towel or mat under your forehead - the latter is especially important for people with cervical spine problems, for whom holding their head up may be difficult. Arms extended forward, legs extended back. Raise your outstretched right arm forward and hold it for 30–60 seconds. The same thing for the other side. Repeat the exercise 1-3 times.

Exercise “Fish-legs”

Starting position: lying on your stomach. Arms extended forward, legs extended back. Raise your extended right leg up and hold it for 30–60 seconds. The same thing for the other side. Raising your leg can be minor and should not cause lower back pain. Repeat the exercise 1-3 times.

Exercise “Fish-arms-legs”

Starting position: lying on your stomach. Arms extended forward, legs extended back. Raise your extended right leg up, simultaneously with your extended left leg, and hold the position for 30–60 seconds. The same is true for opposite limbs. Repeat the exercise 1-3 times.

May be useful walking on toes around the room with tense abdominals. Training the calf muscles, strengthening the abdominal and abdominal muscles, remembering correct posture - this is the essence of this exercise.

2nd level

Level 2 exercises require better physical fitness.

Exercise “Beetle Hands”

In this exercise, you lie on your stomach on a large exercise ball and look very much like a bug. The size of the ball should be such that it occupies the entire space under the stomach in a position on all fours.

Starting position – lying on your stomach on the ball. The knees and hands are placed on the floor and maintain balance. The head and neck are slightly raised and parallel to the floor. Extend your right arm forward and hold the pose for 30–45 seconds. Same for the other side. Repeat the exercise 1-3 times.

Exercise "Beetle Legs"

This is one of the most difficult of all exercises and requires a fair amount of preparation. Starting position – lying on your stomach on the ball. The arms are slightly bent at the elbows and the palms rest on the floor. Feet shoulder-width apart rest on the floor. The knees are slightly raised and do not touch the support. Lift and extend your right leg back to a straight line. Hold the pose for 30–45 seconds. Repeat for the other side. Repeat the exercise 1-3 times.

Exercise “Bug-arms-legs”

This is the most difficult of all exercises and requires sufficient preparation. Starting position – lying on your stomach on the ball. The arms are slightly bent at the elbows and the palms rest on the floor. Feet shoulder-width apart rest on the floor. The knees are slightly raised and do not touch the support. Lift and extend your left leg back to a straight line, while simultaneously lifting and keeping your right arm straight forward. Maintain the pose for 30–45 seconds. Same for the other side. Repeat the exercise 1-3 times.

Exercise “Hands behind your head!”

An order from a policeman during a search - and the hands are placed on the back of the head. Starting position – lying on your stomach on the ball. Hands are clasped at the back of the head. The knees rest on the floor and maintain balance. Raise your head, neck and torso to a horizontal level. Hold the position for 10–45 seconds. As you progress, gradually increase the exercise time. Total number of repetitions 1-3.

Exercise "Tron"

The exercise involves sitting on a ball. During this position, the body has to constantly maintain balance and load the muscles of the back and abdominals. This is an excellent workout for the lumbar stabilizers; in addition, the position of the cervical spine and posture in general are normalized. You can save time in class if you combine sitting on the ball with watching your favorite movies.

For the most active practitioners, a very useful exercise is "Crawling on all fours." When performing it, you need to protect your hands with gloves, your legs with tights or knee pads. It is advisable to crawl on a soft carpet. Now - forward! It is important to maintain the abdominal press in a certain tone and not allow the stomach to sag limply. At the same time, the spine performs complex movements, combining flexion, extension and rotation in all its parts. Every vertebra moves. The range of motion of the vertebrae is small, but sufficient to normalize the condition of the joints, discs and muscles. Young parents! Take your time and don't force your newborn baby to sit and walk. The longer your child crawls, the better for his spine. Try it too! 1-3 minutes of crawling around the room will bring a cheerful mood and health to the spine.

It is best to set aside special time for classes using the Smart Spine system. I recommend exercising three times a week.

At the end of the session, it is best to do some cardio training. This means a light jog, a treadmill, exercise bike, or pool session. Don't be overzealous and practice every day. The muscles and nervous system should be given rest. In this case, classes will bring more joy and they will become more effective.

Many exercises from the Smart Spine system can be performed at work, sitting in a chair, or while traveling. Thanks to this, you will be able to do micro-breaks and mini-warm-ups, bringing your spine back to normal.

Make the Smart Spine system your habit, and then your spine will become not only smart, but also healthy.

In the book by neurosurgeon, candidate of medical sciences Igor Anatolyevich Borshchenko, the reader will find a unique method of isometric muscle training to strengthen the deep back muscles and shape posture. The peculiarity of this gymnastics is that the muscles are tensed in special ergonomic positions, with virtually no movements or using special movements of small amplitude, which ELIMINATES OVERLOADING OF JOINTS AND VERTEBRES. It is no coincidence that Igor Borshchenko’s “Smart Spine” system of muscle training is called “stationary” (static) gymnastics.

The technique is unique in its simplicity and accessibility. It is suitable for anyone who suffers from diseases of the musculoskeletal system, for patients who have been injured or have undergone surgery on the spine and joints, for those who experience pain in the back, arms and legs. It can be recommended to office workers, drivers and tourists, elderly and sedentary people.

How often do we hear from doctors: “We need to strengthen the spine... We need to do gymnastics and exercises... Now strengthen your back!” Patients echo them: “I’m ready to exercise... Show me what exercises to do... Tomorrow I’ll sign up for a fitness club!” Indeed, most people intuitively understand that health is associated with a certain physical activity, and it is advisable to receive it during special classes. It is at this moment that many questions arise that can become an insurmountable obstacle to health. How to practice? Should I go to the gym or start doing exercises at home? The last question is by no means an idle one: yoga, Pilates, calanetics, aerobics, aqua aerobics, fitness with an instructor, exercise equipment and finally, just physiotherapy in the clinic. Far from it full list variety of wellness activities that life offers. And then there is your favorite job, which takes up the lion’s share of time, and morning laziness, when you just want to soak in bed...

And as a result, the choice falls on the section of life-giving classes according to the system of an Indian teacher with an unpronounceable name. And it’s good when these activities are useful. And if after a week you feel pain or a sharp exacerbation of problems, then most people stop training and the myth about healthy life dissipates like steam from a cold dinner.

The other extreme is a complete reluctance to engage. “I run around at work like crazy, that’s enough...” or “I have physical work, physical education is superfluous.” Such arguments, of course, can be understood, but we should not forget that the physical and emotional stress of the main job, unless, of course, you are a fitness trainer, this is the wrong load. The daily work of a storekeeper, or a worker, or a cook puts a strain on only a few muscle groups, wearing out overloaded joints and cartilage. The spine, your muscles, all joints need, simply require, a special correct load, safe movements and a cyclic rhythm of exercise.

Imagine the crossroads a patient faces after spinal surgery, or a person who has been diagnosed with a herniated disc but fortunately does not require surgery. On the one hand, there is a need and desire to exercise, on the other hand, there is a fear that physical education may worsen an already sad situation.

That is why this book is addressed to those who already have problems with the spine and joints. Those patients who have undergone surgery in the area of ​​the musculoskeletal system, those who, as they age, feel the need for exercise, but do not know where to start. The epigraph of this book was the famous Latin saying - Do no harm! Non nocere! Physical education can be not only pleasure, but also medicine, which, as we know, has a certain dose.

I wish you health and success!

Igor Borshchenko.

Big Book exercises for the back: complex “Smart Spine”

The book was created with the participation of O. S. Kopylova

© Borshchenko I. A., text

© Metafora LLC

© AST Publishing House LLC

Introduction

Dear reader! You are holding a unique book in your hands. Its author is a wonderful Russian neurosurgeon, vertebrologist, a well-known specialist in the treatment of spinal diseases. For his patients, Dr. Igor Borshchenko has developed a highly effective applied technique for spinal restoration, based on advanced space rehabilitation technologies.

The main problem that astronauts face in conditions of weightlessness is a sharp weakening of muscles that are deprived of any load: almost any movement is effortless, and in such conditions the muscles quickly lose their strength and elasticity. Immediately after returning to the earth's surface, astronauts can hardly move their limbs and are often unable to assume a sitting position. Their spine becomes abnormally flexible, and their height increases by several centimeters due to weakening of the muscular frame.

In 2005, in order to return the Russian member of the 10th expedition, Salizhan Sharipov, to Earth from the ISS, he had to sew and deliver a special “penguin suit” to the ship. This highly constricting suit, shaped like a penguin's torso, helped to “compress” the relaxed space explorer, thanks to which he was able to sit in the seat of the Soyuz spacecraft and return to Earth. Currently, physical training systems have been developed for astronauts, which allow them to quickly and effectively restore and maintain the muscular corset of the spine, prevent serious diseases of the musculoskeletal system and internal organs. Exercises for astronauts were developed primarily with the goal of strengthening the deep muscles of the back and maintaining posture.

IN ordinary life we often also neglect movement or move incorrectly. This leads to the fact that the muscles that support the spine in an upright position weaken, posture suffers and a tonic-strength imbalance occurs when one or more groups of back muscles are not included in maintaining body position. A person begins to experience back pain, then he develops diseases of the spine and internal organs.

In order to quickly and effectively correct incorrect posture and create a reliable muscle corset for the spine, Igor Borshchenko used space technologies for the rehabilitation of astronauts. His “Smart Spine” muscle training system was developed based on the physiological principles of the functioning of the human musculoskeletal system. The method will help you quickly get rid of back pain, create additional support for the spine and protect it from overload.

Weakness of the back muscles and poor posture are the root cause of many diseases.

And establishing and maintaining posture is the key to solving many health problems. Dr. Borshchenko’s unique positional gymnastics will help you engage the short and long muscles of the spine, strengthen the deep back muscles that form the internal corset of the spine, and achieve ideal posture. The “Smart Spine” muscle training system is strictly physiological, eliminates overstrain and muscle spasms, which makes it gentle on the vertebrae and joints.

By starting to practice regularly using Igor Borshchenko’s method, you will not only get rid of spinal diseases. The symptoms of vegetative-vascular dystonia will disappear forever, the functioning of internal organs will improve, and elevated blood pressure will decrease. arterial pressure. Positional gymnastics will restore tone nervous system, will help you get rid of extra pounds. Your vision and hearing will improve, and sexual problems will disappear. You will feel lightness in every movement, gain a beautiful gait, your body and soul will become younger!

We wish you success in mastering positional gymnastics Igor Borshchenko!

Part I. Spinal problems? Educational program for the patient

What is osteochondrosis?

Osteochondrosis is one of the most common diseases. After the flu and colds, back pain is the first reason that will force you to see a doctor. When we say “osteochondrosis,” we mean a disease of the spine. But it is not so. Can there be a spine without osteochondrosis? Of course, this is our ideal. Is there osteochondrosis without a spine? No, you will answer, and you will be wrong. How could it? Let's take a look for curiosity's sake International Classification Diseases (www.mkb10.ru): what you won’t find there: osteochondrosis of the hip and pelvis, osteochondrosis of the humerus, radius and ulna... Let’s not bother ourselves with boring names of places where osteochondrosis can develop - tarsus, patella, metatarsus, tibia and fibula, hand bones, separately head of the femur... I think you are already tired of this listing. A person has neither more nor less bones - at birth there are almost 300. Osteochondrosis of the spine is a separate line and has its own code. Therefore, it is more correct to use these two terms together.

Although you will almost never see osteochondrosis of the spine abroad - they usually say “spondylosis”, “degenerative disc disease”, which is closer to the point. But traditions must be respected, and for a Russian citizen, osteochondrosis is somehow more understandable and closer.

So, you have been informed that you have osteochondrosis of the spine. Everyone knows that appendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix, hepatitis is something with the liver. Go and ask, what is osteochondrosis? I will give typical answers ordinary people: “This is when your back hurts...”; “Well, when my back was crossed...”; “It’s something with the spine...”; “My parents and I definitely have this…” Like this. No idea what most often leads to sick leave and “what osteochondrosis is eaten with.” Let's try to figure it out together. As you know, any medical term that ends in “-oz” means degeneration of a specific organ. Degeneration is the reverse process of regeneration, or restoration. Cartilage in the Latin language, which is dead but alive among doctors - chondro. As the famous humorist said: “No matter what you do to a person, he stubbornly crawls to the cemetery.” The aging of the body begins already in the prime of 30 years, and for some - even earlier, which is why cartilage degeneration - chondrosis– is inevitable, no matter how you look at it and no matter what medicine you buy at the pharmacy. In medicine there is the concept of a target organ. Osteochondrosis targets the intervertebral disc located between the vertebrae (very complex and beautiful bones, by the way - osteo in Latin), which are also involved in the disease. We get the most perfect mathematics: OSTEO+CHONDRO+OZ=OSTEOCHONDROSIS. This is the “health formula”, almost a Kabbalistic spell. By solving this equation with four unknowns, you will get rid of the disease. I hope that by the end of the book you will succeed and you will be able to find the promised happiness.

The spine can be considered the most important organ. Try a simple experiment. Ask your four-year-old to draw a person. Where will he start? That's right - from a vertical stick, which represents the spine. And only then will he draw on arms, legs, and for some reason a cucumber - he will get the long-awaited little man. This first stick is involved in any human movement, even during sound sleep. And the most active part of the spine is the intervertebral disc.

For those for whom terminological accuracy is important, I would like to clarify that it is intervertebral, because it lies between the vertebrae. And certainly not intervertebral.

You understand that the spines of even siblings are not connected in any way - unless they are Siamese twins. In order not to complicate our lives, we will continue to say simply “disc” and know that this is the very organ that lies between the vertebrae, does not allow us to sit straight, ages with age, can get sick, is completely responsible for osteochondrosis, is also needed by adults , and children, and so on - I could go on for a long time...

Although appearance The intervertebral disc is completely uncomplicated, it is not just a piece of cartilage. In order to firmly connect the vertebrae, the disc has many circular ligaments that intertwine and form a fibrous ring. But it cannot soften all the blows and shocks that the spine experiences through our grace. This work is performed by the central part of the disk - the nucleus. In appearance it looks like jelly, which is why it is called the nucleus pulposus, or nucleus pulposus. It was preserved as a remnant of the primary notochord, the predecessor of the spine in the embryo. There are very few cells in the nucleus and 95% is intercellular substance that can swell and retain water. Therefore, the core of the disc is very elastic and well absorbs the loads transmitted to the spine. But it is precisely this part of the disk that is its Achilles heel. Like any cartilage, the disc has no blood vessels, so its cells are forced to feed by diffusion, that is, absorption of nutrients from neighboring vertebrae. This is a very slow process, and if it is disrupted, then the few cells in the nucleus slow down the formation of the intercellular “jelly” or even die. The core loses water, dries out, the height of the disc decreases, and then all the blows of fate are transferred directly to the fibrous ring, which endures for the time being, and then cracks. At this significant moment, a loud “Ay!” is heard. and the little man understands that something has happened inside, and His Majesty opens osteochondrosis new story diseases.

SUMMARY:

Osteochondrosis of the spine begins with damage to the intervertebral disc.

Osteochondrosis of the spine is preceded by a gradual asymptomatic loss of fluid in the disc.

Acute back pain is usually associated with the appearance of a crack in the intervertebral disc.

Why does my back hurt?

Although spinal osteochondrosis is the most common reason back pain, but not the only one for which you can “sit on sick leave” and look for an answer to the question: “Why did this happen to me?” Back pain is a reflection of a serious problem, and the disease may not be related to the spine at all. There are so-called referred pains, when the source of the pain is not realized, and the pain is usually due to anatomical structure– “gives off”, or – as doctors say – irradiates to neighboring anatomical areas. For example, myocardial infarction can only manifest itself as pain in the thoracic spine, while an inflamed appendix, which has not grown in a typical place, but, for example, behind the peritoneum, can cause pain not only in the abdomen, but also in the lower back. Such cases associated with emergency medicine, as a rule, do not present difficulties for doctors in determining acute pathology. The diagnosis of spinal osteochondrosis in such cases will be made after excluding all other causes of pain.

Much more often we encounter a situation where the cause of pain is associated with the spine itself. And since almost all patients have osteochondrosis, other diseases are hidden under this mask, often requiring urgent intervention. For example, a tumor of the spine. None of us wants to think about fatal diseases, especially when it comes to ourselves. But the doctor, whom you urgently need to contact with back pain, must be oncologically alert. By the way, medical students are taught to be generally vigilant: oncological vigilance, infectious vigilance, TB vigilance, that is, tuberculosis vigilance... It’s a pity that not all students remember this well. So, old age, previous, even successful, removal of a cancerous tumor, general poor health, weight loss without much desire - all these signs should be of concern in relation to tumor, including metastatic, spinal disease. In addition, there are tumors of the nervous system itself - the spinal cord and nerve roots. And they, too, can express themselves exclusively through painful sensations.

A typical example from life: an elderly lady periodically uses her favorite ointment and rubs her sore back. Of course, endless advertisements of “miraculous” ointments containing pepper extract, leech extract, and unknown herbs promise to get rid of osteochondrosis immediately and forever. Rubbing remains a popular treatment for various pains, and sometimes even helps. But one day, when I had to bend over to put on my shoes and walk for a loaf of Darnitsky, my back suddenly began to hurt. The next morning the pain did not subside, but became constant and the usual ointment no longer helped. Everyone, even themselves, envy the patience of our people. Older people often endure constant, debilitating back pain, considering it an obligatory companion of old age. That’s why they go to the doctor after two or three months, when both patience and ointment come to an end. Unfortunately, the local doctor will often write down on such a patient’s card: “Lumbar osteochondrosis. Exacerbation." And she will treat according to all the canons of medical science... But in vain, because this elderly woman, of course, had osteochondrosis, she lived with it for a significant part of her adult life, but did not experience such pain. In such cases, you should definitely remember about a spinal fracture, which can occur in an elderly person without any obvious injury.

And the most common cause of spinal fractures in old people is bone fragility - osteoporosis.

And here no treatment for osteochondrosis will help, since a broken vertebra needs to be strengthened, and osteoporosis must be treated, and for many years. Fortunately, special cement, which is injected into the broken vertebral body through a needle, allows the beloved grandmother to be relieved of pain the next day, and treatment of osteoporosis prevents fractures of neighboring vertebrae. I think you will agree that these advances in surgery and therapy are good reasons to see a doctor in a timely manner, and not rely on the advertised ointment “for all diseases of the spine and joints.”

Increasingly, among patients with back pain there are young people who will have to endure many illnesses in their lives, but who already experience “discomfort, stiffness, heaviness” in their back. These words are often used to describe the pain of patients who have been treated for osteochondrosis for several years, but without much success. The fact is that the spine can be affected not only by degenerative, but also by inflammatory diseases. In our age of the sexual revolution (I don’t think it’s over), you won’t surprise anyone with chlamydia. But few people know that this infection can lead to inflammation in the spine - spondyloarthritis. The same process sometimes develops after an intestinal infection, as well as some rarer diseases that require treatment by an infectious disease specialist and a rheumatologist. So, a short pleasure from a casual relationship after a few months can be reminded of itself by pain in the spine, more often in the morning, after a long sitting position and is relieved after twenty minutes of “pacing”. Therefore, do not forget that if obvious signs of osteochondrosis are not found, and your back hurts despite treatment, then you should remember about the diseases of your sexual partners and, just in case, go to a rheumatologist who diagnoses and treats inflammatory lesions of the spine. These include gout, a disease caused by excessive deposition of uric acid crystals in the joints. And then it’s quite difficult to connect the copious libation at a corporate party with back pain the next morning. There are also a lot of joints in the spine that can hurt during a gout attack. Therefore, we remind you once again that you should not be shy about doctors, and self-medication does not lead to a cure, but only prolongs the disease.

The inscription in the men's toilet of one military school read: “Syphilis is not a shame, but a misfortune. Contact your doctor!” This applies to all other diseases.

“DON’T POSTPUT FOR TOMORROW OSTEOCHONDROSIS, WHICH YOU CAN CURE TODAY!”

SUMMARY:

When diagnosing back pain, it is useful to remember the most important reasons affecting the spine:

Degenerative – spinal osteochondrosis.

Inflammatory - spondylitis after suffering from chlamydia, salmonellosis, brucellosis, etc.

Tumor, including metastases to the spine.

Traumatic, including due to osteoporosis.

Lumbar lumbago: what to do?

This word is very scary - lumbago... It even smacks of something criminal. However, it very accurately describes the vivid sensations of a person who experienced acute back pain for the first time. The inability to turn, bend over, and even get out of bed during an attack makes the sufferer completely helpless. And you also need to dress yourself, get to the doctor... What to do when an attack of acute pain in the spine occurs? Instinctively a person finds correct solution- this is complete peace. Usually the doctor recommends strict bed rest for several days, which means a strict restriction of movement, and sometimes you even have to go to the toilet while lying in bed. You already know that lumbar pain, as a rule, means the appearance or worsening of a crack in the intervertebral disc. Any injury - be it a broken bone or a bruised knee - triggers a universal response of body cells called inflammation.

The purpose of inflammation is to cleanse the body of damaged or foreign cells.

However, it itself is accompanied by such unpleasant phenomena as pain and tissue swelling. A crack from inside the annulus fibrosus of the disc infringes on the tissue of the nucleus pulposus, and when the rupture reaches the outer layers of the disc, very severe pain appears, associated with irritation of pain receptors, to which is also added inflammation, which additionally releases “pain molecules.” All these tragic events make us stare motionless at the ceiling of our bedroom and occur every time osteochondrosis worsens. Although the characters in this story may change, the chain remains unchanged: ruptured disc - inflammation - pain. The chain turns into a ring because the pain itself increases inflammation. Inflammation - pain - inflammation - pain... and so on ad infinitum. In medicine they say so - a pathological ring of disease. The lord of this ring is certainly not the patient, but His Majesty osteochondrosis.

What to do in such unpleasant situation, especially if relatives have gone to the country, and the repairs you started need to be continued? Of course, consult a doctor. No matter how trite it sounds, but only he can have qualified assistance. I remember the poem “Aibolit” by K.I. Chukovsky: “But where is the good doctor, when will he come?” Until the doctor gets to you or you to him, you need to help yourself, your loved one, in order to live until this joyful meeting. So, strict bed rest. There is pain, which means you need pain relief. Fortunately, pharmacies sell painkillers without a prescription, so let’s ask the pharmacist to recommend something more modern than the good old analgin. Although in this case any anti-inflammatory painkiller is suitable - their mechanism of action is, in principle, the same.

An hour had already passed since we took the painkillers and somehow crawled to the bed. Something has not gotten better... and the lower back is like stone... Indeed, severe pain leads to the fact that the body seeks to immobilize the diseased organ and involuntarily contracts the muscles around it, namely the deep and superficial muscles of the spine. They are so strong that they allow athletes to deadlift up to several hundred kilograms. Contraction of a muscle is good, but if it lasts for hours, it’s no laughing matter. In the best way thermal procedures are used to resolve muscle spasms in cases of acute lumbar pain. And our ancestors, with their wraps and compresses, were very wise. Therefore, vodka will come in handy, but, of course, not internally - only as an external remedy. A vodka compress on the lower back overnight will relieve muscle spasms better than any other medicine. Of course, the skin should be pre-lubricated with cream, especially for the fair half of humanity, which also suffers from osteochondrosis.

More modern version– heating pad for the lower back.

Speaking about the treatment of acute lumbar pain, I remember the story of my colleague, who saw hot lotions in one of the American clinics specializing in the treatment of the spine. I immediately liked it - approved by insurance companies, very traditional, and most importantly, effective. I hope these simple tips will help you survive an acute period of pain and be sure to get to the doctor the next morning.

SUMMARY:

Acute lumbar pain requires strict bed rest for several days.

Painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs relieve inflammation in the damaged disc and block pain impulses from the damaged tissue.

Thermal procedures (heating pad, warming compress) effectively relieve muscle spasms in the acute period of pain.

And in general, everyone, because this book describes in detail where all back diseases come from, how to walk, sit, and sleep correctly so that the spine does not disturb. I found a lot of interesting things for myself. My chiropractor recommended the book to me, and I recommend it to everyone.

Dovidauskaite Kristina 0

The book describes in an accessible form the reasons for violations in such complex system like a spine. The author covered modern views on the causes of intervertebral hernias, on new methods of their treatment. The most physiological movements and postures for the spine when cleaning an apartment, lifting loads, working on summer cottage etc. Some exercises of the Smart Spine system are described in detail. For full-fledged classes on this system, you need to purchase not one book, but two (even better - all three books, since most of the exercises are not repeated in them). In my opinion, this is not very convenient; I would prefer a complete description of the isometric gymnastics system under one cover. Therefore, my rating is 4 points out of 5

Skorodumova Maria 0

A book for any age. On the fingers, with a minimum of medical terms, it tells about the work of the spine and the most common problems with him at any age. Light exercises, and, most importantly, rules of life to prevent these very problems. They gave me this book to read. After reading it, I decided to buy it for myself, because I will contact her. I advise everyone to buy it.

Olga Dem. 0

Easy, even simple at first glance, but very effective gymnastics. I do it myself. The book fell into my hands completely by accident. She found me :) I'm glad about it. Now I recommend the book (or gymnastics:)) to friends and acquaintances. To those who write negative reviews I would like to say that gymnastics should not be read, but it should be done! So that later you don’t write bullshit about “complete bullshit”!

Kaverzina Olga Alexandrovna 0

I bought the book for my dad as a gift, because... he just had surgery on his spine. The book talks in detail about the occurrence of problems in the spine. A good set of exercises, which is especially important - with a ball, because... when using a ball, the effectiveness of the exercises is higher. I hope the book will help him during rehabilitation.