Skip to content

Spinal arthritis exercises to avoid

    A determined exercising regime is well-associated with strengthening the muscles, improving the body structure, keeping you lean and fit as a fiddle. Where exercises tend to have a progressive effect on your body, at the same time, they may lead to some worsening body conditions. 

    Thinking about it? Figure out yourself! 

    Exercises – trouble or solution?

    Exercises, when done in the wrong manner, can lead to many side effects on the body. Certain exercises lead to excessive pain, irritation, and inflammation issues in several parts of the body. This condition gets worse over time when you have a health complication like – arthritis. The major cause is it leaves an impact on your bones and joints the most. 

    Today, we will focus on arthritis of the spine. 

    Osteoarthritis, also known as spine arthritis, should be handled with care and utmost attention. A slight change or wrong position obtained can lead to many drastic health issues. The cervical spine or neck consists of around seven bones known as vertebrae. This often disturbs due to multiple reasons, including – injury, aging, cartilage breakdown, etc.; all these reasons end up in sudden and painful stiffness in the neck and back. And the only reason is cartilage degeneration. 

    This condition is scarce and painful, leading to many movement restrictions on the one suffering. Here, a practitioner may recommend doing light exercises, but one must perform physical movement keeping many factors in mind. Any exercise type adding to the strain on spine or neck muscles can prove problematic later. Therefore, it is good to avoid a few exercises when suffering from osteoarthritis. 

    Sit-ups – 

    Generally, sit-ups are to strengthen the rectus abdominal area while making one lose belly fat effectively. However, it is a recommended exercise type included in every fitness regime. But when talking about osteoarthritis, you need to check with your doctor if you can perform it or not. This depends on the severity of osteoarthritis. However, it is not a preferred exercise for sure. 

    If you have performed sit-ups unknowingly while suffering from osteoarthritis, it is recommended to visit a pain management clinic immediately. A practitioner can help you know a comfortable degree of bending for such exercises. As far as your fitness is concerned, you can practice reverse crunches instead of sit-ups. 

    Military press – 

    Be it the overhead or military press, any exercise type that releases pressure on your neck and back can cause problems. As it does not include moving your head, neck, and back, the entire pressure goes on the back, leading to inflammation issues. For this exercise, you need good periscapular strength to stabilize your neck and back. Talking about the best alternatives to this exercise, you can go for a front shoulder raise which works on shoulder blades the most. 

    A wise word – 

    Stretching the body in a comfortable position is helpful, while intensifying your exercising regime can prove troublesome for you. It attacks the stiffness of neck and spine muscles, making it difficult to move further. Perform prescribed exercises that add to the muscle strength while not leaving any strain on the already suffering muscles.