If you have bone spurs, your doctor may have suggested physical therapy. A physical therapist can help you with exercises to strengthen the muscles around the bone spurs and help increase your mobility.
Gentle stretches are sometimes recommended to help reduce the pain of bone spurs and increase flexibility. Some of these may include:
Shoulder Roll
- Stretching the back and neck can help relieve pain from bone spurs and it also promotes flexibility. Stretches of bone spurs may include lateral and flexion neck rolls, shoulder rolls, and stretches of the upper back. Be sure to check with your doctor before starting any of these, especially if you’ve had surgery recently for bone spurs or other conditions.
- To complete a shoulder roll:
a) Start in a standing or sitting position,
b) Bend your elbows,
c) Slowly rotate your shoulders forward ten times, keeping your shoulder blades together,
d) Now, rotate your shoulders backward ten times.
For Heels
- Lean forward against a wall.
- One knee should be straight, one should be bent.
- Both heels need to be on the ground.
- Hold the position for 10 seconds.
- Straighten up and relax.
- Repeat 20 times.
- Lean forward to a countertop.
- Spread your feet apart and place one foot in front of the other.
- Flex your knees.
- Squat down with your heels on the ground for as long as possible.
- Hold for 10 seconds.
- Straighten up and relax.
- Repeat 20 times.
Neck Roll
These exercises for bone spurs can be done standing or sitting.
For the lateral neck roll:
- Slowly tilt your head toward your left should as far as you comfortably can.
- Hold this position for a count of 3.
- Return to center.
- Slowly tilt your head toward your right shoulder as far as you comfortably can.
- Hold this position for a count of 3.
- Return to center.
- Repeat ten times.
For the flexion neck roll:
- Slowly bend your chin down toward your chest, as far as you comfortably can.
- Hold this position for a count of three.
- Return your head to an upright position.
- Repeat 10 times.
Upper-Back Stretches
These stretches are done standing. They may ease the pain of bone spurs.
Starting position: Standing, feet about shoulder-width apart, hands on hips.
- Slowly let your head drop forward, keeping your back rounded until you feel a gentle stretch in your back
- Your shoulder blades should spread naturally apart as you are stretching
- Hold the stretch for a count of three
- Return slowly to the starting position, rest briefly
- Repeat ten times
Hamstring stretches
These stretches will help low back stress and pain, which can also relieve pain caused by bone spurs and related tension in the neck and upper back.
A simple hamstring stretch can be done lying on the floor using a towel:
- Raise one leg up until you feel stretching in the hamstring
- Place a towel in the middle of your foot and, using both of your hands, lift your leg just a little higher.
- Hold this position for a count of three
- Lower your leg
- Repeat 5 times
- Repeat with your other leg
Activities like swimming, walking, biking or using an elliptical machine are low-impact aerobics and they can help to strengthen muscles and relieve pain associated with bone spurs. Avoid activities like tennis, spinning and running. These are high-impact and are not recommended for people with bone spurs.
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