Exercises for a Pinched Nerve

The condition in which a single or set of nerves get damaged is termed as pinched nerve. The damage can include constriction, compression, stretching, etc. Such a problem occurs when ligaments, bones and tendons surrounding the nerves put excessive pressure on the latter.

Just as the causes of nerve damage are varied, so are its symptoms. The different symptoms of a pinched nerve include burning sensation/pins and needles, numbness or just pain in the injured area. A foot or hand 'falling asleep' also is one of the symptoms. Let us have a look at the different exercises used in relieving pinched nerve, one by one.

The pinched nerve exercises are recommended to augment recovery speed of nerve injuries. To cure a pinched nerve, the heart should work efficiently and perform its functions properly; a healthy heart in turn keeps the arteries healthy. As a result, pinched nerves heal quickly.

Physical therapy exercises help improve blood flow in the body; it also proves to be an aid in reducing muscle spasms. The shoulder and back exercises mentioned further should prove to be useful in relieving pain.

Performing back exercises should prove to be of great help in curing such condition. Here are few routines of exercises to cure this problem.

Leaning to sides proves to be helpful in stretching the lower back. The side bends should be performed 5 times on both left and right sides of the body.

In this exercise, one should begin with a sitting position, while placing the legs at shoulder width. By placing left hand on the right knee, the body should be pulled forward. It helps in stretching the back muscles. One should hold on for five counts in this position. The same exercise should also be repeated on the left side.

Nerves present in the shoulder region - where the abdomen intersects with the head and neck - need extreme care to remain in a healthy state. The health of nerves in this region is therefore, of utmost importance. Here are a few nerve exercises for the shoulder region.

The chin extension exercise is quite easy to perform. One can do it in the comfort of chair in the sitting position. First step is that of interlacing fingers of both hands and placing them behind the head. The chin should be moved downward and to the right side.

Before retracting back, the position should be held for 15 seconds. A similar exercise should be performed also on the left side. The chin extensions need to be performed 5 times on each side.

The shoulder shrug exercise should be performed in a standing position while keeping arms on the side. Shoulders need to be shrugged and moved backwards in a rotating motion.

One should return to the original position through a similar movement from the opposite direction. Shoulder shrugs have to be performed in a set of 15. A break of 30 seconds can be taken between 2 sets.

This exercise is as simple as it sounds. To perform the bench press with broom, one should lie on the back while holding a broom in both hands at shoulder width. The broom should be pressed upwards until elbows become straight. Repeating the exercise 15 times with 30 second breaks provides a nice exercise to shoulders.

The pinched nerve exercises mentioned earlier are an efficient means to relieve neck pain, back pain and keep the nerves in a healthy condition. One should perform these exercises regularly so as to keep the body in a healthy condition.