After injuries or surgical interventions, brain structures can suffer from diseases of the nervous system, which is manifested by dizziness, a feeling of lightheadedness, and impaired coordination. For disorders of the vestibular apparatus, special vestibular gymnastics will help, which alleviates the symptoms and prevents the progression of the disease.
Very often, patients who have suffered a stroke come to see a doctor with complaints of dizziness and impaired coordination when walking. Post-stroke vestibular gymnastics helps these patients improve their quality of life. After several weeks of regular training, positive dynamics have already been noted.
What is vestibular gymnastics?
Such exercises are not associated with muscle growth. For each age category, this physical activity differs in pace, respiratory cycles and the number of repetitions.
All exercises designed to strengthen the vestibular apparatus begin with a straight torso. To warm up, they raise their hands up, look at the palms, holding for two to three seconds, and exhale through the mouth.
Main complex
Vestibular gymnastics is performed at a pace that is comfortable for you. Each exercise is repeated five to seven times, with the exception of jumping and pushups. Inhale through the nose, and exhale through tightly compressed lips. Starting position - standing straight with arms down, heels and socks together.
Exercise examples
- From the starting position, straighten your back, unfold your chest, tighten your stomach, raise your head slightly. Then straight arms are raised above the head and palms are joined. This position is fixed for five to seven seconds. Returning to the starting position.
- Raise the right leg and fix the position for 5-7 seconds, then raise the left. For complication, lifting the right leg, take it with your hands and press the foot against the inner surface of the thigh. The heel should be closer to the groin, the toe is looking down. Standing on the left foot, they try to keep the right foot in the same plane with the body. Then the exercise is repeated from the other leg.
- Turn the neck to the right and left to the position in which discomfort is felt, fix the position for five to seven seconds. Exercise is performed with relaxed neck muscles. Pulling the crown up, fix in the extreme position for 5-7 seconds.
- The head is tilted forward until the chin touches the chest, fixed in this position. After that, tilt to the right and left, trying to reach the shoulder with your ear. The shoulder cannot be lifted. Fix the position.
- The head rotate in the direction and counterclockwise.
- Lean forward, pulling the upper part of the body and clutching his shoulders with his hands.
- Kneel, taking a breath, raise their right hand and left foot, trying to maintain balance.
- From the starting position, jump up, trying to make a turn in the jump around its axis. Repeat 2-10 times in each direction. Exercise is only suitable for trained people.
The final part can be made relaxing by meditating in the lotus position.
Exercise for the elderly
Vestibular gymnastics for the elderly is an ideal way of prevention and recovery. Elderly people noted a decrease in back pain, lack of dizziness, numbness of the limbs and noise in the head and ears. Despite the fact that such exercises are considered harmless, you must consult a doctor before performing them.
Initially, you need to do exercises without closing your eyes. After the balance improves, you can perform exercises with your eyes closed, but it is desirable that there is a person nearby who can insure. Here are some exercises for the elderly to help deal with vestibular disorders:
- You can train to get out of the chair and sit on it, looking directly, then with your eyes closed.
- Sitting on a chair, try to remove an object from the floor and return to its original position. Then you need to return the item back.
- Having picked up any drawing, you need to stretch your arms forward and focus your eyes on the picture. Turn your head to one side, then the other side, without moving the sheet and without taking your eyes off it.
Insurance Exercises
To perform the following exercises, you will need the help of a trainer or loved one to avoid a fall:
- Standing on the floor you need to raise one leg, trying to maintain balance. To complicate, you need to try the exercise with your eyes closed.
- Walking straight, try to turn your head at one time, then the other.
Activities for kids
Exercises for children are simple and easy to perform, kids love them very much. In addition, they are great for spending time together mom and baby.
How to start?
Vestibular gymnastics is carried out carefully, the baby should get pleasure from classes. Mom needs to be careful and constantly monitor the baby. It is necessary to hold the child with confidence, start at a calm and slow pace, increase the duration of classes gradually.
Vestibular gymnastics for babies consists of several exercises. You can start classes when the baby is already able to observe an object that is moving slowly, that is, from about two months.
Clothing for both mother and child should be comfortable for classes, exercises should be chosen those that the baby likes the most.
Exercise examples
To strengthen the spine of the baby, you often need to spread it on the tummy. While the child is in this position, the mother gently pulls the baby's arms up, after which she turns him back, lifting the arms and legs in turn. You can carefully roll the baby over the bed, from one barrel to another.
For a full blood supply to the brain, the child’s head must be turned frequently. In this case, a rattle will help, with which the mother calls behind the baby, forcing him to turn the head to the sound.
When the child is four months old, you can, taking him under the armpits, make bouncing. This exercise is great for training the vestibular apparatus and strengthening muscles.
Swinging the crumbs on the shoulder, on the mother’s lap or on the big ball will be useful, this will help to teach the baby to maintain balance and control his body. The exercises of vestibular gymnastics on the ball are very popular with children, in addition, such exercises help to train muscles, promote brain development and improve bowel function.
Even children love the “airplane” exercise: the mother lies on her back, taking the baby under her arms, raises him on outstretched arms and lowers him, holding vertically, horizontally or in an inclined position.
Parents are often afraid to shake their baby head down, although this is a natural situation for the baby, which, being in the uterus, was located just like that. It is important to hold his legs firmly, gently lifting him to his face and swinging to the sides. Then the crumbs are carefully lowered. Such an exercise enthralls children.
Vestibular gymnastics for babies can be carried out using a swing, a carousel, which you can ride with a baby. A little later, you can let him swing himself, while not forgetting to insure.
Rotations are also useful. Putting the child on your shoulder, you need to start gently spinning in one direction, then in the other. You can take the baby by the forearm and spin, straightening his arms to the right and left.
A mass of positive emotions is caused by a toss, when the mother holds the crumbs under the armpits, and then throws up and catches.
Vestibular gymnastics for children should be accompanied by words, you need to finish the exercise before the baby is tired.
Such classes are useful for people of all age categories. With the help of vestibular gymnastics, an adult can improve his condition with vestibular disorders. Classes help relieve symptoms and improve overall health.
Vestibular gymnastics for babies is especially useful for young parents. A couple of simple movements will help to entertain and calm the child.