The first movements of the baby are due to the muscular-articular feeling, with the help of which the child, long before birth, determines his place in space. In the first year of life, the muscular-articular feeling gives the child a powerful stimulus for development. It is thanks to him that the baby learns to make conscious movements (raise his head, reach for a toy, roll over, sit down, get up, etc.). And the main characteristic of the muscular skeleton of newborns is tone.

The tone is different

Together with the pediatric neuropathologist Knyazeva Inna Viktorovna, we will try to figure out what is muscle tone and what is considered the norm. Even in sleep, our muscles do not completely relax and remain tense. This minimal tension that is maintained in a state of relaxation and rest is called muscle tone. The younger the child, the higher the tone - this is due to the fact that at first the surrounding space is limited by the uterus, and the child does not need to perform purposeful actions. In the embryo position (with the limbs and chin tightly pressed to the body), the fetal muscles are in strong tension, otherwise the child would simply not fit in the uterus. After birth (during the first six to eight months), muscle tone gradually weakens. Ideally, the muscle tone of a two-year-old should be approximately the same as that of an adult. But almost all modern babies have problems with tone. Poor ecology, complications during pregnancy, stress and a number of other unfavorable factors provoke a violation of the tone in newborns. There are several of the most common muscle tone disorders.

• Increased tone (hypertonicity).

  The child seems tense and constricted. Even in sleep, the baby does not relax: his legs are bent at the knees and pulled up to his stomach, arms are crossed on his chest, and his fists are clenched (often in the shape of a "fig"). With hypertonicity, the child holds his head well from birth due to the strong tone of the occipital muscles (but this is not good).

• Decreased tone (hypotonia).

  With a reduced tone, the child is usually lethargic, moves little legs and arms and cannot hold his head for a long time. Sometimes the legs and arms of the child are extended at the knee and elbow joints by more than 180 degrees. If you put the child on his stomach, then he does not bend his arms under the chest, but spreads them to the sides. The child looks limp and sprawled.

• Asymmetry of muscle tone.

  With asymmetry on one side of the body, the tone is higher than on the other. In this case, the child's head and pelvis are turned towards the tense muscles, and the body is bent in an arc. When a child is laid out on his stomach, he always falls to one side (where the tone is enhanced). In addition, asymmetry is easily detected by the uneven distribution of the gluteal and femoral folds.

• Uneven tone (dystonia).

  With dystonia, signs of hyper- and hypotension are combined. In this case, the child's muscles are too relaxed, while others are too tense.

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Diagnosis of muscle tone

Usually, immediately after childbirth, the doctor, on the basis of visual diagnostic tests, detects violations of the tone and motor activity of the newborn. In addition, all babies have so-called "residual" (posotonic) reflexes, which can also be used to determine muscle tone disorders. In principle, you yourself can check how the child is doing with tone. Here are some basic tests that can determine abnormalities in the development of muscle tone and postural reflexes in a newborn.

• Breeding the thighs.

  Place the child on their back and gently try to straighten the legs and move them apart. But do not use force and make sure that the child does not get hurt. Normally, you should feel moderate resistance. If the legs of a newborn, without resistance, are completely unbent and easily parted in different directions, this is evidence of a reduced tone. If the resistance is too strong and at the same time the child's legs are crossed, this is a sign of hypertonicity.

• Sitting down by the hands.

  Place the baby on its back on a firm, level surface (for example, on a changing table), grab the wrists and gently pull towards you, as if sitting down. Normally, you should feel moderate resistance to extending your arms at the elbows. If the child's arms are unbent without resistance, and in the sitting position the stomach is strongly protruded forward, the back is rounded, and the head is tilted back or lowered down, these are signs of decreased tone. If you are unable to remove the baby's arms from the chest and straighten them, on the contrary, this indicates hypertonicity.

• Step reflex and support reflex.

  Take your baby vertically under the arms, place him on the changing table and tilt him forward slightly, forcing him to take a step. Normally, the child should stand leaning on a full foot with the toes extended. And when leaning forward, the child imitates walking and does not cross his legs. This reflex gradually fades away and practically disappears by 1.5 months. If a child is older than 1.5 months, this reflex persists, this is evidence of hypertonicity. Also, the increased tone is indicated by tucked toes, crossing the legs when walking, or support only on the forefoot. If, instead of standing, the newborn squats, takes a step bent legs or refuses to walk at all - these are signs of decreased tone.

• Symmetrical reflex.

  Place the baby on his back, put your palm under the back of his head and gently tilt the baby's head towards the chest. He should bend his arms and straighten his legs.

• Asymmetric reflex.

  Place the child on their back and slowly, without effort, turn their head towards the left shoulder. The child will assume the so-called fencer's pose: he will stretch his arm forward, straighten his left leg and bend his right leg. Then turn the child's face to the right side, and he should repeat this pose only in the opposite direction: he will stretch his right arm forward, straighten his right leg and bend his left.

• Tonic reflex.

  Put the child on his back on a hard surface - in this position, the newborn's extensor tone increases, he tries to straighten his limbs and seems to open up. Then turn the child over on his stomach and he will "close", pull up the bent arms and legs under him (the tone of the flexors increases on the stomach).
  Normally, symmetrical, asymmetric and tonic reflexes are moderately expressed and gradually disappear by 2-2.5 months. If the newborn does not have these reflexes or are too weakly expressed, this indicates a lowered tone, and if these reflexes persist by three months, this is a sign of hypertonicity.

• Reflexes of Moreau and Babinsky.

  Observe the child carefully. When overexcited, he should throw the arms to the sides (Moro reflex), and when the soles are irritated (tickling), the child reflexively begins to unbend the toes. Normally, Moro and Babinsky's reflexes should pass by the end of the 4th month.

If muscle tone and associated reflexes do not undergo changes appropriate to the baby's age, this is a very dangerous signal. Do not rely on the notorious "maybe" and expect that the problems with muscle tone will go away on their own. Violation of the tone and development of reflexes often leads to a delay motor development... And with a strong deviation from the norm it comes about the possible formation of diseases of the nervous system, ranging from seizures and ending with infantile cerebral palsy (cerebral palsy). Fortunately, if the doctor diagnoses a violation of tone at birth (or in the first three months), the threat of developing serious diseases can be prevented with the help of massage, because in the first year of life nervous system has a huge recovery potential.

Massage with increased and decreased tone in infants

It is best to start the massage when your baby is two months old. But first, it is necessary to show the child to three specialists: a pediatrician, an orthopedist and a neurologist, who diagnose and give recommendations. If the child needs drug treatment, then it is usually "fitted" to the massage. Correctly and timely performed massage course helps to correct many orthopedic disorders (clubfoot, incorrectly inverted feet, etc.), normalize muscle tone and eliminate "residual" reflexes. In case of serious deviations from the norm, the massage should be done by a professional. But you can slightly correct the tone at home.

It is better to massage during the day, at least an hour after feeding. You should first ventilate the room and make sure that the temperature is not lower than 22 degrees, the child should not be hot or cold. Hands should be washed with warm water, wiped dry (to keep them warm). It is not necessary to smear the whole body of the child with massage oil or cream; it is enough to apply a small amount of the cream on your hands. For massage, you can use a special oil or regular baby cream. While doing the massage, talk to your child lovingly and monitor his reactions. When the first signs of fatigue appear (crying, whimpering, disgruntled grimaces), you should stop exercising.

During massage, all movements are done from the periphery to the center, starting from the limbs: from the hand to the shoulder, from the foot to the groin. In the first lessons, each exercise is repeated only once. At first, the entire complex of massage will take no more than 5 minutes. Gradually increase the number of repetitions and time to 15-20 minutes.

To eliminate hypertonicity and residual reflexes, manifested in the excessive activity of the child, the so-called gentle massage- it relaxes and soothes. Start the massage by stroking your hands, feet, back with the back and palms of several closed fingers. You can alternate between flat (with the surface of the fingers) and enveloping (with the whole brush) stroking. After stroking, rubbing the skin in a circular motion is done. Place the baby on your stomach and place your palm along the baby's back. Without lifting your hands from the baby's back, gently move his skin up, down, right and left with strokes, as if you were sifting sand through a sieve with your hand. Then place the child on his back, take his hand and lightly shake it, holding the child by the forearm. Thus, massage both arms and legs several times. Now you can move on to wiggle. Grasp the baby's arm muscles (just above the wrist) and gently but quickly swing and shake the arms from side to side. Your movements should be fast and rhythmic, but not abrupt. Do the same with the legs, grabbing the calf muscles. You need to finish the massage in the same way as you started - with smooth stroking.

With a reduced tone, on the contrary, it is carried out stimulating massage that activates the child. The stimulating massage includes a large number of "chopping" movements. After traditional stroking with the edge of your palm, lightly walk over the baby's legs, arms and back. Then place the baby on his stomach and roll his knuckles over his back, bottom, legs and arms. Then turn the baby over onto its back and roll your knuckles over their stomach, arms and legs.

In addition to massage to normalize muscle tone, it helps physiotherapy for example, exercise on a large inflatable ball. Place the child with his belly on the ball, legs bent (like a frog) and pressed against the surface of the ball. Let dad, for example, hold the baby's legs in this position, and you take the baby by the arms and pull him towards you. Then you bring the baby back to starting position... Now take the baby by the shins and pull them towards you until the baby's face is at the top of the ball or the feet touch the floor. Smoothly return the baby to its original position. Then tilt the child forward (away from you) so that he touches the floor with his palms (just make sure that the baby does not hit the floor with his forehead). Repeat this exercise back and forth several times.

With an asymmetric tone, a relaxing massage should be done with an effort on the side in which the tone is lower. In addition, it has a good effect next exercise on an inflatable ball: Place the child on the inflatable ball with the side into which it bends. Smoothly swing the ball along the axis of the child's body. Repeat this exercise 10-15 times daily.

Even if the child's muscle tone is normal, this is not a reason to refuse preventive massage... Preventive massage includes both relaxing and energizing movements. Massage techniques are used such as stroking (massage begins and ends with them), rubbing, kneading with stronger pressure. In a circular motion(clockwise) massage the abdomen to prevent colic and constipation. Use your thumb to stroke the soles of your baby and pat them lightly. Then, with your whole palm, preferably with both hands, stroke the baby's chest from the middle to the sides, and then along the intercostal spaces. From three months it is useful to combine massage with gymnastics. The main purpose of preventive massage is to prepare the child for walking. From two months to one year, a healthy child must undergo at least 4 massage courses (15-20 sessions each). When the child starts to walk, the intensity of the massage is reduced to twice a year. It is advisable to take massage courses in the spring and fall to improve the state of the immune system, which is usually weakened at this time of the year.

For medical questions, be sure to consult with a doctor in advance.

It happens that the muscles are unevenly developed and the size of the muscles on the right and left parts of the body is very different. For example, one pectoral muscle is larger than the other, or the biceps on the right arm are larger than on the left.

First you need to understand that all people have a slightly different muscle size on the right and left side of the body, and within certain limits, this is normal!
For example, right-handers most often have more muscles in the right limbs, while left-handers have more muscles on the left side of the body.
The sizes of the muscles differ for everyone, it's just that usually these differences are small, so the difference is not noticeable, but if you take measurements on purpose, you will see that there is a difference.
Again, a slight difference in muscle size is normal.
Just as the strength of the right and left hand or the right and left leg is different, it is due to nature.
However, it happens that the sizes of the muscles differ very much, this is immediately visible to the eye and, of course, does not look very good.

WHY MUSCLES BECOME DIFFERENT IN SIZE

1. The size of the muscles depends on their activity
Muscles develop in response to stress, so if the person is right-handed and he constantly uses more of his right arm, then the muscles of the right arm will be slightly better developed.
Usually these differences are very small and imperceptible to the eye.
However, there are individual differences, and in some people the muscles differ very much.

2. Muscles may develop unevenly due to the nature of the profession
If you have to work a lot more with one hand, the muscles on the more active side of the body may become larger than the other.
For example, a blacksmith who constantly works with a hammer and holds it with his right hand, the muscles on the right side will be larger and stronger than on the left.
Even in athletes, in those sports where one half of the body works more than the other, there are imbalances in muscle development, for example, tennis players or fencers.

3. Curved exercise performance when playing sports
With poor technique, one part of the body will be loaded more than another, and if you do this regularly, then over time the muscles will develop unevenly.

4. Various diseases and injuries
For example, with scoliosis due to curvature of the spine, the back and pectoral muscles may appear unevenly developed.
In addition, if blood circulation is disturbed in any part of the body, then the muscles in this place are poorly supplied with nutrition and may dry out.
Also, if a person had injuries, for example, the hand was in a cast for a long time, then with immobility the muscles weaken and greatly decrease in size.

WHAT TO DO IF MUSCLES ARE DIFFERENT SIZES

1. During trainings, you need to perform exercises so that the load on the left and right sides is the same.
The body builds muscles in response to stress, if you load the muscles in the same way, then they will develop evenly! Do the same number of reps for the left and right side, and follow the correct exercise technique.
If you squeeze the bar crookedly, or lift the dumbbells crookedly, then the load on one side will be greater than on the other.
Therefore, observe a clear technique in all exercises, control yourself by looking in the mirror, or ask a classmate to watch how you do the exercise.

Some people have the idea of ​​using dumbbells of different weights. For example, do a press with two dumbbells and take a little more weight for the lagging side.
Remember - you can't do this! This interferes with the technique of the exercise, develops the wrong skills and can lead to injury.
Moreover, if one side is weaker, then what is the point of taking more weight for it?
It turns out, strong point flaws, and the weak one simply will not pull too much weight.
You need to train correctly, follow the technique and load the muscles in the same way, then the muscles will gradually align in size, and will continue to develop evenly.

2. Exercise regularly so you can align your muscles.
Muscle development takes time, so be patient, exercise regularly and you will notice that your muscles begin to develop in a harmonious and proportional manner.
If you play sports only once a week or often quit training, then where can you expect good results?

3. With very strong deviations, you can use additional approaches for the lagging side.
For example, if one pectoral muscle is much smaller than the other, then after you have completely done all the pectoral exercises, you can do one additional set just for the lagging side. Also, if one biceps is larger than the other, at first you train them evenly, and at the end you do one approach for the smaller biceps.
No need to give a lot additional load for the lagging side, you simply overload the muscles, they will not recover well, and the next workout this side will work even worse.
Train the muscles evenly on both sides, and for the lagging side, it is enough to do just one additional approach at the end of the total complex.

To load the muscles on only one side, you need to use dumbbells or exercise on machines.
Examples:
For one pectoral muscle, you can do a dumbbell bench press with one hand.
You take two dumbbells, lie down on a bench, but do the press with only one hand.
You take two dumbbells in order to maintain balance and press straight.
You can also press with one hand on special simulator for the pectoral muscles.
At home, you can do push-ups from the floor on one hand.
For biceps there is special exercises, which are performed with one hand with dumbbells. For example, an isolated flexion of the arm on a special bench or flexion of one arm with dumbbells with an emphasis on the thigh.
For any muscle, you can choose special exercises for one side - see the section for tips.
I recommend using these methods only when there is a very strong imbalance.
It also makes sense to additionally load one side if you have had injuries and need to restore this part of the body (in this case, you can do several additional approaches with light weight).
In other cases, you just need to train regularly, perform the exercises technically correctly and load the muscles equally, then they will align and develop evenly.

4. In some sports where one part of the body works more than another, athletes may experience uneven muscle development on the right and left sides.
Therefore, I recommend that all athletes include complexes for general physical fitness in training and perform exercises that load muscles on both sides, that is, be sure to work on the whole body!
Then the muscles will develop harmoniously and this will allow you to achieve great results.

So friends, use correct programs workouts, strictly follow the exercise technique and do sports regularly - then your body will be developed harmoniously!

This article is written on a question from (sorry, forgot the name :))
“Hello Sergey. What if some muscles of the body are not developed evenly - for example, for some reason I have right part the chest is noticeably larger than the left one (maybe this is "normal" and due to the fact that I am right-handed? ..). I train at home with dumbbells and the first solution that comes to mind is to use a different load for each hand (for example, in the same bench press for the left hand, take a weight greater than for the right). Is it correct? How is it possible to achieve the symmetry of such muscles in general (the same can be the case not only with the chest, but also with the biceps)?

Do you have more questions about sports and nutrition? Go to the section and you will find many of my answers!

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Probably not everyone knows that with asymmetric muscle development, a special training program for gym... Of course, the use of such a program is permissible only after you make sure that the problem does not lie in a pinched nerve and that we are not talking about muscle atrophy as a result of spinal problems.

I am constantly asked questions about unequal muscle growth. For example, recently they asked me for advice: “ Hello! I am 21 years old. I'm left-handed. Recently I noticed that the muscles on the left arm are larger than on the right. Please advise what to do to fix it. "

I want to say right away that the uneven development of symmetrical muscles is a fairly common problem. What to do if one biceps is large and the other is small, if one pectoral muscle is larger than the other. Before tackling the elimination of the "skew", you need to establish its presence and cause. Let's immediately determine that if one leg or arm is 1 cm larger than the other, then this is the norm, and this does not strike anyone's eye. But if the difference is already a few centimeters and strikes everyone's eye, and the problem is aggravated, then you should think about it.

The reasons may lie both in the field of training and in the field of physiology. The spine undergoes rather strong loads throughout life, which can lead to its curvature and displacement intervertebral discs, and even pinching the nerve. The people also call this problem a pinched nerve.

In turn, training with significant weight can exacerbate these problems. When displaced, the discs can clamp the endings of the nerve fibers that lead to certain muscles, and this can only happen on one side. As a result, the corresponding muscle receives less stimulation, and its growth may slow down, or even stop altogether. Therefore, if any of the symmetrical muscles lags behind in its development, first of all, you should consult a doctor and examine vertebral column- perhaps the reason lies precisely in him.

If everything is fine with the spine, there is no infringement due to curvature of the spine, then the reason may lie in incorrect training. So, if you perform most of the exercises for the hands with a barbell or in simulators that require the simultaneous inclusion of both of your upper limbs, then subconsciously you will shift most of the load to more strong hand... As a result, she will receive a greater incentive to grow, and the "bias" in her direction will only worsen.

To eliminate the "skew" more weak muscle should receive a heavy load for some time - at least one month. And this means that you will have to perform hand exercises either with dumbbells, or in those simulators where you can perform movement with only one hand - and only so. Great exercise for biceps, in this case, there will be standing dumbbell curls. At the beginning, you only bend weak hand, then - half the weight of the strong. Again - only with a weak hand and again with a strong one. Do the exercise until your weak arm gets tired. As a result, she will receive 50 percent more workload. If such training even for two months does not help at all, then I advise even more effective method... It will be necessary to temporarily, perhaps even for 2-3 months, stop training a strong arm, otherwise you risk never fixing the existing problem.

There is another technique - you take in the lagging hand more heavy dumbbell, the difference in the weight of the dumbbells should be between one and five kilograms. Perform the exercise as usual - the weaker muscle will again receive more stress. But personally, I am an opponent of this method, since training with different weights in each hand can again cause an infringement of the paravertebral nerve.

Alternatively, in the case of triceps, you can perform the movement with each arm alternately. As exercises, you can recommend extension of the arm with a dumbbell from behind the head or extension on the upper block, performed with one hand. Again, for a weaker hand, more weight... Let me emphasize: the number of repetitions should be the same for both hands; it is selected in such a way that if you work with a weaker hand, you practically reach "failure". You can do concentrated curls for the biceps in the same way. On my website, my video is attached to the text of the article on how to train if one pectoral muscles more than another. Lats row on the machine or one-leg bench press can help if your lats or one quadriceps are lagging behind. Several years ago, one of my knees was shattered as a result of a fall from a ladder, I underwent a major operation to repair the knee capsule, but all the muscles in my left leg were lost. Applying the technique of percussion training of only the left quadriceps, I was able to return 90% of the volume to the muscles of the left quadriceps, and a year later I took 4th place at the WABBA World Championship of classical bodybuilding, for the first time performing at this level. This proves that the methods I recommend work not only in theory and practice, and I believe that they will help you too! In parting, I will tell you about one method aimed at restoring normal blood circulation in a lagging hand. Before each exercise, do one lagging arm set with light weight and high reps. Then start working with your normal weight. Personally, I would also add 2-3 of these sets after completing the workout, say 50-100 reps.

Interested in my training system? I have groups in every social network, as well as thematic channels on YouTube + many surprises await you.

This happens. The muscles develop unevenly, and at some point you notice that the right one is more than the left one, or one is more developed than the other.

In general, the size of the muscles on the right and left sides of the body does not differ significantly, and this is normal if it does not exceed certain limits. For example, in a right-handed person, the muscles of the right limbs are slightly larger, while in a left-handed person, vice versa.

Even if the difference in muscle size is not noticeable, appropriate measurements will demonstrate its presence. Slight differences in muscle size and strength are completely normal, due to nature. The difference is considered abnormal, noticeable to the eye, which does not look very good.

Why muscles become different in size

The size of a muscle depends primarily on its activity. Muscle develops in response to stress, and if your profession is more active on one side of the body, then the muscles on that side may become slightly larger. For example, at a blacksmith who holds the hammer in one hand all the time, or at sportsmen - fencers or tennis players.

With the wrong exercise technique, one part of the body will also receive a lot of stress, which will lead to uneven muscle development.

When breast and back muscles look inharmoniously developed, or after an injury, when the limb has been immobilized for a long time and the muscles in it have atrophied.

In all of the above cases, correction of the less developed muscle is necessary.

How to train with different muscle sizes

First of all, the load during training should be the same on the left and right sides of the body. The number of repetitions for the right and left side should be equal.

If you raise or crookedly, an uneven load will be ensured. It is necessary to strictly adhere to the technique of performing all exercises and control yourself with the help of a mirror.

Some people make the mistake of noticing uneven muscle development and take more weight on the less developed side of the body. You can't do that.

In this case, the technique of the exercise is disrupted, and the wrong skills are developed, which can lead to a banal injury.

Moreover, there is no point in overloading one side: a weaker muscle will not stretch a load with a large weight, but more strong muscle will underperform. It is important here to observe the correct technique in training and load the muscles equally, then they will begin to develop proportionally.

If the deviations in muscle proportions are very strong, you can use additional ones for the lagging muscle group. That is, after the end of exercises for a certain muscle group, an additional approach should be performed on the lagging side in development.

There is no need to overload the muscles with unnecessary approaches, one extra will be quite enough, otherwise you risk it, they will not recover as it should, and the next workout the overloaded side of the body will work even worse.

Use dumbbells or exercise machines to add muscle strain to only one side of your body. For example, take dumbbells in both hands (for balance and correct exercise), but do the press with only one hand.

Special exercises for one side can be selected for any muscle group, however, it is worth resorting to them only with a strongly pronounced imbalance. When recovering muscles atrophied after injury, additional approaches and exercises are also needed, in other cases, you need to train evenly and regularly, equally loading the muscles.

By using the right ones and exercising on a consistent basis, you can achieve harmonious muscle development and symmetry.

Hands are the busiest part of the body, because it is with their help that a huge amount of work is done. From this, the limbs are constantly overworked, tired, fractured and injured. Quite often, the arms can hurt from the shoulder to the elbow.

If a person regularly lifts weights, then it is quite understandable why the muscles of the upper extremities hurt, because they do not have time to recover. Pain syndrome spreads from the forearm to the elbow. In addition, medicine knows the problems of the upper arms, which can cause discomfort not only in the joints of the shoulder, but also above. The patient cannot even move his elbow.

Tendinitis

This disease is the result of prolonged exposure to the same type of stress on the shoulder joint. When pain occurs in the muscles themselves, we can talk about an inflammatory process in the biceps tendons.

Excessive calcium buildup in the tendons of the shoulder and its congestion are very common causes of tendonitis, in which the forearm hurts.

As a rule, the disease suffers:

• builders;
• gardeners;
• professional athletes;
• people over the age of 40.

It is noteworthy that women are prone to such shoulder problems more often than men. This is especially true during menopause, when, against the background of hormonal changes, the pain in the shoulder only intensifies.

Shoulder-scapular periarthritis

If the patient suffers from shooting, aching and sharp pain in the shoulder, which hurts so much that it does not even make it possible to raise his arm, then most likely he develops periarthritis of the shoulder joint. This ailment is characterized by inflammation of the tendon ligaments and other tissues that are located near the shoulder joint.

Often the problem occurs on only one limb:

• in the right hand of right-handers;
• in the left hand of left-handers.

Even minor gentle touches are the causes of excruciating and debilitating pain between the shoulders and on the left side of them. A person is not able to sleep normally at night, because any movement of the elbow causes severe pain.

If the shoulder hurts, but the patient does not seek medical help, then the joints of the shoulders become poorly mobile. In this case, the pain goes from aching to boring.

Muscles can hurt against the background of discomfort in the elbow, between the shoulder blades and the neck. Periarthritis causes numbness in the fingers due to edema shoulder muscles and compression of nerves. As soon as this happens, the endings signal a sufficiently strong pain from the shoulder to the elbow. This condition always requires treatment.

Frozen shoulder (capsulitis)

With this ailment, the muscles that are located in shoulder girdle, over time pass into a state of painful "freezing". It does not give you the opportunity to fully move your hand. A sore shoulder significantly limits the movement of the arm both up and to the side. It becomes impossible to move her and wind her behind her back. Such violations prevent the patient from dressing normally, and in especially difficult cases even from eating.

It is possible to confirm the pathology of the shoulder joint only with the help of an X-ray.

Potential patients are diabetics of the first and second types, elderly people. Moreover, capsulitis is more of a female disease than a male one.

The main causes of this disease:

• prolonged overload of the muscles of the forearm;
• damage to the cervical disc between the vertebrae at the level of the shoulder girdle.

When the shoulder is frozen, the size of the capsule that surrounds the joint is significantly reduced. In adjacent tissues, anti-scar changes (adhesive) are formed. They are the reasons for limiting the mobility of the hand and cause quite unpleasant sensations in which it hurts from the shoulder to the elbow.

Consequence of hand injuries

Injuries can result from:

• unsuccessful fall;
• strong blow.

They cause displacement humerus... Wherein top part hands can fall out of the joint. If there is also a rupture of the tendon, which ensures the normal functioning of the limb, then the shoulder will be completely disabled.

As a rule, on the left side, the shoulder joints "fall out" in active young people and athletes. In old age, the shoulder is injured due to:

wear and tear of bones and muscle tissue;

disorders of normal calcium metabolism.

Sports that involve heavy loads on the shoulders often provoke severe pain in: the shoulder joint, lower back, elbows, athletes often have knee pain after a fall, and so on. Wherein:

• shoulder joints are damaged;
• there is a tear in the cartilaginous ring;
• dangerous neoplasms develop in the joint capsule.

Other causes of pain syndrome

Pain in one part of the arm from the shoulders to the elbow can be the result of serious diseases of the liver, heart, cervical sciatica and tumors in the organs chest... Quite often, the elbows, shoulders and hands begin to grow numb, and at the same time there is a decrease in sensitivity to all kinds of influences on the limb. In this case, it is important to start treatment as early as possible.

The left or right shoulder joints hurt with varying intensity. The pain can be dull, sharp, or burning. These may be seizures or constant sensation discomfort. Often such problems are accompanied by profuse sweating, reddening of the skin, nervous tics of the affected muscles, and the appearance of "balls" under the skin.

Possible manifestations of neurological symptoms:

1. loss of sensitivity;
2. violation of basic reflexes.

In such a situation, not only the pathology itself is observed, but also damage to the nerve endings.

How is the treatment carried out?

If there is a strong pain in the left arm, elbow, then in this case, you should always contact a traumatologist, surgeon or neurologist. Your doctor will examine your shoulder joints and perform an examination.

Typically, the patient will be treated with procedures to resorb the affected area. They will allow in short time restore limb mobility and stop inflammation of the elbows and shoulders.

As soon as the treatment ends, doctors recommend starting the implementation of special physical exercise aimed at ensuring that the joints of the shoulders work normally.

With an untimely appeal to a medical institution, the likelihood of complications is high, even against the background of subsiding pain and residual inflammation.

The ligaments of the shoulder and the capsule become inelastic in the absence of therapy. As a result, the shoulder joint loses its usual mobility.

Even before the test results, the doctor may suspect inflammation and prescribe medications perfectly tolerated by the patient's body. This can be injections of steroids into the elbow or shoulder area. Already when the tests are ready, the appointment of immune or anti-infectious therapy will be given.

In especially difficult and advanced cases, the patient will need:

• use absorbable medications;
• undergo a course of electrophoresis, manual therapy;
• apply special gymnastics and massage.

If it hurts left hand, shoulder or elbow, it is sometimes possible to apply traditional medicine recipes. However, this should not be done without a doctor's permission. Such treatment is fraught with complications that will be difficult to correct even with the help of potent drugs.

Limited mobility of the hand will cause a violation of the usual way of life, lead to helplessness when performing elementary techniques and self-service.

Yoga for the neck with osteochondrosis is able to provide a stable and long-term effect, restore mobility to the vertebrae, and prevent the development of pathological processes inside the spine. It is important to do the exercises systematically and at the same time constantly monitor your breathing. Asanas for cervical osteochondrosis will bring more use if carried out taking into account some of the recommendations of experienced yoga fans.

How is yoga useful for osteochondrosis?

During osteochondrosis, physical evening and night workouts are especially useful. With their help, it is possible to strengthen the muscles of the entire spine, and then reduce the consequences of the falling head syndrome. Systematic training will allow:

• correct posture;
• relax the whole body, give it rest;
• restore the successful work of the peripheral nervous system;
• restore joint mobility;
• improve immune resistance;
• slow down the aging process;
• reduce dizziness;
• get a long and restful sleep;
• restore inner harmony;
• get rid of the feeling of "wooden shoulders";
• become more flexible and graceful.

Special exercises for cervical help to cope with many problems. Thus, "Vrikshasana" contributes to the following:

• good tone of the upper back and neck;
• restoration of nutrition of intervertebral discs and joints;
• normalization of blood supply in the cervical spine;
• prevention of stagnation;
• reducing pressure on nerve endings and discs;
• restoration of muscle elasticity;
• good joint mobility;
• a sense of balance.

"Utthita trikonasana" relieves stoop, relieves tension from the back and neck, "Parivritta parsvakonasana" will help to align the spine, provide correct position vertebrae, prevent disc deformation.

The advantage of yoga is that it can be performed regardless of age, condition physical fitness person. In addition, it is also appropriate as a prophylaxis for diseases of the spine for children and adolescents.

Do not start exercising immediately after an acute period of illness. If you have doubts about the correctness of performing asanas, then first you can use the help of an instructor. The latter will be able to choose the most successful set of exercises for each individual case.

For people who do not suffer from osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, such exercises will not harm. They can be regarded as a safe prevention of spinal diseases.

Essential rules for yoga

Most people are wondering - is it possible with the help of yoga to get rid of problems with the spine? The answer will be in the affirmative, but a greater result can be expected only if a person adheres to certain rules for performing asanas. There are several of them:

1. Each movement, in accordance with yoga philosophy, should be slow, careful. Impatience is man's greatest enemy in this regard. Sudden movements can harm the cervical spine, provoke spasm and severe pain.
2. It is forbidden to perform exercises under the force. If you feel unwell, dizziness, headaches, it is better to refuse to perform asanas.
3. You need to adapt to yoga. This means that the degree of difficulty must increase gradually.
4. If a person suffers from osteochondrosis for years and his spine is devoid of flexibility, all tasks must be performed with extreme caution. The greatest danger in this regard is the twisting, in addition, the deflections of the trunk. It is very easy to do such asanas incorrectly and injure the neck.
5. The maximum workload for beginners is 3 lessons per week.
6. If the exercises are performed not for prevention, but for the treatment of a spinal disease, it is imperative to warm up the muscles before exercising. For this, simple jumps, running on the spot can be performed.
7. Nothing should distract attention. It is better to choose a period for training when you can be alone with yourself. It is allowed to listen to calm relaxing music, but it is better to turn off the TV and phone.
8. Movements should not be constrained. Comfortable clothing (such as leggings, shorts, T-shirt or sport suit) - the key to an easy lesson.
9. A person should feel psychological comfort. The room should be warm enough, and a rug can be used for greater softness.

Don't rely on quick result... Yoga for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine will help with systematic, but correct execution asanas.

The complex of asanas and the specifics of its implementation

It is not necessary for a beginner to immediately start performing difficult exercises. First you need to master the basics. With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, it will be useful to try the Tadasanu pose. A person only needs to stand, but stand evenly, steadily, like a mountain. The legs should be together, and the arms should be located exactly along the body. The chest should be straightened, and the stomach should be drawn in. Such, at first glance, simple exercise will seem very difficult for people with vertebrae damaged by osteochondrosis. For them, every minute will be a great test. Daily training will allow you to restore the correct position of the spine, reduce the pressure on the vertebrae.

1. Vrikshasana (that is, "tree pose"). Performed in a sitting position. Hands should be made in the same way as during prayer and the feet of the feet should be connected. Gradually, the arms are raised to the level of the chest. After that, it is necessary to lift one of the legs up and bend it so that the toe can touch the thigh. After 20-30 seconds, you can take the starting position, then try to balance on the other leg.
2. Take the Tadasanu pose, and fold your hands into the castle. While inhaling, you need to pull your arms up as much as possible, but turn the lock with your palms to the ceiling. Keeping this position, take 10 deep breaths, and then perform the maximum bend to the right. The back should remain level. Perhaps, at first, with such an asana, the head will spin, but over time this unpleasant sensation will disappear.
3. Stand in Tadasana. Thumbs up place both hands in a fist. Then raise the shoulders as high as possible to the ears. Do this several times.
4. Sit at the table. The back should be flat, and the patient's shoulders should be straightened. When inhaling, you need to stretch your neck up as much as possible. At the moment of exit, you can tilt your head forward a little. If possible, press it with your fingers, but with medium force. Do the same by turning your head 45 degrees to the left, and next time 45 degrees to the right.
5. Sit on a chair. Place the right hand in the area of ​​the right ear and temple. You need to press with your head on the palm, and not vice versa. This several times. Then change direction to left side.

Additional exercises for the entire spine

With osteochondrosis, it is useful to do yoga and to strengthen the entire spine. A good option would be the Virabhadrasana asana, named after the servant of Shiva.

Provides for the implementation of 5 main actions:

1. Become to Tadasana. At the same time, put the palms together, in honor of the namaste.
2. Perform a jump, after which the legs should be at a distance much wider than the width of the shoulders.
3. When exhaling, do not turn sharply to the right. Right leg in this case, it should return to 90 degrees, and the left one - to 45 degrees. The body also pivots to the right.
4. The right leg is bent at the knee so that the thigh is completely parallel to the floor.
5. Extend both arms as far up as possible and look at them.

Subsequently, repeat the same in the other direction. Asanas make it possible to train the entire spine, but provides movement for the thoracic and cervical regions, thereby preventing or reducing cervical osteochondrosis.

Bhujangasana, or the Snake, is the second exercise that is very useful for all parts of the spine. Yoga for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine of this type can be performed even when the spine has received some mobility or for prevention purposes. Consists of the following 5 stages:

1. Lie on a flat surface with your face down.
2. The palms are placed on either side of the ribcage with the fingers pointing in the same direction as the head.
3. The upper body is lifted up to the maximum height with the help of the hands. In this case, the pelvis should not come off the surface.
4. This position should be taken as long as possible.
5. Lower to the starting position.

Parivritta Trikonasana is performed in 3 steps:

1. The right leg takes a wide step forward. At the knee, this limb must be bent and the entire weight of the body must be transferred to it.
2. Putting your arms wide to the sides, return only the body of the body to the left side.
3. When inhaling, tilt forward, twist the hips and torso to the right. The left palm should touch the floor. The right arm should be extended upward. You need to hold out in this position as long as possible. If at first it is difficult to maintain balance, then over time, asanas can be done easier.

The number of approaches should be adjusted by the person himself. The more of them and the more difficult yoga with cervical osteochondrosis, the more effective the fight against the disease will be, the easier the movement will be.

Yoga is safe and effective method in the fight against osteochondrosis. However, it will not bring desired result if the person does not monitor their posture. Strengthen the effect of the asana: periodic visits to the sauna, swimming, night rest on a mattress of medium hardness, massage.

What are the causes and treatment of pain in the arm from shoulder to elbow - can only be determined by a doctor based on diagnostic data. Discomfort in this area occurs due to a number of factors that must be identified and eliminated in time. Symptoms can be supplemented by various manifestations in the form of pain, numbness, tingling.

If your arm hurts from shoulder to elbow, there may be different reasons for this. The main ones are:

1. Muscle strain. This is the main reason, which is reversible. Pain in the arm from shoulder to elbow in this case occurs after intense sports. Especially when power load fell on the hands, the muscles are overstrained and give characteristic symptoms. This problem is inherent in bodybuilders and heavy lifters.
2. Long stay in one position. The hand hurts from the shoulder to the elbow during prolonged work, for example, while writing. Or, conversely, when the limb is in the same position, especially on weight. Symptoms in this case quickly pass after rest. Even working at the computer in the wrong position can cause characteristic pain.
3. Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. Hands from shoulder to elbow also hurt due to degenerative processes in the cartilaginous tissue of the intervertebral discs. Moreover, if the cervical spine is affected, then the discomfort can spread to the limbs, accompanied by tingling. This pathology is accompanied by discomfort in the back of the head and spine.
4. Arthrosis. When the wear of the cartilaginous layer between the large joints occurs, this is always accompanied by unpleasant symptoms. Shoulder and elbow bend often hurt. Arthrosis can affect both individual joints and multiple joints. If the cushioning function of the cartilage is almost completely lost, then the symptoms become so intense that it cannot be tolerated.
5. Pathology of the heart and blood vessels. If the left hand hurts, then this may be a wake-up call from the outside. of cardio-vascular system... In this case, there is a characteristic compression in the sternum. If the left hand becomes numb, then you should not wait for the sensitivity to return, but immediately seek medical help. In some cases, this could be a sign of an impending stroke.
6. Injury. Pain in the left or right arm can signal serious injury. The intensity of the symptoms indicates the degree of damage. If there is a fracture, then even a slight movement will bring terrible discomfort.

In rare cases, pain in the left arm may indicate the presence of vegetative-vascular dystonia. Here there is also the presence of psychosomatics, due to which a similar symptom arises. Pain in the arm above the elbow is accompanied by squeezing in the sternum, tachycardia and causeless fear. A person may feel dizziness, darkening in the eyes, it becomes difficult to stand on their feet.

Why does the hand hurt, if none of the above reasons are suitable, interests many people who are faced with a similar problem. Quite often, painful symptoms can be given by various viral infections when the temperature rises and general weakness in the body is felt.

It is necessary to treat such a condition based on the reason for which it arose. Therefore, it is very important to carry out high-quality diagnostics on time. At painful sensations in the muscles, you can alleviate the condition by making a compress. In this case, it is recommended to use rubbing, which will quickly relieve the discomfort.

What to do, if muscle spasm it does not take a long time, most people who are faced with such a problem think. In this case, you can resort to a whole range of measures:

1. Mustard bath. Such a remedy will help to relax the muscles after intense exertion or simply eliminate the spasm. To do this, you need to dissolve a few tbsp in the bathroom. l. mustard powder. The water should be about 40 ° C. Soak in the solution for about 10 minutes.
2. Massage. You can carry out the procedure on the problem area with the help of an ordinary baby cream or use an anesthetic ointment, which will give the best effect. Massage the area very gently so as not to feel discomfort.

With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, when the shoulder joint and elbow hurts, then the main problem should be treated. For this, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory ointments, chondoprotectors and methods of manual therapy are often used.

Pain in the right and left arm, which occurs due to arthrosis, is eliminated by taking medications and physical therapy. To do this, use pain relievers based on ibuprofen, which suppresses acute symptoms. Reception of chondoprotectors affects the disease itself, improves joint mobility, and stops the process of destruction of the cartilage layer. Physiotherapy it is used in combination with other means to improve blood circulation in the problem area and to accelerate recovery.

Additional therapies

Why the hands hurt from the shoulder to the elbow bend, the doctor can explain, because it is not always possible to understand the cause of this condition on his own. A numb part of the limb should be especially alarming, because this can be a sign of serious pathology.

The right hand suffers more often than the left, because the load on it is always greater. However, the left limb is not so uncommon when it comes to heart disease. If it hurts to move your shoulder or elbow and there are pressing sensations in the sternum, as well as shortness of breath, then it is recommended not to rely on the case, but to call an ambulance.

If vegetative-vascular dystonia becomes the cause, then the treatment in this case is symptomatic. To do this, you need to measure the pressure. If the indicator is high, then take appropriate medications for mild pressure reduction. With a strong attack, you should lie down and try to relax as much as possible. It will help very well in this case breathing exercises... The aching part of the hand can be gently massaged or pinched.

Why pain may occur - in one case or another, it depends on the state of the body. If the joints are initially predisposed to pathological destruction, then any, even the most insignificant factor will provoke an exacerbation. In rheumatoid arthritis, the large joints and areas of the shoulder and elbow joints... This disease is treated only under the strict supervision of a physician, since drugs are used to suppress the immune response, and they have a large number of contraindications.

A universal method of treatment for many painful sensations in this area is gymnastics, which improves the mobility of the problem area, accelerates blood flow and acts as a mild anesthetic.