Facet joint syndrome is a condition that affects many people. The facet joints in your spine are responsible for the movement and stability of your spine. When these joints become irritated or damaged, it can cause chronic pain, stiffness, and reduced range of motion. Luckily, exercise can help you manage your facet joint syndrome. In this blog post, we will discuss the best exercises you can do to alleviate the symptoms of facet joint syndrome and improve your spinal health.
Low-impact cardio exercises – When your joints are inflamed or damaged, high-impact exercises can exacerbate the condition. Low-impact exercises like cycling, swimming, and walking can help you maintain your cardio health without straining your joints. Low-impact exercises also promote weight loss, which reduces pressure on your joints.
Spinal stretches – Stretches that target the muscles and joints surrounding your spine can help relieve pain and stiffness. Cat and cow stretch, spinal twists, and child’s pose are a few examples of stretches that can help stretch and improve the mobility of your spine.
Posture strengthening exercises – Good posture can alleviate the pressure placed on your facet joints and spinal columns, which in turn reduces inflammation and discomfort. Strengthening exercises like planks and bird-dog can help you maintain proper spinal alignment and strengthen the muscles that support it. These exercises can also increase your core stability.
Resistance training – Resistance training that uses weight or resistance bands can help you build muscle and improve your spinal support system. Exercises like shoulder presses and rows can help alleviate the pressure and stress on your facet joints and can make your spinal column feel more stable.
Pilates or yoga – Both Pilates and yoga can help you improve your posture, flexibility, and core strength. Yoga particularly can help you increase your mobility, decrease your levels of stress and anxiety, and promote body awareness which can all be helpful in managing the symptoms of facet joint syndrome.
Facet joint syndrome can affect you severely, leading to chronic pain and reduced mobility. Incorporating low-impact cardio, spinal stretches, posture strengthening exercises, resistance training and yoga/pilates can help you manage the symptoms of facet joint syndrome and improve your overall spinal health. In addition to being physically active, it is also important to consider diet with facet joint syndrome, and how the two work together to promote recovery/healing. Consult with a kinesiologist, fitness trainer or physiotherapist before starting any of the exercises mentioned above, since they can help you modify the routines to your needs and ensure that these are being done properly to achieve the best results. As always, listen to your body and take care of it to maintain a healthy and pain-free life.
