Great stretches. I have neck issues and balance issues caused by Ménière’s disease so finding all your videos for the neck and your balance retraining exercises really beneficial so a big thank you to you. 👍🏼
HI Jane I have the same - do you find any of them causing more pins and needles/pain then the others? For me its the chin tuck - i'm not sure if i'm supposed to avoid entirely or gently carry on with it.
@@TR-Coaching I am not a medical professional but rather just a gal that has cervical stenosis and osteoarthritis but I would suggest that any exercise that increases pins and needles, even if not painful, should be definitely avoided as it may be exacerbating an impingement in your neck. I would advise your doctor or physio therapist of this response when you do chin tucks as they may recommend that some follow up including imaging of you cervical spine is warranted, especially if you haven't had a recent MRI.
@@janeotte2097 Thanks Jane good and measured advice! I've had the MRI and it says i have cervical stenosis , the doctor not free to see me til next monday so I will go easy on all exercises til then. You are quite right it's not very wise to self treat. I hope you grow in strength and health and thanks for responding!
@@TR-Coaching I completely agree with Jane. Any exercise that causes pins and needles/pain should be stopped. The chin tucks are important for posture but they can be aggravating, depending on where the stenosis is located. It *might* be possible to modify it to avoid provoking symptoms. First thing is to be sure you are doing them with upright posture - chest lifted and shoulder blades down and back (don't do them with a rounded upper back). Next, you might try doing a very small chin tuck with a slight nod, bringing your chin toward your chest. Very small motion. Try just 1-2 reps and see if you can find a minimal amount of movement that does not increase pins and needles or pain. If it still causes those symptoms, then completely stop and ask your doctor for a referral to a physiotherapist.
I was just diagnosed with mild/maybe moderate cervical stenosis via MRI of neck and shoulder. The orthopedic surgeon said I do not need surgery and it doesn't look like the type of stenosis that will progress. In addition, I have issues with my shoulders...muscular issues probably related to the stenosis or weakness in shoulders. (maybe rotator cuff tendonitis) I feel like my issues run down each side of my back on any given day like it switches sides. My commitment now is to strengthen my body without harming it. Before dx it seemed like any exercise routine I adopted just aggravated or caused injury. Therefore, I had to determine if I had a a root cause. These exercises helped just doing them tonight. I've already been doing a few of them from other videos in the past. I'm glad I found you. Thank You.
Wendy, you're welcome and I'm so glad you found my videos! You might benefit from a number of my other videos, including posture, rotator cuff, and especially the thoracic spine. Working on flexibility in the thoracic spine is very helpful for cervical stenosis and will likely help your shoulders as well. ruclips.net/video/rk7DB7q8frM/видео.html, ruclips.net/video/HYemol5tgjE/видео.html, and ruclips.net/video/lW4kPAxDvsM/видео.html might be good places to start. Modify as needed to avoid aggravation. You might also peruse the playlists I created for the neck and the shoulders. All the best to you!
@@MovementFunction thank you so much. I’m on it! I can’t thank you enough for this video and practicing it daily. I feel better already. I am already doing other strength training as well, but will go through all your additional suggestions and videos to start doing them as well.
I have done many stretches and exercises for cervical stenosis but only got short term relief. How long should I do these exercises to get long term relief/management? A few weeks? My most disturbing symptom with the stenosis is the incredible stiffness and burning between the shoulder blades. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Marcy, for some people with stenosis, long term relief is possible after 2-6 weeks of the exercises. For others, a maintenance program of daily or every-other-day exercise is required to maintain relief. Also, be sure to monitor your posture. Poor posture can contribute to stiffness and burning between the shoulder blades. Good luck and all the best to you!
I have tingling and some numbness in my hands constantly, from my stenosis... I wonder if these exercises will help with that. I also wonder... is it normal to feel a little dizzy while doing these exercises? Does anyone else get dizzy? The same dizziness happens when I've gone to PT, too.
One thing that might be helpful is to describe the movement and then do 3 to 5 with the viewers. That way we can watch you and do the movement with you for a minute instead of stopping and replying the video to make sure we've got it correct.
Wendy, thank you so much for the suggestion! I've gone back and forth on how many repetitions to demonstrate, shooting for enough to show the movement without becoming monotonous. I'll try adding a few more reps in future videos. Thanks again, much appreciated!
@@MovementFunction your videos are great and it would definitely be monotonous to do more repetitions in this video. I suggest you do a separate video with all the exercises and 5 or 3 repetitions. Create chapters so people who can do more exercises just go to the beginning of the chapter and do more repetitions. For older videos you can put the link in description or a "suggestion" in the video. Benefit for you is that you get much more views and your channel will grow faster witch it deserves.
@@andrejkalamar4484 Excellent idea! Thank you very much for this recommendation. I've posted three updated videos in my balance series with more repetitions and clearer demonstrations. I will add the chapters, that's perfect. I'll also add your idea for this stenosis video (and others) to my next video recording session. Thank you again!
Wendy, I've posted an extended version of this video with more repetitions of the exercises at a slower pace to make it easier to follow. Here's the link if you're interested: ruclips.net/video/9HFWkNjJ4Vo/видео.html
Hi doctor, I have been suffering from neck pain for last 6 years. I visited so many hospitals but none can helped. In my MRI report it stated a mild cervical neural foramen narrowing that compressing right side nerve. My pain is increasing day by day and it literally feel like hell for me. Is these stretches can reduce my pain?
Vijaya Durga Meleti, I apologize for the delay in responding to your question. I thought I wrote you back right after you receiving your comment. To answer your question, yes, these exercises are helpful for foraminal narrowing to decrease pain. You might also benefit from this video I posted with breathing exercises and neck movements: ruclips.net/video/qCmvIXQtWJ0/видео.html. The breathing exercises can be very helpful for calming the nervous system, which will help alleviate pain from the pinched nerve. Also, poor posture makes even a mild narrowing much worse, so be sure to correct your posture often. All the best to you!
Thank you for your videos. I have cervical stenosis with left neck, shoulder & left arm pain. Done PT, Epidurals & now docs are steering towards surgery. I am struggling & want to avoid surgery. I am trying to find a routine to relieve my pain. Can you recommend plan?
Denis, I'm sorry, I'm not able to provide a plan or advice beyond the general exercises I presented in this video. Sounds like you've tried everything, but you might consider trying a different PT if you have only seen one. Also, nutrition, hydration, sleep, activity, posture and other lifestyle factors can play a significant role. Some PTs are able to incorporate these additional factors, some not so much (and it partly depends on the state you live in). You might also try acupuncture for their primary intervention of clearing blockages and their ability to address some of the other factors I listed. All the best!
I’ve looked at a lot of these videos now but for some reason I find I trust you and what you are saying. I’m going to stick with this regime and really give it a go. I had an mri and my cervical spine is a mess. Stenosis, spurs, bulging discs and multiple impingements. It is ruining my life. My arms and legs yes but also my head and ear. I’m getting pain and pressure in the head (I had mri of the head and ear and it just seems to be the neck). Please may I ask is pressure and pain in the head, face and neck common complaints for my mri findings? Thank you ever so much for the videos and any help you can give.
Yes, pressure and pain in the head, face and neck can occur due to issues in the cervical spine. When tissues are compressed in the neck, whether nerves, blood vessels, connective tissue, and/or muscles/ligaments, symptoms above the neck are typical. When doing the exercises in this video, those symptoms should decrease, not increase. If you feel worse, stop the exercises. Also, be sure that you are breathing and especially that you are fully exhaling, to be sure you are not holding in any excess breath, which could also increase pressure and symptoms in the head and neck. All the best!
Rye Lee, the numbness/tingling indicates that blood flow is being interrupted, similar to when your foot 'falls asleep' when you cross your legs too long. While it's not harmful, it's not helpful either.
My vertebrae looks extremely close to the spinal cord. Is there an exercise to help pull vertebrae back away from the spinal cord and create a gap again?
Mary, so glad this is helpful for you. Thank you for your feedback on my pacing. I try to strike the fine balance between going so slow that it becomes monotonous and going so fast that I might leave some people behind. Still looking for that 'just right' pace. I hear you and will take it into consideration when I record my next batch! Thank you!
Hi can you please explain this to me? At C6-7, there is a further broad-based disc osteophyte bar with minor narrowing of the right sided exit foramen and moderate encroachment upon the left-sided C7 exit foramen. Really desperate for help 😞
There is a bone spur at C6-C7 and the space where the C7 nerve root exits is narrowed, minor on the right and moderate on the left. It is best to review the x-ray results with your doctor to help determine the next steps in your care. You may also benefit from a physical therapy evaluation.
@@MovementFunctionthank you so much for replying ❤ im struggling getting hold of my doctor, so far I've only had a appointment with a junior doctor who has put me on a Pt waiting list. Do you think what i have is cervical stenosis?
@@mrj.r2908 yes, by definition, cervical stenosis is narrowing of the canals in the cervical vertebrae. The exercises in my video are designed for this condition, although everyone may respond differently, so be sure to pay attention to your body if you try the exercises. I am not sure if the Pt waiting list you mentioned is a patient waiting list or a physical therapy waiting list... If it is for physical therapy, you may want to contact physical therapy clinics near you and see if you can get in sooner. If they need a referral or prescription for PT, then you might ask the junior doctor to send it directly to the PT clinic you find.
You might try doing the thoracic extension exercise with your arms crossed over your chest and lean back over a sturdy chair. The pec stretch can also be down with your arm out to the side holding onto a door jam. Hope that helps!
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Thank you Dr. Beth for your nice and simple exercises .
Great stretches. I have neck issues and balance issues caused by Ménière’s disease so finding all your videos for the neck and your balance retraining exercises really beneficial so a big thank you to you. 👍🏼
You're welcome, Sandra. I'm so glad you've found my videos! All the best to you!
Great and basic stretches for the C5 C6 cervical spinal stenosis I have. Thankyou!
Jane, you're welcome. Happy you like the exercises!
HI Jane I have the same - do you find any of them causing more pins and needles/pain then the others? For me its the chin tuck - i'm not sure if i'm supposed to avoid entirely or gently carry on with it.
@@TR-Coaching I am not a medical professional but rather just a gal that has cervical stenosis and osteoarthritis but I would suggest that any exercise that increases pins and needles, even if not painful, should be definitely avoided as it may be exacerbating an impingement in your neck. I would advise your doctor or physio therapist of this response when you do chin tucks as they may recommend that some follow up including imaging of you cervical spine is warranted, especially if you haven't had a recent MRI.
@@janeotte2097 Thanks Jane good and measured advice! I've had the MRI and it says i have cervical stenosis , the doctor not free to see me til next monday so I will go easy on all exercises til then. You are quite right it's not very wise to self treat. I hope you grow in strength and health and thanks for responding!
@@TR-Coaching I completely agree with Jane. Any exercise that causes pins and needles/pain should be stopped. The chin tucks are important for posture but they can be aggravating, depending on where the stenosis is located. It *might* be possible to modify it to avoid provoking symptoms. First thing is to be sure you are doing them with upright posture - chest lifted and shoulder blades down and back (don't do them with a rounded upper back). Next, you might try doing a very small chin tuck with a slight nod, bringing your chin toward your chest. Very small motion. Try just 1-2 reps and see if you can find a minimal amount of movement that does not increase pins and needles or pain. If it still causes those symptoms, then completely stop and ask your doctor for a referral to a physiotherapist.
I was just diagnosed with mild/maybe moderate cervical stenosis via MRI of neck and shoulder. The orthopedic surgeon said I do not need surgery and it doesn't look like the type of stenosis that will progress. In addition, I have issues with my shoulders...muscular issues probably related to the stenosis or weakness in shoulders. (maybe rotator cuff tendonitis) I feel like my issues run down each side of my back on any given day like it switches sides. My commitment now is to strengthen my body without harming it. Before dx it seemed like any exercise routine I adopted just aggravated or caused injury. Therefore, I had to determine if I had a a root cause. These exercises helped just doing them tonight. I've already been doing a few of them from other videos in the past. I'm glad I found you. Thank You.
Wendy, you're welcome and I'm so glad you found my videos! You might benefit from a number of my other videos, including posture, rotator cuff, and especially the thoracic spine. Working on flexibility in the thoracic spine is very helpful for cervical stenosis and will likely help your shoulders as well. ruclips.net/video/rk7DB7q8frM/видео.html, ruclips.net/video/HYemol5tgjE/видео.html, and ruclips.net/video/lW4kPAxDvsM/видео.html might be good places to start. Modify as needed to avoid aggravation. You might also peruse the playlists I created for the neck and the shoulders. All the best to you!
@@MovementFunction thank you so much. I’m on it! I can’t thank you enough for this video and practicing it daily. I feel better already. I am already doing other strength training as well, but will go through all your additional suggestions and videos to start doing them as well.
Thank you. Stenosis, couple replaced cervical discs- these offered great relief & and your explanations/directions are great
You're welcome. So glad the video is helpful for you!
Are you facing this pain still or it get cured by time ? Tyson
Excellent exercise, thanks.
Thank you so much for these excersizes.. it really helps.
Thanks! I appreciate your help so much.
Thank YOU, Jeanette!! I am grateful for your support and happy that you're finding my video(s) helpful!!
Fantastic information, thank you kindly.
I have done many stretches and exercises for cervical stenosis but only got short term relief. How long should I do these exercises to get long term relief/management? A few weeks? My most disturbing symptom with the stenosis is the incredible stiffness and burning between the shoulder blades. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Marcy, for some people with stenosis, long term relief is possible after 2-6 weeks of the exercises. For others, a maintenance program of daily or every-other-day exercise is required to maintain relief. Also, be sure to monitor your posture. Poor posture can contribute to stiffness and burning between the shoulder blades. Good luck and all the best to you!
Surgery to remove a little bone. Instant relief according to most.
I have tingling and some numbness in my hands constantly, from my stenosis... I wonder if these exercises will help with that.
I also wonder... is it normal to feel a little dizzy while doing these exercises? Does anyone else get dizzy? The same dizziness happens when I've gone to PT, too.
Thank you
THANK YOU
This was incredibly helpful. Do you have any videos like this in Real Time so we can follow along? Thank you so much!
Julie, I posted this video with more repetitions at a slower pace: ruclips.net/video/9HFWkNjJ4Vo/видео.html. All the best!
Excellent video!
Thank very much, very helpful 🙋♀️
You're welcome, Mary! Glad it was helpful!
One thing that might be helpful is to describe the movement and then do 3 to 5 with the viewers. That way we can watch you and do the movement with you for a minute instead of stopping and replying the video to make sure we've got it correct.
Wendy, thank you so much for the suggestion! I've gone back and forth on how many repetitions to demonstrate, shooting for enough to show the movement without becoming monotonous. I'll try adding a few more reps in future videos. Thanks again, much appreciated!
@@MovementFunction your videos are great and it would definitely be monotonous to do more repetitions in this video. I suggest you do a separate video with all the exercises and 5 or 3 repetitions. Create chapters so people who can do more exercises just go to the beginning of the chapter and do more repetitions. For older videos you can put the link in description or a "suggestion" in the video. Benefit for you is that you get much more views and your channel will grow faster witch it deserves.
@@andrejkalamar4484 Excellent idea! Thank you very much for this recommendation. I've posted three updated videos in my balance series with more repetitions and clearer demonstrations. I will add the chapters, that's perfect. I'll also add your idea for this stenosis video (and others) to my next video recording session. Thank you again!
@@MovementFunction No problem, happy to help.
Wendy, I've posted an extended version of this video with more repetitions of the exercises at a slower pace to make it easier to follow. Here's the link if you're interested: ruclips.net/video/9HFWkNjJ4Vo/видео.html
At last instant relief
Hi doctor, I have been suffering from neck pain for last 6 years. I visited so many hospitals but none can helped. In my MRI report it stated a mild cervical neural foramen narrowing that compressing right side nerve. My pain is increasing day by day and it literally feel like hell for me. Is these stretches can reduce my pain?
Vijaya Durga Meleti, I apologize for the delay in responding to your question. I thought I wrote you back right after you receiving your comment. To answer your question, yes, these exercises are helpful for foraminal narrowing to decrease pain. You might also benefit from this video I posted with breathing exercises and neck movements: ruclips.net/video/qCmvIXQtWJ0/видео.html. The breathing exercises can be very helpful for calming the nervous system, which will help alleviate pain from the pinched nerve. Also, poor posture makes even a mild narrowing much worse, so be sure to correct your posture often. All the best to you!
Thank you for your videos. I have cervical stenosis with left neck, shoulder & left arm pain. Done PT, Epidurals & now docs are steering towards surgery. I am struggling & want to avoid surgery. I am trying to find a routine to relieve my pain. Can you recommend plan?
Denis, I'm sorry, I'm not able to provide a plan or advice beyond the general exercises I presented in this video. Sounds like you've tried everything, but you might consider trying a different PT if you have only seen one. Also, nutrition, hydration, sleep, activity, posture and other lifestyle factors can play a significant role. Some PTs are able to incorporate these additional factors, some not so much (and it partly depends on the state you live in). You might also try acupuncture for their primary intervention of clearing blockages and their ability to address some of the other factors I listed. All the best!
Sorry you are going through this Denis. I get it.
Extremely helpful doctor. Thanks so much for posting. Btw my insurance copay would have been $45.00 for this. Thanks for your help.
You're most welcome, Thomas!
very good , my pt has me doing all theses stretches, so you defininetly know what you are talking about
Can this be completely cured?
I’ve looked at a lot of these videos now but for some reason I find I trust you and what you are saying. I’m going to stick with this regime and really give it a go. I had an mri and my cervical spine is a mess. Stenosis, spurs, bulging discs and multiple impingements. It is ruining my life. My arms and legs yes but also my head and ear. I’m getting pain and pressure in the head (I had mri of the head and ear and it just seems to be the neck). Please may I ask is pressure and pain in the head, face and neck common complaints for my mri findings? Thank you ever so much for the videos and any help you can give.
Yes, pressure and pain in the head, face and neck can occur due to issues in the cervical spine. When tissues are compressed in the neck, whether nerves, blood vessels, connective tissue, and/or muscles/ligaments, symptoms above the neck are typical. When doing the exercises in this video, those symptoms should decrease, not increase. If you feel worse, stop the exercises. Also, be sure that you are breathing and especially that you are fully exhaling, to be sure you are not holding in any excess breath, which could also increase pressure and symptoms in the head and neck. All the best!
@@MovementFunction thank you ever so much!
Can shudder cause neck pain
Have you got spinal stenosis? I don't think so, as these do nothing for my stenosis, no exercise will rid the pain, if so, you don't have stenosis!
What does the tingling or numbness mean during the door way stretch?
Rye Lee, the numbness/tingling indicates that blood flow is being interrupted, similar to when your foot 'falls asleep' when you cross your legs too long. While it's not harmful, it's not helpful either.
You remind me Dr. Meredith Grey :-))
Wicked spasms in my intercostal muscles lead me to your vid. TY for the advice. T12/ L1 paa with Harrington rods.
My vertebrae looks extremely close to the spinal cord. Is there an exercise to help pull vertebrae back away from the spinal cord and create a gap again?
Oh so helpful, ☺️ I wish you would GO SLOWER 🙋♀️
Mary, so glad this is helpful for you. Thank you for your feedback on my pacing. I try to strike the fine balance between going so slow that it becomes monotonous and going so fast that I might leave some people behind. Still looking for that 'just right' pace. I hear you and will take it into consideration when I record my next batch! Thank you!
Hi can you please explain this to me?
At C6-7, there is a further broad-based disc osteophyte bar with minor narrowing of the right sided exit foramen and moderate encroachment upon the left-sided C7 exit foramen.
Really desperate for help 😞
There is a bone spur at C6-C7 and the space where the C7 nerve root exits is narrowed, minor on the right and moderate on the left. It is best to review the x-ray results with your doctor to help determine the next steps in your care. You may also benefit from a physical therapy evaluation.
@@MovementFunctionthank you so much for replying ❤ im struggling getting hold of my doctor, so far I've only had a appointment with a junior doctor who has put me on a Pt waiting list. Do you think what i have is cervical stenosis?
@@mrj.r2908 yes, by definition, cervical stenosis is narrowing of the canals in the cervical vertebrae. The exercises in my video are designed for this condition, although everyone may respond differently, so be sure to pay attention to your body if you try the exercises. I am not sure if the Pt waiting list you mentioned is a patient waiting list or a physical therapy waiting list... If it is for physical therapy, you may want to contact physical therapy clinics near you and see if you can get in sooner. If they need a referral or prescription for PT, then you might ask the junior doctor to send it directly to the PT clinic you find.
Hej
😊
Unfortunately, there’s no way I can hold my arms up that long without going numb.
I can do the other exercises. 🙏🏼
You might try doing the thoracic extension exercise with your arms crossed over your chest and lean back over a sturdy chair. The pec stretch can also be down with your arm out to the side holding onto a door jam. Hope that helps!
Wish you could go SLOWER FOR US OLDER ONE 😂
Mary, I've posted an extended version with the same exercises at a slower pace and more repetitions. ruclips.net/video/9HFWkNjJ4Vo/видео.html
Drop the playback speed to 0.75% in the settings.
Thank you!
Another doc say: you never exercize extension when you have spine stenosis in the neck and your lower back, because I have both🥲