Yoga Builds Bone Density
/Do you or someone you love have osteoporosis or osteopenia? Does osteoporosis run in your family? If yes, this article is for you.
Yoga has been shown in clinical studies to build bone density. Dr. Loren Fishman published a peer-reviewed study of 741 patients followed over a 10-year period showing that in as little as 12 minutes per day a targeted Yoga for Osteoporosis practice improves bone-mineral density. With appropriate guidelines and modifications, yoga is highly safe for those with bone-density concerns. In more than 100,000 hours of people practicing Dr. Fishman’s sequence, there were no detected or reported fractures.
The improvements that patients experienced with Yoga for Osteoporosis are remarkable. In the accompanying graph, please notice that before beginning Yoga for Osteoporosis practice patients’ average bone density was negative (shown in red). After two years of practice, patients’ average bone density was positive (shown in blue). Thus, Yoga for Osteoporosis has been shown to significantly build bone density. The effects are cumulative; as you continue to practice, you continue to build stronger bones.
Are you interested in learning which yoga poses build bone density? The short answer is that standing yoga poses are considered weight-bearing and thus bone-building. So, if you are practicing yoga already, you are most likely building bone density. Yay, you! The more compete answer is that not all yoga poses are appropriate for people with low-bone density; some poses and shapes are associated with vertebral fractures and other injuries, so finding a teacher with osteoporosis experience is recommended. They can offer safe poses, practice guidelines, and appropriate modifications so you can practice injury-free in public yoga classes and at home in personal practice.
I have been practicing yoga for more than 30 years and teaching for 13 years. Among the goals for my teaching practice is to serve special populations and to make yoga accessible and safe for those with back or neck pain and with structural concerns like disc issues, nerve impingements, and osteoporosis. To this end, I teach Yoga for Osteoporosis in workshops and in private instruction. When we practice yoga together one-on-one or in a group setting, I aim to provide you with the information you need to build bone density at home in 12 minutes a day and to enjoy public classes safely, empowered with knowledge of pose modifications and prop use to practice safely and reap all the benefits that yoga has to offer – and there are many.
Yogis have known for thousands of years that regular practice helps mitigate and reverse the effects of aging and helps people maintain health and function well beyond the expected norm. And yoga improves quality of life on many fronts. Are you ready to take a step toward building stronger bones and improving your wellness? Now is the perfect time to start practicing yoga and experience the benefits for yourself:
Improved memory and focus
Stress reduction and relief
Better balance physically and emotionally
Increased muscle strength and tone
Increased range of motion and flexibility
Improved cardio and circulatory health
Improved respiration, energy, and vitality
Improved mental health
Improved body awareness and acceptance
Spiritual insight, comfort, and peace
Time for self-care which is often neglected
Improved quality of life and compassion and gratitude for what is
Self-awareness, self-acceptance, self-love, and self-realization
Yoga is for everyone, everybody, and every body – you don’t need experience, flexibility, strength, balance, or fancy clothes to start. You don’t even need to get onto a yoga mat for Yoga for Osteoporosis practice; using a chair is an option. The only thing required to start practicing yoga is to show up – for the class, workshop, or instruction appointment. If you have read this far, I hope you will take the next step and practice with me. It's never too a late to start practicing yoga, and I’m excited to show you how.
