Yoga has become increasingly popular as a method for strengthening weak bones or preventing bone problems from occurring. However, be careful if you have weak bones or osteoporosis while doing yoga. Not every yoga pose is appropriate for this health concern, and some poses could even cause fractures. Consult your health care provider before beginning a yoga routine, especially if you have bone problems.
Effects
Timothy McCall, in "Yoga as Medicine," teaches that yoga can strengthen bones through weight-bearing postures. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, "some experts believe that yoga can help people who are at risk for bone loss and osteoporosis." The foundation further explains that several yoga postures can strengthen muscles and in turn, strengthen bones. Yoga can also help bones by improving posture and balance.
Types
Weight-bearing postures are the type that can strengthen bones, according to McCall. He gives examples of warrior II, downward-facing dog and any arm-balancing poses. Exercise in general can help strengthen bones, when done five days a week for at least 30 minutes per day, says Linda Sparrowe in YogaJournal. She sites research that exercise brings calcium to the bones and increases bone density. Sparrowe emphasizes that weight-bearing exercises are the best for bones. Inversions, such as plow pose, standing poses and arm balances are also beneficial.
Expert Insight
McCall sites a California State University study on bones and yoga that was unpublished. This research studied women from 18 to 65 over a period of six months of performing yoga standing postures, and found that the bone density in their vertebrae grew. They had a control group of women who performed their normal physical activity. McCall also sites that cortisol, which can lead to weak bones, can be lowered with yoga.
Warning
McCall warns that certain poses are not beneficial if you have weak bones, and could even cause more harm. Forward bend poses, particularly those performed in a seated position, and any high-impact poses, should not be part of your routine. They could cause fractures in your spine or other bones. Poses that ask you to straighten your leg or bring your knee into your chest are also not advised, according to McCall. Avoid balance poses, which could cause you to lose your balance and fall. The National Osteoporosis Foundation also advises against poses that put weight on your neck.
Considerations
The National Osteoporosis Foundation reports that certain dangerous positions can be modified in order to be beneficial if your bones are at risk. The foundation suggest the use of props. Use folded towels or blankets to sit on while performing seated poses. When lying on your back, support your head. Hold on to a wall or chair to maintain balance in balance poses. Bending exercises can be done more safely through the use of blocks. If you are taking a class, the foundation suggests telling your yoga instructor if you have osteoporosis or weak bones so they can suggest modifications for you.
References
- "Yoga as Medicine"; Timothy McCall, M.D.; 2007
- National Osteoporosis Foundation: The Osteoporosis Report, winter 2008-9, Volume 23, Number 4
- Yoga Journal: Good to the Bone
