Are you strong in yoga? | Om Yoga Magazine

It really shocked me when I learned that half of women over 50, and 1 in 5 men, will break a bone due to osteoporosis! It often happens out of nowhere, after a minor trip or fall. We probably all know someone in middle age who has suddenly tripped and broken or broken something unexpectedly. In many cases, it was the first time the person had any idea he or she had a problem. Osteoporosis and its precursor, osteopenia, are known as a ‘silent disease’ for this reason. And they persist in part because 80% of us don’t get enough of the right exercise to keep our bones strong.

We know that bone strength (bone density) naturally declines with age and it is especially important for women going through menopause to work on maintaining it. Walking, running and the obvious weight lifting are often the best exercises for managing bone health, but scientific research has shown that yoga is also highly effective. Good news for dedicated yogis. Besides walking, yoga is also more accessible, which is very important. Running is hard on the body and many people cannot or should not run regularly. After two torn Achilles tendons and multiple foot surgeries, I am one of them. Many other people – especially yogis – hate gyms. The prospect of lifting weights just doesn’t appeal to them.

Yoga is also a form of strength training, as all of us yogis know, using body weight, making it an ideal starting point for everyone. Strange to understand for non-yogis, as the stereotype for most people is to ‘do yoga’ to become more flexible, but long-term research has shown its effectiveness for increasing bone density.

Between 2005 and 2015, Dr. Loren Fishman published one of the most comprehensive studies of yoga and bone health ever. His research was based on 227 people who already had osteoporosis or osteopenia, and they were given 15 minutes. daily practice of 12 specific yoga postures, each held for up to one minute. The exercise included the obvious standing poses: Warrior II, Triangle, Tree, plus Grasshopper Pose, Bridge to strengthen the spine, twists and some lying stretches.

Each pose was selected because it targets an area of ​​the body that is vulnerable to stress fractures. For example, the weight-bearing postures provide a favorable load on the legs, hips and spine. They require balance and muscle involvement, which stimulates bone growth in the areas most prone to fractures from falls. The findings were statistically significant and showed that bone density in the spine, hips and femur was maintained or improved in the participants who exercised moderately to fully (at least every other day). Additionally, further examination revealed better internal bone support (fascial support), which is important for resisting fractures.

Interestingly, the 12-minute research practice included Savasana as one of the 12 poses. We all tell our students that integrating the benefits of a yoga practice is the most important attitude of all and the research findings further reinforce this. Lying down can rebalance our nervous systems and reduce the stress hormones known to contribute to bone density loss. It is another very important factor behind the efficacy of yoga and the role of rest and relaxation in strengthening bones.

You may wonder how holding these yoga poses can strengthen bones. The answer lies in understanding how bones respond to stress. When you assume a yoga pose, you create isometric contractions – the muscles engage and ‘hug’ the bone in a static position. This places mechanical stress on the bones and stimulates the production of specialized cells called osteocytes, which initiate a biochemical process that increases bone formation and reduces bone resorption. The production of osteocytes ensures the maintenance of our bone density and strength. As we age, our bodies produce fewer osteocytes, which can cause our bones to become brittle and weakened.