10 Poses for Osteoporosis + an Exclusive Workshop at Yoga Junction

This August, we're excited to be bringing guest instructors, Trula Daughterty (RYT-500 yoga instructor) and Carol Myers (occupational therapist) to Yoga Junction to lead a 2-hour Yoga for Osteoporosis Workshop. 

Where? Yoga Junction

When? August 17, 1:30-3:30 p.m.

Why yoga for osteoporosis? Studies have shown the benefits of exercise for many forms of osteoporosis. Yoga is recommended because of its low impact, less strenuous effect on the joints. Yoga poses help increase joint range of motion and strength in addition to enhancing one’s overall coordination. Yoga strengthens the bones, improves balance,  improves posture, and increases flexibility.

Prevention of vertebral fractures, and falls that can lead to hip fractures are of  most importance when developing a holistic program to address osteoporosis. The awareness of postural control and alignment is key. Yoga strengthens the back extensor muscles, and opens up the chest, thereby, preventing the development of a kyphotic or dowager's hump posture which can lead to vertebral fractures. Yoga is one of the best approaches for challenging and improving higher level balance which is imperative in reducing the risk of falls and subsequent fractures.

In a pilot study conducted by Dr. Loren Fishman, he found that practicing yoga for 10 minutes a day improved bone density. Dr. Fishman's full article can be found here: Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation.

According to Fishman, yoga practitioners, "seem to live long and fracture-free lives that suggests that the unusual and unusually prolonged pulls they voluntarily self-administer may be a stimulus to bone health."  

Want to give it a try? Here are the 10 poses he used in the pilot study. 

Poses used in the pilot study:

1. Triangle Pose

1. Upward-facing dog

1. Downward-facing dog

1. Bridge pose (a moderate back-bend)

1. The Wheel or the Iyengar modification  (a back-bend)

1. 1-legged & 2-legged forward bends--with careful attention to form

1. The Boat pose--stimulates the most vulnerable parts of the spine

1. Supta Padangusthasana (a lying down forward bend that supports the spine)

1. Seated spinal twists

1. Jathara Parivarthanasana (a lying down twist) A pose that stimulates the spine without exacerbating arthritis of the hips.

Learn more at Yoga Junction's Yoga for Osteoporosis and Osteopenia workshop this August. To learn more, click here.