Yoga for happy bones (for active adults with osteoporosis)
If you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis, it means that your bones have lost some of their internal integrity, which puts you at a higher risk of fracture. But that doesn’t mean that you should stop moving altogether. In addition to other factors that affect bone health, loading your bones is essential in maintaining and improving bone strength. Your bones respond to stresses that are placed on them. If loading on a bone increases, over time, the bone will remodel itself to become stronger and withstand the challenge. Gravity and muscular stimulus are the two most important forces that strengthen the bones. The more powerful your muscles are, the more they pull on bones, the stronger your bones become.
Of course, you have to be careful and gradual in your movement approach. If you have osteoporosis, it is generally recommended that you avoid deep forward bends and twists, prolonged weight bearing on your hands, and any yoga poses that require leverage. None of this is included in the practice below.
Yoga for happy bones (for active adults with osteoporosis)
As you begin to move, please be careful with chest opening poses and pay very close attention to general body alignment in postures. It is best to stay close to a wall or keep a chair handy if you need additional support. Please consider your own unique situation and whatever physical limitations or concerns you might have. It is always best to consult your doctor about the applicability of specific practices. You can always show a printed sequence included with this practice to your doctor for their assessment.
Download PDF file of the practice sequence >
Your body consists of about 37 trillion cells; each of those cells knows exactly what to do to keep you alive and healthy.
