Can yoga truly enhance bone density?
In case you ask Google, you’ll discover all kinds of assets saying sure—yoga is an efficient methodology for constructing bone density and stopping osteoporotic fractures, like hip or femur breaks from falls.
A seek for “Yoga for Osteoporosis” pulls up 1000’s of hits for books, packages, and movies promising that will help you construct higher bones with a low-impact yoga observe. Even Yoga with Adriene has a “Yoga for Bone Well being” video on her channel, which reaches over 12 million subscribers.
However most of these hyperlinks hint again to 1 predominant supply: the work of Dr. Loren Fishman, creator of a number of books together with Yoga for Osteoporosis. He’s additionally the co-author of a 2015 examine that means yoga can improve bone mineral density (BMD) within the backbone and femoral neck—probably decreasing the chance of life-threatening fractures in older adults. The examine was titled, “12-Minute Day by day Yoga Routine Reverses Osteoporotic Bone Loss.”
The Examine That Made Waves within the Yoga World
I bear in mind when the information of Dr. Fishman’s examine got here out. It was a giant deal within the yoga world and despatched ripples by way of the broader wellness house.
As a substitute of simply being recognized for rest, yoga might now be seen as a one-stop-shop for all of your health wants.
It was nice information for yoga practitioners—and nice for enterprise, too. Studios and academics now had scientific backing for what they have been already selling. The examine additionally helped deliver yoga additional into the mainstream and validated what many longtime yogis already believed about their beloved observe.
However the greater query remained: Are the examine’s findings legit?
What the LIFTMOR Trial Tells Us About Bone Development
Apparently, the identical yr Dr. Fishman’s examine was revealed, so was the LIFTMOR trial.
The LIFTMOR trial additionally studied osteoporosis—particularly in postmenopausal ladies with no important historical past of train and low bone mineral density. Contributors have been cut up into two teams: one did low-impact motion at house, whereas the opposite did supervised high-intensity progressive resistance coaching (HiPRT). Every group exercised twice every week for half-hour over an eight-month interval.
The outcomes? There was a important distinction in bone progress between the low-intensity house group and the supervised power coaching group. And people outcomes have been replicated in a number of related trials that adopted.
Even higher? The resistance coaching group had no accidents reported.
So, if low-impact motion had minimal impression on BMD, however the Fishman examine claimed yoga (additionally low impression) elevated BMD—what provides?
Why Dr. Fishman’s Examine Falls Brief
There are a number of flaws in Dr. Fishman’s examine that make the outcomes much less scientifically legitimate.
1. No management group. This implies they’re not evaluating the outcomes of individuals doing yoga to individuals not doing yoga. They have been merely doing 12 poses and monitoring their progress—generally qualitatively (“how do you’re feeling?”), generally quantitatively (through bone scans). With no management group to match the outcomes to, it’s onerous to attract dependable conclusions from the findings on this examine.
2. The examine hasn’t been independently replicated. It lacks sufficient element for others to breed it and validate the findings.
3. Potential for bias. Dr. Fishman funded the examine himself. That doesn’t robotically disqualify the work, nevertheless it does increase purple flags—particularly on condition that he earnings from yoga books, packages, and trainings if the findings assist using his services.
4. It’s not a blind or double blind examine.
Each one that participated was already a yoga practitioner after they began. It wasn’t a brand new observe for them, however acquainted. One thing they most likely loved. This might have additionally seemingly impacted how they responded to the yoga poses or have been merely extra inclined to remain dedicated to doing the poses persistently.
Collectively, these components restrict the examine’s validity and scientific rigor.
The Actual Science Behind Constructing Bone Density
Right here’s what we do know: to construct bone, you must stress bone.
Which means making use of a specific amount of strain to bones to stimulate progress.
And as your physique adapts, you will need to improve that strain over time. That is what progressive overload is all about—rising the burden or impression to maintain your bones responding and getting stronger.
Put merely, yoga doesn’t apply sufficient power to considerably improve bone density.
Let’s Get Sensible: What Yoga Can (and Can’t) Do
Most of the poses in Dr. Fishman’s examine have been standing, however some have been seated. One was supine and inactive—savasana, pose #12.
If seated and supine positions constructed stronger bones, we’d all be rising BMD whereas driving or sleeping.
Within the examine, Dr. Fishman argued that yoga pits opposing muscle teams towards one another in a means that stimulates bone progress. He wrote:
“By pitting one group of muscle tissues towards one other, yoga exposes bones to better forces and, subsequently, would possibly improve bone mineral density (BMD) greater than different means.”
Sadly, this merely isn’t true.
At finest, yoga includes bodyweight-only power—about the identical as strolling your canine. And research repeatedly present that bones want important load or impression to develop: issues like lifting heavy weights or leaping.
So, Can Yoga Assist You Construct Energy?
Sure—to some extent. However for most individuals—no.
Yoga is a implausible basis for power, notably should you’re new to motion, recovering from damage or sickness, or engaged on reconnecting along with your physique.
As a result of it makes use of body weight solely (plus gravity), you’ll ultimately plateau in how a lot power you possibly can achieve. However it’s nice for constructing endurance should you maintain poses for longer than a number of breaths.
One Apply Can’t Do Every little thing
Let’s be actual: no single observe checks each health field.
Energy coaching builds muscle and bone, nevertheless it’s not cardio. Biking is nice for cardiovascular well being, nevertheless it gained’t enhance bone density. Dance is enjoyable and expressive and affords impression and cardio, however not power.
Each kind of motion has its strengths and limitations—and that’s okay.
The purpose is solely to say that our our bodies want selection and one type of motion can’t do every thing our our bodies should be wholesome.
Do Yoga for the Proper Causes
Do yoga as a result of:
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It feels good in your physique.
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It strengthens your mind-body connection.
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It helps you’re feeling grounded and fewer confused.
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It improves your flexibility and steadiness.
Do it for all these stunning causes and extra.
However don’t do yoga anticipating it to extend your bone density. It gained’t. —Naomi
References:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4851231/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26243363/
https://www.karinweinstein.com/submit/yoga-for-osteoporosis-bone-mineral-density
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