Age is not just a number when it comes to deteriorating bone density and its loss. Yes, it is like an inevitable occurrence to everyone as they will age at some point in time, but in some, it results in osteoporosis. Yes, it does, and it affects more than 44 million US citizens who are equivalent to half of the population that is over 50 years of age.
This number also equals to 50% of the women population of all ages and nearly 25% of men. But did you know that it is scientifically proved that practicing yoga for osteoporosis can help cure the condition? It does!
You would be stunned to know that osteoporosis is a condition that makes the bones so brittle that it results in fractures. The US alone witnesses 300,000 hip fractures every year with people spending around 2 million dollars every year with about 500,000 hospitalizations! Hence it is utmost importance to indulge in a practice that can help to increase bone density, and that is yoga. Read on to find out how!
Can People with Osteoporosis Practice Yoga?
People with osteoporosis always doubt whether they can perform in the condition or not? Well, the shortest answer to this question is Yes! There are certain poses of yoga for the cure of osteoporosis that can benefit you in dealing with the condition. Since the bones of the patient get deficient and lose their density, exercises for osteoporosis of the spine and hip is the most profound measure to perform.
The presence of osteoporosis generally appears at a later stage. Practicing appropriate exercises regarding osteoporosis can be useful for the ones having troubling aches. Yoga for osteoporosis(1) can turn your painful nightmares into dreams.
Indeed, yoga does not help in curing the disease entirely, but it does assure to give you an effective treatment for osteoporosis. The poses provide flexibility to the bones that reduce the chance of getting fractures.
The Famous 12-Minute Yoga Session for Osteoporosis
The research shows that yoga exercises to increase bone density is known for showing the best of its methods with a minimal amount of side effects. There are some cases of osteoporosis where some yogic exercises should not occur as it may worsen the condition. The 12-minute yoga exercise session is a process of performing yogic asanas for complete 12 minutes, and it can help you out in balancing the equilibrium of your condition.
Women tend to have more chances of losing bone densities(2) at a higher rate, and according to the research, the reason behind it is – women have fragile bones that already have low bone density than men. Also, due to menopause, women suffer from a massive drop in losing the thickness as the level of estrogen in the body decreases.
As per research that was done by the National Center for Biotechnology Information(3) (NCBI) over the usage of the 12-minute yoga session for treating osteoporosis for ten years, the results formulated had significant improvement in the bone density. The bone mineral density of femur, spine, and hip enhanced significantly in the people who practiced the yoga poses regularly.
[Read: Home Remedies for Osteoporosis]
12-Minute Session of Yoga
Here is the 12-minute yoga session for osteoporosis that has proven results for increasing the bone density. The course includes 12 asanas or yoga exercises for osteoporosis that you must sustain while having slow breaths. The ultimate motto of this session is to add flexibility and to maintain bone density without having a pitfall in it. These asanas are –
1. Vrikshasana
It resembles the standing position of a tree and is a position that needs balance.
How to do?
- Join both of your palms and stand straight
- Raise your right leg and twist the knee outwards by placing the foot as a support to the inner side of the left hip
- Place your foot above the left knees and maintain your balance
- Take steady breaths
2. Utthita Trikonasana
It is also known as the extended triangle pose.
How to do?
- Spread your legs wide apart
- Maintain the distance between them and bend over to the left with your right hand in vertically upward direction and the left in vertically downward one and place it behind your left leg
- While bending, point your left foot towards the left direction, and the right foot will face front
- Look up and stretch your hands straight
- You can place your left hand on the ground or over a block as seems comfortable
- Return to your normal position and repeat for the other side
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3. Virabhadrasana II
Also known as the warrior pose II.
How to do?
- It is a position where one must spread both the legs while standing
- Shift the center of focus on the forward part by bending the left knee towards the left direction keeping the right leg straight
- Face towards the left
- The hands should be straight and wide apart in opposite directions
- Come to your base position and then repeat for the other side
4. Utthita Parsvakonasana
It is the extended side angle pose.
How to do?
- One can attain it by spreading the legs wide apart
- Bend the left knee to shift the center of focus there and point the left foot towards the left direction
- Now bend towards your left and place your elbow over the left leg and stretch the right hand upwards and inclined towards the left with you facing the roof above
- Return and repeat for the other side
5. Salabhasana
Salabhasana or the locust pose is one of the simplest poses.
How to do?
- You must lie down in supine position to perform this pose
- Try to lift your whole body in the air without using your hands
- Stretch your hands towards your feet as well and keep them straight
- Hold the pose in the air as much as you can a and then return and repeat
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6. Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
It is also known as the Bridge Pose.
How to do?
- You can perform this pose by lying down straight on the ground
- Fold the knees back towards the hips
- Try to lift your waist in the air with your hands resting down below your waist and lock them together
- Hold the pose for as much as you can and then return to the normal position and repeat
7. Supta Padangusthasana
How to do?
- You can attain this pose by lying down and lifting one leg vertically upward from the ground
- With the help of a belt try to stretch the leg straight upwards
- While performing this posture, one should not apply too much stress on the bent leg
- Try to keep the bent leg and the other leg straight
- You can use a yoga band to hold your stretched leg straight
8. Supta Padangusthasana II
It is also known as hand to big toe pose II.
How to do?
- While attaining this pose, you should lie down straight on your yoga mat
- Place one leg upwards bending from the side with the help of a belt
- Both the hands should be straight and outwards on either side
- Return to the normal position and repeat for the other side
9. Savasana
It is the pose resembling a corpse. It is the end part of the session and deals with nothing but lying down straight on the mat. While performing this, both the hands and legs should be free from any tension.
Hence, these are the yoga poses for osteoporosis that a 12 minutes session covers. While attaining all the postures, you should not let fatigue set in and breathe slowly. Everything should carry on while having slow but steady breaths. Yoga for osteoporosis can turn your condition into much more bearable, but it does not cause harm to any part of the body unless you are already suffering from a critical condition.
[Read: Natural Remedies for Back Pain]
Do’s and Don’ts
Here are the do’s and the don’ts of performing yoga for curing osteoporosis that the patients should follow separately.
Do’s
- Check thoroughly about the practitioner before heading towards the session.
- It requires constant practice and regularity to see useful results.
- Add small bending exercises for the spine.
- Always have a regular training of poses before heading towards the difficult asana sessions.
- Consult a doctor before taking up the classes.
Don’ts
- Do not try to twist the spine while performing.
- Do not always stretch the back in the forward direction.
- Perform backbends smoothly, slowly and gently, as it can cause damage to the back.
- One should never attain inversion poses, as no one recommends this posture.
- Do not put too much weight on the wrists or hands, as it might cause a fracture.
To get successful and practical results of yoga for osteoporosis, one should not fear anything else. As this might be your best experience for the treatment of osteoporosis after consulting your doctor. No doubt, it has a minimum number of side effects, but following the do’s and don’ts are better. Try out the method to get amazing results!
