Can yoga really enhance bone density?
In case you ask Google, you’ll discover all types of assets saying sure—yoga is an efficient technique 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, applications, and movies promising that can assist 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, writer of a number of books together with Yoga for Osteoporosis. He’s additionally the co-author of a 2015 research that means yoga can enhance bone mineral density (BMD) within the backbone and femoral neck—probably decreasing the danger of life-threatening fractures in older adults. The research was titled, “12-Minute Each day Yoga Routine Reverses Osteoporotic Bone Loss.”
The Research That Made Waves within the Yoga World
I keep in mind when the information of Dr. Fishman’s research got here out. It was a giant deal within the yoga world and despatched ripples via the broader wellness house.
As an alternative of simply being recognized for rest, yoga may 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 had been already selling. The research additionally helped carry yoga additional into the mainstream and validated what many longtime yogis already believed about their beloved observe.
However the greater query remained: Are the research’s findings legit?
What the LIFTMOR Trial Tells Us About Bone Development
Apparently, the identical yr Dr. Fishman’s research was printed, so was the LIFTMOR trial.
The LIFTMOR trial additionally studied osteoporosis—particularly in postmenopausal girls with no vital historical past of train and low bone mineral density. Contributors had been cut up into two teams: one did low-impact motion at residence, whereas the opposite did supervised high-intensity progressive resistance coaching (HiPRT). Every group exercised twice per week for half-hour over an eight-month interval.
The outcomes? There was a vital distinction in bone progress between the low-intensity residence group and the supervised energy coaching group. And people outcomes had 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 research claimed yoga (additionally low impression) elevated BMD—what provides?
Why Dr. Fishman’s Research Falls Brief
There are a number of flaws in Dr. Fishman’s research 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 folks not doing yoga. They had been merely doing 12 poses and monitoring their progress—generally qualitatively (“how do you’re feeling?”), generally quantitatively (through bone scans). And not using a management group to check the outcomes to, it’s laborious to attract dependable conclusions from the findings on this research.
2. The research 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 research himself. That doesn’t routinely disqualify the work, however it does increase pink flags—particularly provided that he earnings from yoga books, applications, and trainings if the findings assist using his services and products.
4. It’s not a blind or double blind research.
Each one who participated was already a yoga practitioner once they began. It wasn’t a brand new observe for them, however acquainted. One thing they most likely loved. This may have additionally doubtless impacted how they responded to the yoga poses or had been merely extra inclined to remain dedicated to doing the poses constantly.
Collectively, these components restrict the research’s validity and scientific rigor.
The Actual Science Behind Constructing Bone Density
Right here’s what we do know: to construct bone, it’s a must to stress bone.
Which means making use of a specific amount of strain to bones to stimulate progress.
And as your physique adapts, you have to enhance 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 enhance bone density.
Let’s Get Sensible: What Yoga Can (and Can’t) Do
Most of the poses in Dr. Fishman’s research had been standing, however some had 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 research, Dr. Fishman argued that yoga pits opposing muscle teams in opposition to one another in a means that stimulates bone progress. He wrote:
“By pitting one group of muscle groups in opposition to one other, yoga exposes bones to better forces and, due to this fact, may improve bone mineral density (BMD) greater than different means.”
Sadly, this merely isn’t true.
At greatest, yoga entails bodyweight-only power—about the identical as strolling your canine. And research repeatedly present that bones want vital load or impression to develop: issues like lifting heavy weights or leaping.
So, Can Yoga Assist You Construct Power?
Sure—to some extent. However for most individuals—no.
Yoga is a implausible basis for energy, notably when 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 finally plateau in how a lot energy you’ll be able to achieve. Nevertheless it’s nice for constructing endurance when you maintain poses for longer than a couple of breaths.
One Observe Can’t Do All the things
Let’s be actual: no single observe checks each health field.
Power coaching builds muscle and bone, however it’s not cardio. Biking is nice for cardiovascular well being, however it received’t enhance bone density. Dance is enjoyable and expressive and presents impression and cardio, however not energy.
Each sort of motion has its strengths and limitations—and that’s okay.
The purpose is just to say that our our bodies want selection and one type of motion can’t do every thing our our bodies have to 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 burdened.
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It improves your flexibility and stability.
Do it for all these stunning causes and extra.
However don’t do yoga anticipating it to extend your bone density. It received’t. —Naomi
References:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4851231/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26243363/
https://www.karinweinstein.com/publish/yoga-for-osteoporosis-bone-mineral-density
