Yoga for Osteoporosis - Dr. Fishman's yoga program

[laurajhawk]

Originally Posted by yogapam

Agree, different things work for different people, there are many factors involved including genetics & body build. One thing on its own is not a cure all, but I think yoga can be helpful if you add to a regime that also includes impact exercise, resistance training, & healthy eating.

My doctor made the point that while yoga may not increase bone density AS MUCH as weights or impact cardio do, it does give you balance, flexibility, and core strength to help you avoid falling. So she considers it highly beneficial for those of us with bone density issues.

[prettyinpink]

Originally Posted by laurajhawk

My doctor made the point that while yoga may not increase bone density AS MUCH as weights or impact cardio do, it does give you balance, flexibility, and core strength to help you avoid falling. So she considers it highly beneficial for those of us with bone density issues.

I think so, too. If you fall down, you can break a bone even if your bone density is okay. Balance and agility are important for everyone.
If you don’t fall, you are much less likely to break a hip even if your bone density is terrible. Fall prevention is a big deal.

[Pat58]

For anyone who is interested in the actual practice, The Great Youtube Oracle recommended this for me - the Fishman sequence as demonstrated by yoga teacher Kendra Fitzgerald, with longer holds and better instruction. (Still pretty bare bones but she does a better job of teaching.)

Fishman sequence

[killoffsonny]

I borrowed 21 Day Yoga Retreat from a friend. I thought it was ok. It would be good for someone who has been away from the practice for a while or has never done yoga.

[monterey vidiot]

I did most of the 21 Day Yoga retreat on beachbody on demand.
Wrote about it here:
http://forum.videofitness.com/showth...retreat+page=2
see my 9/19/2016 comment on page 2 of the thread.

[SpiritYogi]

Originally Posted by prettyinpink

If you fall down, you can break a bone even if your bone density is okay. Balance and agility are important for everyone.
If you don’t fall, you are much less likely to break a hip even if your bone density is terrible. Fall prevention is a big deal.

I totally agree! I've seen young kids with strong bones break bones because they fell. I'm not saying they wouldn't have fallen if they had good balance, but anything to prevent bones from meeting hard surfaces will go a long way in avoiding bone breakage. Improving balance as we get older should definitely be a goal.

[Pat58]

I'm reading a book Vintage VFer recommended, The Myth of Osteoporosis by Gillian Sanson. A lot of her research is on falls factoring into the equation.

Thank you for the 21 Day Yoga Retreat feedback, Becky and Cynthia. Cynthia your review and my comment (DOH!) reminded me why I didn't invest then.

[killoffsonny]

I'm wondering if Yoga Burn would be better? I really don't want to invest in anymore dvd's though. I have a couple of good yoga instructors at my gym and I take their classes when I can get there.

[Judith L]

I've had Fishman's book and it struck me that the poses, modified as they were, were probably not exerting enough stress on the bones to be significant. And then there is the bending or twisting, which although modified, are contraindicated for those with osteoporosis. I think one should follow the guidelines* of the National Osteoporosis Foundation as to osteoporosis and not the recommendations of Yogis or Yoga Associations.

Getting into poses that create stress on the bones and holding those poses is good for the bones, but the principle "first, do no harm" should be kept uppermost in mind. Forward bends or twisting of the spine puts the vertebral column in jeopardy. The majority of the movements in yoga and pilates involve forward bending or twisting of the spine.

I was diagnosed with osteoporosis a couple of weeks ago (after having been osteopenic for years) and I've sifted through my favorite moves to keep a couple that I think are safe for me. For example, I will still continue to do the warrior poses because although the spine is slightly twisted in one of them, one is stretching up at the same time, decompressing the spine, and they are all good balance poses. But I will have to forgo all the sitting forward stretches to my toes and instead substitute hamstring and IT stretches on my back using a band.

I miss, terribly, not doing my morning Mat Pilates routine, and rolling like a ball has to become just a fond memory but the challenge of figuring out what I can still do and what are the best things for me to do is, strangely, exciting for me who likes to create my own routines/practices. I'm hoping that in another two years I"ll find out my bone density will have improved enough to pull me out of the category I'm in now.

I'll be doing less, if any, of Callanetics and Classical Stretch/Essentrics and focusing more on resistance training -- whether with weights, band, or isometric tension. And fortunately, I think every resistance-training exercise demands good form with a straight back, so all these resistance exercises, if done in good form will both stress bones and protect the spine. In addition to resistance training I'll keep to doing my stretching but will be doing more balance work. And then there's cardio of some sort.

* https://www.nof.org/patients/fractur...ody-alignment/

[warriorprincess]

I was doing a lot of yoga, and had been for some time, when I was originally diagnosed with osteoporosis. It's definitely not enough for some people. The best exercises for increasing bone density is heavy weights and impact. Assuming it hasn't gotten too bad.