12 Minutes Daily Yoga Practice Can Help Improve Bone Health
Osteoporosis is the most common cause of bone fractures in older people. If you are concerned about bone health, the good news is that practicing yoga pose – just 12 minutes a day – can improve bone quality.
Columbia University physiatrist Dr. Lauren M. Fishman and colleagues followed 741 people (202 of them women, mean age 68) for ten years. The 227 participants who followed the researchers’ prescribed daily yoga regimen with moderate or complete compliance showed improved bone density in the spine, hips, and thighs, as well as improved bone quality.
12 yoga poses performed by the participants: tree, triangle, warrior II, lateral angle pose, twisted triangle, locust, bridge, lying on the back, palm to foot I, lying on the back palm to foot II, twisting with straight legs, bent knee. twist, and corpse pose. Each pose was held for 30 seconds each.
Regardless of which style of yoga you choose , yoga in general is beneficial for fitness and health . We can now add bone health benefits to the list. The study also found no major injuries or fractures from yoga (and most of the participants had osteoporosis or prior osteopenia). So it doesn’t hurt! (Well, except when doing a difficult pose.)
Twelve Minute Daily Yoga Regimen Helps Reverse Osteoporotic Bone Loss | Geriatric Rehabilitation Topics via The New York Times