Why Yoga Isn’t Sufficient to Enhance Bone Density
Can yoga truly enhance bone density?
For those who ask Google, you’ll discover all kinds of sources 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 hundreds 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 primary 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 implies yoga can enhance bone mineral density (BMD) within the backbone and femoral neck—probably decreasing the chance 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 bear 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 area.
As a substitute of simply being identified 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 have 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
Curiously, the identical 12 months Dr. Fishman’s research was revealed, so was the LIFTMOR trial.
The LIFTMOR trial additionally studied osteoporosis—particularly in postmenopausal ladies with no vital historical past of train and low bone mineral density. Members have been break 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 per week for half-hour over an eight-month interval.
The outcomes? There was a vital distinction in bone progress between the low-intensity house group and the supervised energy coaching group. And people outcomes have been replicated in a number of comparable trials that adopted.
Even higher? The resistance coaching group had no accidents reported.
So, if low-impact motion had minimal affect on BMD, however the Fishman research claimed yoga (additionally low affect) elevated BMD—what offers?
Why Dr. Fishman’s Research Falls Quick
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 individuals not doing yoga. They have been merely doing 12 poses and monitoring their progress—generally qualitatively (“how do you are feeling?”), generally quantitatively (by way of bone scans). And not using a management group to match the outcomes to, it’s arduous 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, but it surely does elevate crimson flags—particularly on condition that he earnings from yoga books, applications, and trainings if the findings assist using his services.
4. It’s not a blind or double blind research.
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 doubtless 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 research’s validity and scientific rigor.
The Actual Science Behind Constructing Bone Density
Right here’s what we do know: to construct bone, you need to stress bone.
Which means making use of a certain quantity of strain to bones to stimulate progress.
And as your physique adapts, you should enhance that strain over time. That is what progressive overload is all about—growing the burden or affect 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 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 growing BMD whereas driving or sleeping.
Within the research, 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 mass 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 greatest, yoga entails bodyweight-only power—about the identical as strolling your canine. And research repeatedly present that bones want vital load or affect to develop: issues like lifting heavy weights or leaping.
So, Can Yoga Assist You Construct Energy?
Sure—to a degree. However for most individuals—no.
Yoga is a improbable basis for energy, notably if you happen to’re new to motion, recovering from damage or sickness, or engaged on reconnecting together with your physique.
As a result of it makes use of body weight solely (plus gravity), you’ll ultimately plateau in how a lot energy you’ll be able to acquire. However it’s nice for constructing endurance if you happen to maintain poses for longer than a number of breaths.
One Observe Can’t Do Every part
Let’s be actual: no single observe checks each health field.
Energy coaching builds muscle and bone, but it surely’s not cardio. Biking is nice for cardiovascular well being, but it surely gained’t enhance bone density. Dance is enjoyable and expressive and affords affect and cardio, however not energy.
Each sort 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 not do every part our our bodies must 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 are feeling grounded and fewer harassed.
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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/publish/yoga-for-osteoporosis-bone-mineral-density
