Osteoporosis - Should I do Yoga?

Osteoporosis is a bone disease that occurs when the body loses too much bone, makes too little bone, or both (nof.org).

Osteopenia is a condition that begins as you lose bone mass and your bones get weaker (familydoctor.org).

A person with low bone density is at higher risk of bone fractures and broken bones, usually caused by a fall. There are several reasons why people end up with low bone density, and there are several things that can help to increase or maintain bone density levels. One of those being exercise. But the question is what kind of exercise is safe and effective for someone with osteoporosis? Should someone with osteoporosis do yoga

If you have full blown osteoporosis or if you have osteopenia in your spine, we would NOT recommend taking a yoga class. Yoga requires a lot of flexion, extension and twisting of the spine, and if your vertebrae are already brittle, they are more likely to fracture. Fractured spine?... no thanks! The safest thing to do is to maintain a neutral spine during exercise whenever possible. Watch this short video explaining neutral spine:

Since we've ruled out yoga, you might be wondering what you CAN do to help build up and maintain your bone density. Walking and weight lifting are two of the safest and most effective exercises for people with osteopenia and osteoporosis. A strong core will help support your spine, and the impact from walking will build up your bone density. Just remember to keep your neutral spine, and you should be just fine.

We hope this was helpful for our low bone density friends. And if you know someone else who might benefit from this information, be sure and share this post with them!

In Health and Happiness,

Strong Enough PT