Is Yoga Helpful for Osteoporosis?

By
Leah Sugerman, E-RYT 500, YACEP
on September 28, 2022
Mature yoga students practicing half forward bend with the support of chairs.

Osteoporosis is a health condition that weakens bones and makes them more brittle and, therefore, more susceptible to fracture. The word osteoporosis itself means “porous bone.” It is a common condition, particularly in postmenopausal women. There are a number of known modalities to help with osteoporosis, but they can be challenging, expensive, or injurious. So an interesting question is whether yoga for osteoporosis is effective.

Senior woman practicing yoga pose Janu Sirsasana or Head-to-Knee Forward Bend Pose, working out at h
11 Tips for Teaching Yoga Students with...
Hero's Pose or Virasana is a comfortable alternative yoga seated pose.
4 Yoga Poses to Help Ease High Blood...
Full length portrait of senior woman in yoga pose Vrksasana, Tree Pose.
3 Posture Myths You Can Let Go of Now
Senior woman practicing yoga, standing in Warrior II Pose.
Upper Body Strength—Without Push-Ups
Beautiful young woman practices yoga asana Tadasana - Mountain pose on the wooden deck near the lake

Healthy Breathing and Posture: Connecting the Dots

In physical therapy school many years ago, they taught me to assess posture and treat associated muscle imbalances. If someone displayed forward-head posture, I assumed their posture caused their headaches. “I... Read more
Group of senior people with closed eyes stretching arms at park.

Exercise Lowers Fracture Risk as We Age

It is not uncommon for older people who are mainly sedentary to be somewhat apprehensive about starting an exercise routine. Their worries may include not having the strength or stamina to be able to complete... Read more
Beautiful young woman practices yoga asana Tadasana - Mountain Pose on the wooden deck near the lake

Change Your Postural Habits and Change Your Spine

If there’s one thing that everyone from bestselling authors to renowned philosophers agree on, it’s the power of habits. From Aristotle (“We are what we repeatedly do”) to Henry James, (“Sow an action, and you... Read more

Featured Courses

Two yoga students practicing Balancing Table pose
Yoga For Back Pain: Keys to Preventing and Healing Sacroiliac Instability
While millions of Americans suffer from pain in the low back and pelvis, many back and hip issues are actually the result of sacroiliac instability (SI), i.e. an imbalance in the sacroiliac joint, which often goes undiagnosed or is improperly treated. Alarmingly, yoga practitioners appear to...Read more
yoga for hip opening, Doug Keller
Essentials of Safe Hip Opening
Hip openers are among the most satisfying and powerful yoga poses. They hold a tremendous potential for transformation; they can help us release deep-seated tension and trauma of the past, which many of us hold locked in the hip area. When practiced correctly, hip openers are a great way to soothe...Read more
capturing and integrating the deepest aspects of yoga
Embodying Spirit: Deepening Your Practice On and Off the Mat
Yoga is more popular than ever, but as yoga has become a household word, has it also become a mile wide and an inch deep? Are we missing out on the essence of yoga, even as the practice has become a household word? What can we do to capture the deepest aspects of yoga and integrate these into our...Read more
Yoga for the Pelvic Floor: Keys to Lifelong Health
Most people know the importance of core strengthening for health and long-term well-being, but the pelvic floor is an important group of core muscles, which tend to get ignored. “The torso is like a tote bag for your organs,” says Leslie Howard, a Bay area yoga teacher who conducts workshops...Read more
Senior woman performing yoga's Warrior 2 Pose at home.

4 Bone-Building Yoga Poses

As we age, it’s normal to lose some bone mass. But losing an excessive amount can lead to fractures of the hip and spine, loss of height, rounding of the upper back and limited mobility. Unfortunately, bone... Read more
Supta Baddha Konasana a restorative pose with props.

3 Yoga Practices to Support Pelvic Floor Health

The pelvic floor muscles support the bladder and bowels. In females, they also support the uterus, and in males, they also support the prostate. They’re a collective group of muscles that create a sling of... Read more
forward head posture

Yoga for Text Neck and Head Forward Posture

There’s something surprising you probably don’t know about me: I’ve been using computers to write, edit, and publish documents as well as to email since 1976! The photo below shows me and another writer/editor... Read more
Senior woman working out indoors standing in Tadasana, Mountain Pose

Hyperkyphosis: The Cause and the Solution

Many years ago, my husband Alan, our friend Jerome and I took a trip to our property on a northern gulf island. We planned to stay in another friend’s cabin while Jerome and Alan put Jerome’s cabin up on jacks... Read more
Side view portrait of a young woman practicing Tadasana or Mountain Pose indoors

4 Yoga Poses for Better Posture

As we get older, poor postural habits can have a domino effect on our entire bodies, stressing joints as well as internal organs of the heart, lungs, and digestive tract. Quite often, pain or injury stems from... Read more
Lovely smiling mature woman looking calm while carrying her yoga mat

Osteoporosis: Yoga for Strong Bones

Osteoporosis, osteopenia, falling, and breaking a hip—all of these are major medical and lifestyle concerns for many women over 50. Yet, the public health matter reaches far beyond that population. Men and... Read more
Smiling elderly woman resting on a swiss ball at home

An Easy Technique to Improve Your Posture: How to Practice Yoga on a Ball

According to Webster’s 1913 Dictionary, the word combat means, “To struggle or contend, as with an opposing force; to fight with; to oppose by force, argument, etc.; to resist; a contest of violence; a... Read more