Why Yoga Isn’t Sufficient to Enhance Bone Density

Can yoga really enhance bone density?

In case you 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 1000’s of hits for books, packages, and movies promising that will help you construct higher bones with a low-impact yoga apply. 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 essential 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 lowering the chance of life-threatening fractures in older adults. The research was titled, “12-Minute Every day Yoga Routine Reverses Osteoporotic Bone Loss.”

The Examine That Made Waves within the Yoga World

I keep in mind when the information of Dr. Fishman’s study got here out. It was a giant deal within the yoga world and despatched ripples by way of the broader wellness house.

As an alternative of simply being identified for leisure, 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 lecturers now had scientific backing for what they have been already selling. The research additionally helped convey yoga additional into the mainstream and validated what many longtime yogis already believed about their beloved apply.

However the greater query remained: Are the research’s findings legit?

What the LIFTMOR Trial Tells Us About Bone Development

Curiously, the identical yr Dr. Fishman’s research was revealed, so was the LIFTMOR trial.

The LIFTMOR trial additionally studied osteoporosis—particularly in postmenopausal ladies with no important historical past of train and low bone mineral density. Members have been cut 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 every week for half-hour over an eight-month interval.

The outcomes? There was a important distinction in bone development 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 influence on BMD, however the Fishman research claimed yoga (additionally low influence) elevated BMD—what offers?

Why Dr. Fishman’s Examine Falls Brief

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—typically qualitatively (“how do you are feeling?”), typically quantitatively (by way of bone scans). And not using a management group to match the outcomes to, it’s laborious 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, nevertheless it does elevate pink flags—particularly provided that he earnings from yoga books, packages, and trainings if the findings assist the usage of his services.

4. It’s not a blind or double blind research.

Each one that participated was already a yoga practitioner once they began. It wasn’t a brand new apply for them, however acquainted. One thing they in all probability loved. This could have additionally probably impacted how they responded to the yoga poses or have been merely extra inclined to remain dedicated to doing the poses constantly.

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.

Meaning making use of a specific amount of strain to bones to stimulate development.

And as your physique adapts, you should enhance that strain over time. That is what progressive overload is all about—growing the load or impact to maintain your bones responding and getting stronger.

Put merely, yoga doesn’t apply sufficient drive to considerably enhance bone density.

Let’s Get Sensible: What Yoga Can (and Can’t) Do

Lots 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 approach that stimulates bone development. He wrote:

“By pitting one group of muscular tissues towards one other, yoga exposes bones to higher forces and, subsequently, may improve bone mineral density (BMD) greater than different means.”

Sadly, this merely isn’t true.

At greatest, yoga includes bodyweight-only drive—about the identical as strolling your canine. And research repeatedly present that bones want important load or influence to develop: issues like lifting heavy weights or leaping.

So, Can Yoga Assist You Construct Power?

Sure—to a degree. However for most individuals—no.

Yoga is a implausible 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 possibly can achieve. However it’s nice for constructing endurance if you happen to maintain poses for longer than just a few breaths.

One Follow Can’t Do All the pieces

Let’s be actual: no single apply checks each health field.

Power coaching builds muscle and bone, nevertheless it’s not cardio. Biking is nice for cardiovascular well being, nevertheless it received’t enhance bone density. Dance is enjoyable and expressive and presents influence and cardio, however not energy.

Each kind of motion has its strengths and limitations—and that’s okay.

The purpose is just to say that our our bodies want selection and one fashion of motion can not do every part our our bodies must be wholesome.