Why Yoga Isn’t Sufficient to Enhance Bone Density

Can yoga really enhance bone density?

In case you ask Google, you’ll discover all types of assets saying sure—yoga is an efficient methodology 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 at least one principal supply: the work of Dr. Loren Fishman, creator of a number of books together with Yoga for Osteoporosis. He’s additionally the co-author of a 2015 examine that means yoga can improve bone mineral density (BMD) within the backbone and femoral neck—doubtlessly decreasing the danger of life-threatening fractures in older adults. The examine 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 study got here out. It was an enormous deal within the yoga world and despatched ripples by the broader wellness area.

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 academics now had scientific backing for what they have been already selling. The examine additionally helped convey yoga additional into the mainstream and validated what many longtime yogis already believed about their beloved observe.

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

What the LIFTMOR Trial Tells Us About Bone Progress

Curiously, the identical yr Dr. Fishman’s examine was printed, 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. Individuals 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 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 related 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 examine claimed yoga (additionally low affect) elevated BMD—what provides?

Why Dr. Fishman’s Research Falls Brief

There are a number of flaws in Dr. Fishman’s examine 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 folks not doing yoga. They have been merely doing 12 poses and monitoring their progress—generally qualitatively (“how do you are feeling?”), generally quantitatively (through 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 examine.

2. The examine 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 examine himself. That doesn’t robotically disqualify the work, nevertheless it does elevate crimson flags—particularly on condition that he earnings from yoga books, applications, and trainings if the findings help the usage of his services.

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

Each one that participated was already a yoga practitioner once they began. It wasn’t a brand new observe for them, however acquainted. One thing they most likely loved. This could have additionally possible 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 examine’s validity and scientific rigor.

The Actual Science Behind Constructing Bone Density

Right here’s what we do know: to construct bone, it’s important to stress bone.

Which means making use of a specific amount of stress to bones to stimulate development.

And as your physique adapts, you should improve that stress over time. That is what progressive overload is all about—rising the burden or impact to maintain your bones responding and getting stronger.

Put merely, yoga doesn’t apply sufficient pressure to considerably improve bone density.

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

Lots of the poses in Dr. Fishman’s examine 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 rising BMD whereas driving or sleeping.

Within the examine, Dr. Fishman argued that yoga pits opposing muscle teams in opposition to one another in a approach that stimulates bone development. He wrote:

“By pitting one group of muscular tissues in opposition to one other, yoga exposes bones to higher forces and, due to this fact, would possibly improve bone mineral density (BMD) greater than different means.”

Sadly, this merely isn’t true.

At greatest, yoga includes bodyweight-only pressure—about the identical as strolling your canine. And research repeatedly present that bones want important 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 implausible basis for energy, significantly for those who’re new to motion, recovering from harm or sickness, or engaged on reconnecting along 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 achieve. Nevertheless it’s nice for constructing endurance for those who maintain poses for longer than a couple of breaths.

One Follow Can’t Do Every part

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

Energy 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 gives affect 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 model of motion can not do all the pieces our our bodies have to be wholesome.