Osteoporosis

DEFINITION Reduction of bone mineral density below the level found in 99% of healthy 25 – 30 year old women. BENEFICIAL POSES: The most successful efforts so far use Vriksasana, Trikonasana, Parsvakonasana, Virabhadrasana II, Parivrtta Trikonasana, Salabhasana, Setu Bandhasana, Marichyasana III, Matsyendrasana, and Supta Padangusthasana I and II. EXPLANATION: Wolff’s law states that “the architectonic of a bone follows the lines of force to which that bone is exposed.” Yoga imposes far greater forces than gravity, since muscles that easily oppose gravity when we move are often pitted against one another in yoga, vastly exceeding gravity’s pull on those bones. Therefore yoga successfully reverses osteoporosis. The poses should be held for at least 30 seconds. EVIDENCE: Lu, Y-H, Rosner, B, Chang, G, PhD; Fishman, L. “Twelve-Minute Daily Yoga Regimen Reverses Osteoporotic Bone Loss.” Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation: April/June 2016 – Volume 32 – Issue 2 – p 81–87. Julius Wolff. “The law of bone transformation.” A. Hirschwald, Berlin; 1892.