Yoga for Osteoporosis: 8 Gentle Poses that Can Help

Yoga offers an easy and gentle way to manage osteoporosis and boost bone density. With asanas and poses that help improve balance and increase bone strength, yoga for osteoporosis can be a great way to workout.  

What is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis, also called the “silent disease” is the most common bone disease. While it doesn't always have physical symptoms, it causes bones to become weak and brittle, increasing their chances of breaking and leading to fractures. The most commonly affected bones include the hips, wrists, and the spine. 

Generally caused by age-related reduced bone density, osteoporosis mostly affects adults over the age of 50, especially post-menopausal women. Research has observed that osteoporosis can affect 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men over the age of 50. 

8 Easy Yoga Poses to Manage Osteoporosis

Yoga poses involving body-weight exercises and stretching can help build strength, flexibility, and stability. This can increase your range of motion, improve balance, and reduce the risk of falls, preventing bones from breaking. An effective yoga routine, when practiced consistently, can also increase bone density, preventing future occurrence of osteoporosis. 

Some effective asanas include:

Mountain Pose

This pose improves posture and helps distribute your body weight evenly, reducing stress on the bones. It also strengthens the legs and core for better stability.

• Stand straight with your feet together and arms at your sides.

• Press your feet into the ground and stand tall.

• Stretch your arms upward and keep your chest lifted.

• Hold for 30 seconds, breathing deeply.

Tree Pose

The Tree Pose strengthens the bones in your legs and hips by making you balance on one leg. This helps improve balance, preventing the risk of falls.

• Stand straight and shift your weight onto one foot.

• Place the other foot on your calf or inner thigh (not on your knee).

• Bring your palms together at your chest or raise them above your head.

• Hold for 20–30 seconds, then switch sides.

• If you experience any discomfort or disbalance, consider taking support of a wall. 

Warrior I Pose

This pose strengthens your legs, hips, and spine, helping to improve bone density. It also stretches your chest and shoulders, enhancing posture.

• Stand straight near a wall for extra stability and to prevent any falls while doing the pose.

• Then step one foot back, keeping it angled slightly outward.

• Bend your front knee while keeping your back leg straight.

• Raise your arms overhead and stretch upward.

• Hold for 20–30 seconds, then switch sides.

Warrior II Pose

Warrior II builds strength in your thighs, hips, and arms while encouraging proper alignment to support your bones.

• Stand with your feet wide apart. Take the support of a chair or a wall for more stability.

• Turn one foot out 90 degrees and the other slightly inward.

• Bend your front knee and stretch your arms parallel to the ground.

• Look over your front hand and hold for 20–30 seconds, then switch sides.

Triangle Pose

This pose strengthens your legs and spine, stretches your hips, and improves balance, reducing the risk of falls.

• Stand with your feet wide apart.

• Turn one foot out 90 degrees and the other slightly inward.

• Extend your arms out to the sides and tilt your torso over your front leg.

• Place your hand on your shin or ankle and stretch the other arm upward.

• If reaching down feels uncomfortable, place a block or a pillow under your hand.

• Hold for 20–30 seconds, then switch sides.

Cobra Pose

Cobra Pose strengthens your spine and opens up your chest, improving posture and reducing the risk of fractures in the upper back.

• Lie on your stomach with your hands under your shoulders.

• Press your hands into the mat and lift your chest off the ground.

• Keep your elbows slightly bent and your shoulders relaxed.

• Hold for 15–20 seconds, then lower down.

Locust Pose

This pose strengthens your lower back, hips, and thighs while improving flexibility in your spine.

• Lie on your stomach with your arms at your sides.

• Lift your chest, arms, and legs off the ground.

• Keep your neck in line with your spine and hold for 15–20 seconds.

• Lower down and rest.

Corpse Pose

Corpse Pose promotes relaxation and stress reduction, which can support overall bone health.

• Lie flat on your back with your arms at your sides.

• Close your eyes and take slow, deep breaths.

• Relax your entire body for 5–10 minutes.

Benefits of Doing Yoga for Osteoporosis

Doing yoga for osteoporosis has several benefits, such as:

Better Balance and Coordination to Prevent Injuries

Yoga poses like Tree Pose and Triangle Pose focus on building stability and core strength, which are essential for maintaining balance and improving coordination. For individuals with osteoporosis, this is especially important, as weakened and brittle bones significantly increase the risk of fractures from even minor falls. By improving balance and stability, yoga can help reduce the chances of such injuries.

Increased Bone Density

Weight-bearing yoga poses such as Warrior I, Warrior II, and Locust Pose apply gentle pressure to the bones, triggering a response that stimulates bone formation. This helps increase bone mineral density (BMD), a key factor in preventing fractures. A study involving participants practicing a short, daily yoga sequence showed measurable improvements in BMD, particularly in the spine and hips, which are common sites for fractures.

Reverses Bone Loss

Studies have found that certain weight-bearing yoga poses can boost bone regeneration by stimulating osteoblasts, the bone-building cells. Over time, this can help rebuild bone mass, offering a natural way to mitigate the effects of osteoporosis while promoting overall bone health.

When done correctly, yoga can counter the effects of osteoporosis and prevent falls and injuries, improving your overall quality of life. 

1-on-1 Coaching: Best Way to Do Yoga with Osteoporosis

When doing yoga with osteoporosis, it’s important to do the poses correctly and safely, as incorrect techniques can lead to falls and injuries. That’s where the guidance and expertise of a dedicated coach come in! 

With MyYogaTeacher’s 1-on-1 coaching, you get access to dedicated coaches who can personalize sessions and tailor poses to meet your needs. Through live, real-time instruction, your coach provides step-by-step guidance to ensure proper form and alignment, helping you maximize the benefits of each pose. This individualized approach focuses on strengthening key muscles, enhancing bone health, and improving balance and coordination, helping you to manage osteoporosis effectively.

Here are a few coaches who can help you get started with improving balance and building strength with weights:

• Annitha G

• Abhishek Sharma

• Ramanujan R

• Arashdeep Kaur

If you enjoy the energy and setting of group classes, we have them too:

• Hatha Yoga: Strengthen and Balance Your Body

• Strength and Balance: Yoga with Weights 

• Core Flow: Strengthen Your Abdomen & Improve Balance

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for osteoporosis, yoga or Pilates? 

Both yoga and Pilates can help manage osteoporosis, but yoga is generally considered safer and more effective for bone health. Yoga incorporates weight-bearing poses that stimulate bone growth, enhance bone density, and improve flexibility, balance, and posture—all crucial for osteoporosis management. Pilates focuses more on core strengthening and stability, improving posture, and preventing falls, but it lacks the weight-bearing, essential for bone health. Because yoga uses gentle, modified poses specifically tailored to each individual's needs, it is often the safer option for osteoporosis. 

Which is the best form of yoga to manage osteoporosis?

The best type of yoga for managing osteoporosis is often Hatha yoga, which offers gentle, weight-bearing poses that are easy to modify. Hatha yoga emphasizes alignment, balance, and strength, which are key for improving bone density and reducing the risk of falls. However, it is important to ensure that your workout is modified to suit your requirements by working with an experienced coach. 

Can yoga reverse osteoporosis?

While yoga cannot completely reverse osteoporosis, it can improve bone health. Doing weight-bearing poses consistently can increase bone mineral density and slow down further bone loss. Additionally, yoga improves posture, balance, and coordination, which can reduce the risk of falls and fractures. Regular practice of yoga can help manage osteoporosis and improve overall quality of life by promoting better bone health and functional movement. 

Book Your Free Session Today!

Build better balance and stability to keep osteoporosis-related falls and injuries at bay. Book your free trial session today!