Yoga for Bone Health

 About this class

Sign up for a class or for the entire series! These classes are appropriate for preventative work toward building bone density/staying strong, as well as for those with osteoporosis/osteopenia. 

Each week we will practice a different variety of poses from each of the three 12-pose yoga sequences from “Yoga for Osteoporosis” medical research studies of Dr. Loren Fishman, MD.

Each unique practice will begin with a warm-up and will enjoy variations and options of these poses, helping to make them more familiar for daily home practice.  A replay will be provided for a two week period. 


I certified in this course, Yoga for Osteoporosis, from the guru himself, Dr. Loren Fishman, MD. There is a strong theoretical and scientific basis for "Dr. Fishman’s Method,” based from both pilot study and a 10 year study . A growing number of yoga therapists across the country now are helping to share the strengthening and empowering poses, each taught with 3 variations depending on the level of the student. A current study offers a second sequence, a new set of poses also which includes the care of the wrists, the fourth most common fracture site with osteoporosis. A third, upcoming study will comparatively build a deeper understanding of the value of yet another sequence, which gives additional attention to strengthening the ribcage. We will use poses from all three sequences in this series, each class will be a unique blend.

All newcomers are welcome to then connect and work with Dr. Fishman as participants in the continued, on-going osteoporosis study.

Consider participating in the study!  Requirements:  commitment to participate 2 years, doing the poses daily, seeing a certified yoga therapist (who has also certified in Yoga for Osteoporosis) every 2 weeks for 2 years and answering a computerized questionnaire, a DEXA scan that is at least 2 years old, urine and blood tests (can send records from your current annual physical), Dexa Scan at 6 months into the study and again at the 2 year mark.  

See more at www.sciatica.org  Come to this class to learn how to use your yoga to stay on the side of prevention and/or to reverse osteopenia and osteoporosis. There are no prerequisites to taking this class.

LifeFit reserves the right to cancel due to low registration.

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Results

The peer-review study has shown success in reversing osteopenia and  osteoporosis in those that have it, and building bone in those that don’t have osteoporosis, and don’t want it.  The 12 poses strengthen the most frequent fracture sites:  the spine, the hip and the femur ( those are also the three sites measured by most DEXA scans).  Over 80% of the people in the study reversed their bone loss and began gaining bone.

No fractures or serious injuries of any kind were seen or reported in over 100,000 hours of people doing this yoga daily. Over 80% of them had osteoporosis or osteopenia when we started.  Many fewer had these conditions when we finished. The continued “dose-response” osteoporosis study introduces a second set of yoga poses, and just recently, the first two participants passed the annual mark which begins the analysis, with follow-up DEXA scans to show: 

  • DG, after two years in the study: +3.6%

    • Significant at 95% level

  • CS, after 1 year in the study: +8.2%

    • Significant at 95% level