7 Helpful Yoga Poses to Turn the Tables on Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a diagnosis that puts fear into the hearts of many women, but it is actually a condition that can affect everyone, regardless of biological sex. Although men aren’t diagnosed nearly as frequently, dropping testosterone is also a risk factor for osteoporosis. There are many endocrine glands that affect bone health, including the thyroid and parathyroid, and as we age, it is common for various hormone levels to drop.

Osteopenia (bone loss) and sarcopenia (muscle loss) are part of the aging process. When we are young and still growing, we have much more growth hormone to build bone and muscle. Growth hormone is less plentiful as we get older, which is a big reason why healing from injuries takes so much longer than it used to.

It is normal and healthy for bone to break down and rebuild. The body breaks down old bone cells and replaces them with new bone cells. Due to many factors, including age, nutrition, lifestyle, and heredity, loss of bone strength and thickness happens when bone breaks down faster than it builds up. This also occurs naturally as we age.

It becomes a problem when the breakdown hits a certain threshold and you are diagnosed with osteopenia (low bone mineral density) or osteoporosis (more significant bone weakness). These are based on bone scans done by your doctor.

Something you can control

While there are many things we can’t control (age, heredity), there are some things we can. One of those things is what you do with your body. Something that builds bone is weight bearing exercise.

That term often elicits visions of pumping iron in the gym, but yoga is another form of weight bearing exercise that can build bone and muscle strength, as well as cultivate balance and mobility, all while reducing stress and anxiety. A win-win-win.

Contracting your muscles puts stress on your bones. This creates micro-damage that stimulates the body to repair the bone and muscle. When repaired, they are bigger and stronger. That’s the principle behind weightlifting. You break down a little in order to build up stronger.

Yoga uses the body’s weight, resistance to gravity, and oppositional movement to build strength in the bones and muscles over time. It’s not a quick fix, but if you practice regularly, you’ll feel stronger, more stable on your feet (which can prevent falls), and will have increased mobility and potentially less pain. The combination of stretching and strengthening is what makes yoga the perfect exercise for any aging body.

While this isn’t an exhaustive list of beneficial yoga poses for osteopenia and osteoporosis, it’s a great place to start. Even if you haven’t been diagnosed with either of these conditions, prevention matters. Prevention is easier than reversing the condition when it’s already set in. These poses can be part of your bone building routine, regardless of your diagnosis.

7 yoga poses to strengthen bones and muscles

In addition to the 3 poses I discussed in my post “Ask a Yoga Teacher: Modifications for Osteoporosis,” here are 7 more. There are a number of modifications you’ll want to consider when practicing yoga with osteoporosis, please read the “Ask a Yoga Teacher” post linked above for more details.

For each of the poses I describe below (and in the links), I will also give modifications and variations that might suit your body better. As with all yoga poses, listen to your body. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t do it. Hopefully one the modifications or variations will feel better.

Yoga is a practice, not a perfect. Each time you get on the mat is an opportunity to connect to yourself, as you are, on that day. Some days will feel better than others. That’s just how it goes as an aging human. Just keep breathing and do the best you can.

1. Mountain pose/Tadasana

This pose builds strength and stability through the whole body. It’s not simply standing on your mat. All of your muscles work as you press the floor away with your feet and lengthen your spine upward. I write about Mountain pose in detail in this post:

Moving From Two Feet To One: Building Balance

Using the wall as a prop (also shown and discussed in the above post) acts as a reference point so that you can find vertical alignment. As the bones weaken with osteoporosis, the spine commonly falls forward with gravity. That familiar “candy cane” shape that happens with many older adults.

Finding vertical strengthens the erector muscles along the spine which gives it support. It also stretches the chest and anterior shoulder muscles which naturally tighten as gravity pulls you forward. Doing Mountain pose against the wall multiple times per day will familiarize you with what vertical feels like. That way it feels more natural as you move through your day.

Hold Mountain pose, either against the wall or in space for 5-10 breaths.

2. Backward bending poses: Sphinx pose/Niravalasana and Cobra pose/Bhujangasana

While forward flexion may cause further spinal compression with osteoporosis, backward bending strengthens the spine and creates more space between the vertebrae. These poses are essential for undoing the effects of gravity on the spine and improving your ability to stand upright.

In terms of the spine, both of these poses are essentially the same. The backward bending happens in the Thoracic spine (where all the ribs live), not the Lumbar spine (lower back). In both of these poses the goal is to move the rib cage forward, away from the pelvis. This creates space in the Lumbar spine and strengthens your core muscles.

In Sphinx pose you pull your ribs forward, and in Cobra you press your ribs forward. In both cases, your ribs move forward.

Sphinx pose:

Start lying down, facing the floor, with your forearms parallel to each other on the floor in front of you. Stack your shoulders over your elbows and bring your arms shoulder-distance apart. Spread your fingers and press your palms into the floor.

Pull your rib cage forward as if you could drag your torso through your arms. Slide your shoulder blades toward your waist. Press the tops of your feet into the floor (toes pointed) so that you engage the quads and hover the knees slightly off the floor. Lift through the pelvic floor and lower abdominals. Aim your tailbone toward the floor to lengthen your Lumbar spine (lower back). Attempt to lift your navel off the floor.

Hold as long as you can, working your way up to 8-10 breaths.

Cobra pose:

This pose is the same as Sphinx, except that instead of the forearms being on the floor, only your hands are on the floor. Place your hands under your elbows so that your elbows are over your wrists. The hands should line up with your lower ribs.

Press your palms backward and downward into the mat as you lengthen the spine forward and upward. PLEASE DO NOT PUSH YOURSELF BACKWARD. This is a common mistake that will lead to compression injury. The idea is to create more space and length in the spine. The backbend happens naturally when you move your chest forward and upward.

Keep the head in line with the spine, try not to reach the chin forward. Instead lengthen forward through the top of your head. Hold as long as you can, working your way up to 8-10 breaths.

3. Downward Facing Dog/Adho Mukha Svanasana

Downward Dog strengthens the upper body as well as the lower body. I go into incredible detail about this pose, plus many modifications in this post:

Ask a Yoga Teacher: Downward Facing Dog/Adho Mukha Svanasana

Downward Facing Dog is one of the poses that many people think of when they hear the term “yoga,” and for good reason. It both stretches and strengthens the whole body, including the wrists, arms, shoulders, back, and core muscles.

There are many ways to modify this pose if you have wrist or shoulder issues, like using a wall or chair instead of having your hands on the floor. I go over these and other modifications in the above post.

One thing to keep in mind with osteoporosis is the position of the spine. I mentioned before that you want to avoid spinal flexion (rounding), but if your hamstrings are tight, that may force your spine to round. To prevent this, you can practice this pose with bent knees until your hamstrings stretch out enough to be able to straighten your legs. It’s more important to have a straight spine than it is to have straight legs.

Work up to holding this pose for 8-10 breaths.

4. Side Plank/Vasisthasana

Side Plank is another core and whole body strengthening pose that includes a bit of balance. Understanding this pose will help you when we do the next pose, Half Moon/Ardha Chandrasana.

There are many ways to modify this pose for varying levels of strength as well as consideration of the wrists and shoulders. If you have a rotator cuff injury you might want to do the first variation only or skip this pose altogether.

Variation #1:

Start on your right side with your right elbow under your right shoulder and your forearm parallel to the front of your mat. Your right hip is on the floor and the left hip is stacked on top with your knees bent. You can rest your left hand on your left hip.

Lift up out of your shoulder so that your spine is straight and you aren’t sagging toward the floor. You should feel your right oblique muscles engage just below the right side of your ribs. Hold and breathe, working up to 5-10 breaths. Do the same on other side.

Variation #2:

Start in Variation #1. Press your right knee into the floor and lift your hips off the floor. Make sure your right shoulder blade moves toward your waist. Feel your outer right hip muscles engage (abductors). For an added bonus, try to squeeze your left inner thigh toward your right.

Hold and breathe, working up to 5-10 breaths, then do the other side.

Variation #3:

Start in Plank pose/Phalakasana with either your hands or elbows on the floor under your shoulders. Drop your heels to the right, aiming your toes to the left so you are on the outer edges of both feet. Your left foot is flat on the floor with the arch of the foot lifted. The outer edge of your right foot is pressing into the floor to engage your right obliques and abductors.

Your left hand can rest on your hip or your arm can extend upward toward the ceiling. Stack your left shoulder over your right, and your right shoulder over either your elbow or wrist (depending on the arm variation you choose).

Similar to Variation #2, press your left inner thigh toward your right one. Engage your glutes and pelvic floor. Feel your right shoulder blade pressing toward your waist and outward toward your right elbow.

Hold and breathe, working toward 5-10 breaths, then repeat on the left.

5. Half Moon/Ardha Chandrasana

This pose works on strength and balance. Tree pose, which I discuss in my previous post on Osteoporosis, is where you should start if you find balancing on one leg challenging. If you find Tree pose to be relatively comfortable and stable, then you can move on to this pose.

Half Moon pose can be done against a wall, with a hand on a block or chair, or free standing. Move through the stages gradually so that you feel more and more confident standing on one leg in a horizontal(ish) position.

Against a wall:

Stand with the side of your right hip against a wall and tip your body forward with a flat back so that your right hand is resting on a chair, on a block, or on the floor. Your right foot is parallel to the wall and your right knee aims in the direction of your foot.

Raise your left leg behind you and rotate your left thigh to the left as you rotate your right thigh to the right. Because your right foot stays still, this moves your left hip open to the left. Feel Side Plank within this pose. Your left hand can rest on your hip or extend upward over your shoulders which stack, left over right. Move your left shoulder toward the wall behind you. It may or may not touch the wall.

Keep your right hip against the wall. Your left hip will not touch the wall but you’ll work toward stacking your left hip over your right. The pelvis will aim on a diagonal to keep your right knee aiming toward the front of your mat, in the direction of your right foot.

Stay as long as you can, working toward 8-10 breaths. Repeat on the other side.

Using a chair:

Stand in Warrior 2 with your right foot forward. Depending on your hamstring mobility, you can either place your right hand or right elbow on the seat of the chair. Shift 80% of your weight into your right foot.

Press your right foot into the floor to straighten your right leg, engaging the quads. Raise your left leg behind you with the same considerations as in the variation against the wall. This time you only have your right leg and the chair for balance.

Press your right foot into the floor and reach backward through your left heel. Engage the quads and glutes on both legs. Like in Side Plank, use your obliques to stabilize the torso.

Stay as long as you can, working toward 8-10 breaths. Repeat on the other side.

All you:

Stand in Warrior 2 with your right foot forward. Tip the pelvis toward your right thigh and shift 80% of your weight into your right foot. Press your right foot into the floor to straighten your right leg and lift your left leg behind you. Your right hand reaches toward the floor but doesn’t touch. Your left arm extends toward the ceiling. All previous instructions apply.

Only do this variation if you feel stable on one leg. You may never try this variation, and that’s fine. As your balance improves, you’ll be able to stand (more) easily on one leg and this variation may become an appropriate challenge. Until then, give yourself support.

Hold as long as you can, working toward 8-10 breaths. Repeat with the left leg forward.

6. Half Boat pose/Ardha Navasana

Half Boat pose strengthens the core and hips while cultivating balance. If you feel your hip flexors struggling or straining, stay with one of the first 2 variations until your abdominals can be your source of support.

Variation #1:

Start seated with your feet in front of you. Lengthen your spine upward so that you are balanced on your sit bones (at the base of your pelvis). Bring your hands behind you on the floor and squeeze your shoulder blades toward each other. Keeping your spine straight, rock to the back edge of your sit bones. Engage your pelvic floor and lower abdominals.

Flex your feet so that only your heels are on the floor. Press the heels into the floor while lengthening the spine upward. You’ll feel your glutes turn on. Relax your shoulders.

Hold and breathe, working toward 5-10 breaths.

Variation #2:

Start the way you did in Variation #1. Hold behind your thighs and lengthen your spine upward. Rock to the back edge of your sit bones. Engage the pelvic floor and lower abdominals and lift your feet of the floor. The ankles should be in front of the knees, shins parallel to the floor. Point your feet but flex and spread your toes. Squeeze your inner thighs and inner knees together.

Hold and breathe, working toward 5-10 breaths.

Variation #3:

Start in Variation #2. Activate your lower abdominals and let go of your thighs, extending the arms forward. Don’t let the legs drop. Aim your palms toward your knees and relax your shoulders. If your hip flexors grab when you let go, continue to hold onto your thighs until you have more abdominal strength.

Hold and breathe, working toward 5-10 breaths.

7. Bridge pose/Setu Bandhasana

This is an amazing pose for building hip and spinal strength. It combines the leg strength of Mountain pose with the backbending of Cobra pose. If you have bone deterioration in your Cervical vertebrae (neck), please use a folded blanket or two under your shoulders to create more space for your neck (see photo on the left).

Start lying on your back. Bring your knees over your ankles with your feet between hip and shoulder distance apart. Not too wide, not too narrow. Your feet are parallel to each other. Extend your arms along side the body, palms facing the ceiling.

Activate your pelvic floor and lower abdominals. Press your feet into the floor and engage your glutes as you lift your hips off the floor. Stay just as you are and breathe, or walk your shoulders toward each other underneath the body. You can connect the hands by holding a strap or towel between them, or interlace your fingers. Try to bring your palms and wrists together.

Hold as long as you can, working toward 5-10 breaths. Rest for a few breaths, then repeat this pose, interlacing your fingers with the other fingers on top. If your left thumb is on top, adjust your fingers over by one so that the right thumb is on top. Stay another 5-10 breaths (or as many as you can).

Other useful posts:

Ask a Yoga Teacher: Fearless Forward Bending without Breaking

Twisting is Magic, but Only if Done Right

How to Modify Your Yoga Poses and Work With Your Body

Reference book: Yoga for Osteoporosis by Loren Fishman M.D. and Ellen Saltonstall, 2010