Yoga is an excellent way to manage osteoporosis symptoms. A solid routine can help strengthen your muscles and bones, lowering your risk of injuries and falls.

Two older women are laughing and sitting side-by-side on yoga mats that rest on a lawn. The woman on the left sits on a bright blue yoga mat and has closely cropped blonde hair and wears a long-sleeved black shirt and black leggings. She looks over at the other woman next to her and is touching the woman’s hand. The woman on the right has very short salt and pepper curly hair and looks down at the ground. She wears a grey tank top and black leggings. She sits on a purple yoga mat. 2Share on Pinterest
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Yoga is a useful addition to your osteoporosis treatment plan. It can help to ease symptoms, improve bone health, and lower your risk of complications. Yoga may also increase bone density after menopause.

Gentle yoga involving weight-bearing poses can build strength, ease pain, and encourage good posture. It also helps improve flexibility, stability, and agility. These benefits make daily movements easier, improve coordination, and reduce your risk of falling.

Learn more about the benefits of yoga for osteoporosis, poses to do, and precautions to consider.

High Plank Pose strengthens your shoulders, glutes, and hamstrings. It also strengthens your back and core, which improves balance and posture.

How to do High Plank Pose

  1. Start in tabletop position.
  2. Press your heels back behind you as you lift your hips and straighten your knees.
  3. Elongate your spine and activate the arm, core, and leg muscles.
  4. Draw your shoulders back as you broaden across your chest.
  5. Hold for up to 1 minute.
  6. Repeat 1 to 3 times.

This classic posture helps to strengthen your arms, back, and legs. It encourages body alignment and promotes good posture.

How to do Downward-Facing Dog Pose

  1. Begin in tabletop position with your toes tucked under your feet with heels raised.
  2. Press into your hands as you lengthen your spine and raise your sitting bones toward the ceiling.
  3. Elongate your spine and maintain a slight bend in your knees.
  4. Position your ears to be in line with your upper arms, or move your chin toward your chest.
  5. Hold for up to 1 minute.
  6. Repeat 1 to 3 times.

Tree Pose strengthens your back, core, and leg muscles — and improves balance, posture, and stability.

For support, rest your hands on a wall or the back of a chair.

How to do Tree Pose

  1. Start standing on both feet.
  2. Slowly raise your right foot from the floor, placing the sole on the inside of your left ankle, lower leg, or thigh. (Don’t press your foot into your knee.)
  3. Extend your arms overhead or press palms together in front of your chest.
  4. Focus your gaze on the floor or a fixed point straight ahead.
  5. Hold the pose for up to 1 minute.
  6. Repeat on the opposite side.

This pose strengthens your chest, shoulders, and legs. It provides a gentle stretch to your chest, hips, and thighs.

How to do Warrior II pose

  1. From standing, step your left foot back and turn your toes out to the side at a slight angle.
  2. Rotate your left hip back so your torso faces toward the side.
  3. With palms facing down, raise your right arm forward and left arm back until they’re parallel to the floor.
  4. Slowly bend your right knee until it’s directly above your ankle.
  5. Don’t allow your knee to extend past your ankle.
  6. Balance weight evenly between both feet and elongate your spine.
  7. Broaden across your chest and reach out through your fingertips on both hands.
  8. Focus your gaze on your front middle finger.
  9. Hold the pose for up to 1 minute.
  10. Repeat on the opposite side.

Warrior III strengthens your core, quads, back, and ankles. It also helps improve stability and posture. If you’re finding it difficult to balance, try the pose with your hands touching the wall or resting them on the back of a chair.

How to do Warrior III Pose

  1. Place your feet parallel to each other, hips-width distance apart.
  2. Breathe in and lift your arms pointed up toward the ceiling.
  3. Lift your left foot, then extend it straight behind you and lean forward.
  4. Make sure your palms are facing each other and your left foot is pointed toward the ground.
  5. Engage your core and look down at the floor to help stay balanced.
  6. Make sure your hips and upper body are parallel to the ground.
  7. Take a deep breath and hold for a few breaths.
  8. Bend your right knee and place your left foot on the floor.
  9. Repeat on the opposite side.

Triangle pose strengthens and stretches your chest, core, and leg muscles.

For support, do this pose with your back against a wall.

How to do Triangle Pose

  1. Stand with feet slightly wider than your hips.
  2. Turn your right toes to face forward while keeping your left toes in at a 45-degree angle.
  3. With palms facing down, raise your arms until they’re parallel to the floor.
  4. Hinge at your right hip as you extend your right hand forward.
  5. Lower your right hand to your shin, the floor, or a block.
  6. Extend your left arm up toward the ceiling with your palm facing away from your body.
  7. Gaze up toward the ceiling, straight ahead, or down at the floor.
  8. Hold the pose for up to 1 minute.
  9. Repeat on the opposite side.

This backbend can help counteract the rounded shape we often make during the day when using computers or other devices. It can also help boost spine flexibility and mobility.

How to do Cobra Pose

  1. Lie flat on your belly, placing your chin or forehead on the mat.
  2. Make sure the tops of your feet are resting on the mat.
  3. Put your hands directly underneath your shoulders, keeping your elbows close to your body.
  4. Begin pressing through your palms.
  5. Engage your core and pull your shoulder blades together.
  6. Inhale, then lift your chest up from the mat, raising your head last.
  7. Stay lifted a few inches off the mat for 1 or 2 breaths.
  8. Exhale, then lower down slowly and rest your chin or head on the mat.

It’s important to do weight-bearing yoga poses but avoid postures that put stress, strain, or pressure on your bones. This can lead to bone fractures and falls.

Gently modify poses and be careful when doing poses targeting your spine, hips, and thighs.

Avoid or do a gentle version of the following poses:

  • forward bends
  • side bends
  • backbends
  • twists
  • deep hip openers
  • spinal flexion or extension
  • inversions (unless you already have a strong inversion practice)
  • arm and hand balances

Yoga can help manage osteoporosis in several ways. It encourages muscle and bone strength, which positively affects balance, posture, and stability. Staying active can help alleviate pain and reduce the risk of bone fractures.

Yoga practice can also help you to develop awareness so you’re more mindful of your movements.

The results of a small 2016 study indicate that yoga has a positive effect on bone mineral density in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. During the 6-month study, there were no reports of pain or discomfort, which indicates that yoga is a safe way to improve bone mineral density.

A newer 2020 study also found that yoga could help reduce limb fractures by 14% and hip fractures by 16%.

The yoga program also involved pranayama, or breathing exercises, which help promote relaxation of the body and mind, alleviate anxiety, and reduce stress. Larger, in-depth studies are required to expand upon these findings.

Another 2021 study found that practicing yoga for 12 minutes each day is a safe and effective way to reverse bone loss. The researchers selected 12 yoga poses for their ability to boost the bone mineral density of the spine, hips, and femur.

While these results are promising, the study had several limitations. Further research is required.

Yoga tips for osteoporosis

Certain types of yoga are more suitable for treating osteoporosis. Do gentle, low impact types of yoga such as Hatha, Yin, or restorative. Avoid strenuous styles such as Ashtanga, Vinyasa, or power yoga.

It’s best to do a small amount of yoga each day rather than a few longer sessions each week. Aim for at least 15 minutes of yoga each day. When time allows, do a longer session between 30 and 90 minutes.

Yoga is an excellent way to manage symptoms of osteoporosis. A solid routine can help to strengthen your muscles and bones, lowering your risk of injuries and falls.

Choose yoga poses that will develop strength without going beyond your limits. Listen to your body and modify poses as necessary.

Talk with a doctor before starting a yoga program. They can advise you about the best postures to do and ones to avoid.