Impact of weight-bearing asanas on bone density in old age

Bengaluru: The age group of sixty years old and older is growing faster than any other age group, and with this remarkable increase in older adults, promoting health and well-being becomes a priority. A state of well-being is a multifaceted phenomenon in the older population that generally involves happiness, self-contentment, satisfying social relationships, and autonomy.

Speaking to The Hans India, Chief Wellness Officer, Kshemavana, Dr. Narendra Shetty said, “Age-related diseases are those that occur more frequently in people as they get older. Untreated heart diseases like hypertension and high cholesterol can contribute to cardiovascular disease and cerebrovascular disease. Diabetes mellitus, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, dementia, COPD, osteoarthritis, and osteoporosis are the major diseases of old people, so yoga is one of the interventions.”

Yoga has adapted for a variety of health conditions, including problems in old age, chronic pain, diabetes, stroke, heart failure, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, mild traumatic brain injury, and brain health, in addition to many others. Yoga, including Vinyasa, Iyengar, Ashtanga, Kundalini, and others, has refined these postures, breath control, and speed, adding various non-physical elements including meditation, relaxation, guided imagery, and commitments to particular diets and lifestyles, said Dr Narendra Shetty. He says, In old age, weight-bearing joints undergo degenerative changes to do the activity that the skeletal system does against gravity. Through weight-bearing, the skeletal system adapts to the impact of muscles and body weight and becomes more stable and stronger.

Asanas like Vriksasana- (tree pose), Trikonasana- (triangle pose), Virabhadrasana II- (warrior pose II), Parsvakonasana- (side-angle pose), Parivrtta Trikonasana- (twisted triangle pose), Ardha Salabhasana- (Locust pose), Setu Bandhasana- (bridge pose), Supta Padangusthasana I- (supine hand-to-foot pose I), Supta Padangusthasana II- (supine hand-to-foot pose II), Marichyasana- (straight-legged twist pose), Matsyendrasana- (bent-knee twist)and Savasana- (corpse pose).

He explains, Yoga can stimulate the bones to retain calcium. It does this through weight-bearing poses of yoga asanas that affect the spine, arms, shoulders, elbows, and legs while encouraging a full range of motion. Weight-bearing yoga has a positive effect on the bones by reducing bone resorption and, hence, preventing the risk of osteoporosis in old age.

Weight-bearing yoga gives better posture, improved balance, enhanced coordination, greater range of motion, higher strength, reduced levels of anxiety, and a better gait. Yoga exposes bones to greater forces and, therefore, enhances Bone Mineral Density (BMD) more than other means. The poses that put the most pressure on the hips are the difficult ones involving twisting, extension, and standing, says Dr Narendra Shetty.

He added, Bone mineral density in old age can be maintained or improved through weight-bearing endurance exercises, muscle strength training, and yoga. Regular exercise and yoga help to slow the rate of aging of the skeleton. Individuals who maintain an active lifestyle have significantly greater bone mass compared to their sedentary counterparts. Improved BMD may result from the effects of mechanotransduction, which is crucial for healing fractures, physical adaptations, and most importantly, therapeutic adaptations to osteogenesis. The weight-bearing asanas can be better at improving bone density

in old age.