Holistic Nurses who teach Yoga to individuals who are diagnosed with Osteopenia and Osteoporosis take additional steps to not treat clients as if they need to be fixed but rather how to improve their human wholeness to find balance in their lives. The rationale for saying this is not because I am a Nurse Yoga Instructor who also has osteopenia but because Nurses have had hands-on experience taking care of patients preventing injuries and educating them on life-style changes.
I recently discovered a physician doing research on Yoga for Osteoporosis by the name Loren Fishman, M.D. He is an orthopedic surgeon who has been practicing Yoga since 1973. The following link provides information about Dr. Fishman. His work has made a positive impact upon my Yoga practice as well as the classes that I teach within Retirement Communities.
Important information about Osteoporosis and pairing it with the practice of Yoga to prevent fractures. Think about people you may know who have fractured their hip or femur. The recovery is painful and takes a long time. A daily Yoga practice is essential in order to function on all realms of life.
The research is still on-going but there is enough evidence showing that Yoga may lead to stronger bones. The 12 poses in Dr. Fishman’s study provided a positive result reversing bone loss of the spine and thigh bone (femur). I am providing the link to his classes below for easy access to register.
I will be incorporating these poses into my classes. Included in Beaulieu Yoga classes are Yin and Restorative poses. The classes will be available to purchase and download in April and will appear here on my classes page. In the meantime, Dr. Fishman has a zoom webinar that shows you the poses with suggested modifications.
Resource Links:
Webinar Registration – Zoom
The Practice: The Fishman Method—Yoga for Osteoporosis | The Art of Living Retreat Center
