![]() A wide variety of exercise interventions appear to corroborate this opinion wherein researchers use bone mineral density (BMD) as measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) as a clinical measurement of bone health. Researchers believe that exercise exerts its beneficial effects on the bones by both the ground reaction force (GRF), related to the gravitational force, and the force of muscle contractions ( 13). ![]() This assertion is intuitive due to the fact that many of the postures (asanas) practiced in yoga are weight-bearing, wherein the body mass is supported by large muscle contractions from any combination of the limbs against the force of gravity. Despite a lack of controlled trials to support their position, some yoga adherents publish the claim in books and magazines that practicing yoga promotes healthy bones and may also prevent osteoporosis ( 20). There is a limited amount of research that highlights yoga’s potential physical benefits, some of which include increasing strength and flexibility ( 3) improving grip strength and reducing pain in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome ( 6) and reduction in pain and disability of patients with osteoarthritis of the knee ( 12). Thus, a common yoga session in one of the above settings might focus on breathing and meditation, stretching and flexibility exercises, weight-bearing balance and strength postures, or a combination of all three. Hatha yoga is one of several yoga practices that aims to link the body (through postures or asanas), the mind (through concentration), and the breath ( 15). Yoga is a popular form of exercise practiced in private studios, fitness clubs, and recreation centers across the nation. Further research is warranted to determine whether these forces are sufficient to promote osteogenesis or maintain current bone health in yoga practitioners. This 28 posture yoga sequence produced low impact GRF applied to upper and lower extremities. ![]() Similarly, mean vertical and resultant values were similar for all subjects. Peak vertical and resultant values of each posture were similar for all subjects, and standard deviations were small. ![]() Univariate analysis was used to identify mean values and standard deviations for the dependent variables. Four dependent variables were studied: peak vertical GRF, mean vertical GRF, peak resultant GRF, and mean resultant GRF. The sequence was repeated six times by each study subject. Twelve female and eight male volunteers performed a sequence of 28 hatha yoga postures while GRF data were collected with an AMTI strain-gauge force platform. The purpose of this study was to collect ground reaction force (GRF) data on a variety of hatha yoga postures that would commonly be practiced in fitness centers or private studios. Furthermore, none have estimated reaction forces applied by yoga practitioners. However, no known studies have investigated whether yoga enhances bone mineral density. Adherents claim many benefits from the practice of yoga, including promotion of bone health and prevention of osteoporosis.
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