There are many types of disabilities and health conditions that alter the fundamental dynamics of participating in an exercise program. For example if you had a bone fracture due to osteoporosis, in your knee, hip, wrist, or spine, you have to be mindful of certain exercises that can improve your bone strength and balance stability.

Osteoporosis is defined as a bone disease in which bones become brittle and fragile. Women are more likely to have osteoporosis than men. Having osteoporosis does not limit one’s exercise capabilities.

Not only does strength training and cardiovascular exercises prove beneficial for improving a person’s bone health, but adding a flexibility training program have proven effective also. For instance yoga has become one of the world’s most popular exercises for enhancing flexibility. Not only are these exercises safe and bone health friendly, these types of exercises are enjoyable. You can participate in a fun dynamic exercise program that is centered around yoga to improve your bone density.

When incorporating yoga into your exercise program make sure you do yoga after your exercise cool down for at least 15-20 minutes. Before beginning your exercise workout, start with light intensity poses before advancing to moderate and vigorous yoga moves. Yoga allows you to put pressure on your bones to increase strength, but not too much to break them.

For people with severe cases of osteoporosis it is best for you to do the modified versions of the yoga poses. Practice yoga poses like the extended triangle pose, bridge pose, and the tree pose. In holding these various yoga poses, stretching forces and compressive forces help our your bones to become stronger. Not only does yoga help maintain good bone density, they help prevent falls and fractures. Yoga helps you to align your body’s center of gravity within its supporting base when walking, running, and sitting. Yoga can help to strengthen your lower leg muscles with the tree pose, warrior pose, and half-moon pose. Another great aspect of yoga, is arm balancing poses. To illustrate, you can do a modified version of the plank pose to increase your arm balance. So in essence yoga can help sustain and improve a person’s bone density and health during a flexibility exercise program.

NCHPAD articles:

http://www.nchpad.org/295/1834/Yoga~for~Individuals~with~Disabilities

http://www.nchpad.org/297/1849/Adapted~Yoga~for~Children~and~Youth~with~Cerebral~Palsy