Yoga Wellbeing is teaching a wide ranging colourful age group ranging from 2 – 89 years old. As we always say it’s never too late to start up with yoga and meditation. Whatever shape, size or level of stretchyness yoga can always be an option. One study for the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Medicine put 21 over-60s into a hatha yoga class, once a week for 12 weeks. To qualify, they had to be suffering from ‘dowager’s hump’ , the dreaded hunched back which interferes with the normal range of movement. The study, published in The American Journal of Public Health, reported impressive benefits: the curvatures themselves were reduced by 6%; walking speeds went up 8%, and ‘reaches’ were improved by 18%. The volunteers also reported their balance had completely improved.
Another small study on bone loss in 2009 (the results of which were published in Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation) enrolled 18 people with osteoporosis. After a baseline bone density test at the start, seven people were assigned to the control group, and 11 learned a 10-posture yoga sequence that included basic moves like downward- and upward-facing dog, bridge pose and triangle. Poses were maintained for at least 20-30 seconds, and the whole routine took 10 minutes or so. After two years, a further bone density test took place: though almost every member of the control group either lost bone or maintained the status quo, around 85% of the yoga group gained it in the spine and hip.
It seems that yoga can help improve bone density without harming the joints. We’re offering one to one sessions throughout Spring that are focusing on improving all joint stability, bone density and specific injuries. For more information get in touch with the team – admin@yogawellbeing.co.uk
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