Show 1043: How to Strengthen Bones and Fix Your Body with Yoga

Yoga is not often thought of as exercise, much less exercise that can strengthen your bones. Yet physiatrist Loren Fishman, MD, has shown that conscientious practice of certain yoga poses can improve bone mineral density and reduce fractures. On top of that, there are virtually no side effects—except you feel better and learn how to breathe more thoughtfully. Putting gentle stress on the bones stimulates the osteocytes to build more bone and make them stronger. Dr. Fishman demonstrated the power of yoga through a ten-year study of more than 700 volunteers.

Find out whether Dr. Fishman's yoga exercises could help strengthen your bones, counteract osteopenia or combat osteoporosis. His DVD demonstrating the poses is sold at his website, sciatica.org.

Dr. Fishman also describes how he has treated scoliosis, sciatica and rotator cuff injuries with specific yoga poses.

This Week's Guest:

Loren Fishman, MD, is medical director of Manhattan Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in New York City. He is the author of ten books, including Healing Yoga and Yoga for Osteoporosis. He is on staff at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons and associate editor of Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation.