Tag Archives: bone loss

Osteoporosis risks you may not think about

Risks: Loss of Bone Mass Linked to Contraceptive

A January 2010 New York Times article by Roni Caryn Rabin reports that loss of bone mass may be linked to a popular injected contraceptive.

“Almost half of all women who use a popular injected contraceptive [depot medroxyprogesterone acetate] lose a significant amount of bone mass within two years, and researchers now say the greatest risk is to smokers, women who don’t consume enough calcium and those who have never gone through a pregnancy.”

The study appeared in the January issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

A version of this article appeared in print on January 12, 2010, on page D6 of the New York edition.

Recommended Reading: Yoga for Osteoporosis

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I just bought a great new book: Yoga for Osteoporosis: The Complete Guide.

The authors – a physician and an Anusara Yoga instructor – provide both the clinical background on osteoporosis and the rationale for using yoga to combat osteoporosis and osteopenia.

“Yoga promotes balance, increases range of motion and strength, improves manual learning skills, brings relaxation, lowers blood pressure, counters spasticity, generates no impact, and stretches the muscles against themselves, exerting many hundred pounds of pressure on the bones to which they are attached, but in a gradual, nontraumatic and self-regulating way.” (p.75)

Three chapters focus on sets of traditional yoga poses, with modifications for osteoporosis and osteopenia.

Poses That Focus on Bone Strength
Poses That Focus on Muscle Strength
Poses That Focus on Balance

The poses are based on traditional Iyengar and Anusara alignments and modifications and use props (chairs, tables, walls, blocks, bolsters, etc.) to make the poses accessible and beneficial.

Yoga for Osteoporosis: The Complete Guide
“Classical yoga poses, as well as physiologically sound adapted poses, are presented with easy-to-follow instructions and photographs.” (Amazon’s review)

Osteoporosis in space – and on earth

One of the first pieces of equipment that the space shuttle unloaded at the the International Space Station was a new treadmill.

According to NASA, “Exercise is crucial to the astronauts’ wellbeing. Without gravity, crewmembers lose bone and muscle mass and their cardiovascular system weakens. By exercising on COLBERT and other exercise devices, they can counteract these effects and keep their bodies in condition.” http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/15jun_running.htm

Space Bones. Scientists hope that what they learn about osteoporsis will help with its treatment on earth.

Download NIH’s guide to Bone Health and Exercise