Yoga for Osteoporosis: The Complete Guide [Paperback]

Loren Fishman (Author), Ellen Saltonstall (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 29, 2010

A comprehensive, user-friendly medical yoga program designed for the management and prevention of osteoporosis, with more than four hundred illustrations.

Osteoporosis leads to painful fractures due to loss of bone mass; yoga strengthens bones without endangering joints: it stands to reason that yoga is the perfect therapy for osteoporosis. Forty-four million Americans suffer from low bone mass, and osteoporosis is responsible for more than 1.5 million fractures annually. Drugs and surgeries can alleviate pain, but study after study has shown that exercise is the best treatment, specifically low-impact, bone-strengthening exercises—hence, yoga.

In this comprehensive and thoroughly illustrated guide, Loren Fishman and Ellen Saltonstall, who between them have seven decades of clinical experience, help readers understand osteoporosis and give a spectrum of exercises for beginners and experts. Classical yoga poses, as well as physiologically sound adapted poses, are presented with easy-to-follow instructions and photographs. The authors welcome readers of all ages and levels of experience into the healing and strengthening practice of yoga. 321 illustrations

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Loren Fishman, MD, is a physiatrist and professor. He lives in New York City.

Ellen Saltonstall is a certified Anusara Yoga instructor and licensed massage therapist who lives in New York City.

Product Details

• Paperback: 318 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; 1 edition (March 29, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393334856
• ISBN-13: 978-0393334852
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #25,526 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #1 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Aging > Osteoporosis
  • #91 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Exercise & Fitness > Injuries & Rehabilitation

More About the Author

Loren Fishman, MD is Medical Director of Manhattan Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in New York City, (www.manhattanphysicalmedicine.com) author of seven books, author or editor of more than 70 academic articles, and a world-recognized pioneer in the treatment of rotator cuff syndrome, piriformis syndrome, and other types of back pain. He is Associate Editor of "Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation," on the staff at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons and past President of the New York Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

Dr. Fishman has written four books about yoga and medical conditions. He has used yoga in his medical practice for 35 years as an adjunct to Western techniques and has published research on yoga's healing effects. He is also a practicing yogi himself, having spent one year with BKS Iyengar in India.

Dr. Fishman went to India after receiving his B.Phil. in Philosophy at Christ Church, Oxford. His medical interests include electrodiagnosis, functional assessment, non-surgical orthopedics, peripheral neurology and minimally invasive pain management. He lives in New York City with his wife, and has 3 grown children.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

65 of 66 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome book guaranteed to take your understanding of yoga for osteoporosis to a whole new level!, March 10, 2010

By 

Suza Francina "Yoga Teacher, Author, Animal... (Ojai, California) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Yoga for Osteoporosis: The Complete Guide (Paperback)

Yoga for Osteoporosis is guaranteed to take your understanding of the therapeutic application of yoga to a whole new level! (And I say this with great appreciation for the other books on osteoporosis in my extensive yoga/health library.)

As a sixty year old teacher, I have gained renewed confidence and motivation from this book, both in my personal practice and working with students of all ages, into the over ninety range. The information in this book is valuable for younger yogis to prevent bone weakening and injuries, and for those of us at midlife and older to stay strong or to safely recover and rebuild bone density.

Among the many features that sets this book apart is the way the poses are organized and demonstrated at three levels: Osteoporosis Variation (for those who already have a diagnosis of osteoporosis and who need a gentler yet physiologically effective adaptation. Shown here are the use of props such as a wall and chair, especially useful for students with balance problems); Osteopenia Variation (more challenging but with equal emphasis on alignment and safety) and Prevention Variation, all presented with easy-to-follow instructions and photographs.

As in their previous book, Yoga for Arthritis, the reader has the benefit of two experts in the field of yoga: Loren Fishman, MD, a professor at the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons with an extensive background in Iyengar Yoga, and Ellen Saltonstall, a certified Anusara Yoga instructor and licensed massage therapist.

I rarely use the word "awesome," but what is more awesome than the combination of the best of modern medicine(amazing illustrations of bone structure and the spine, thanks to modern imaging technology) and ancient, timeless wisdom?

Yoga for Osteoporosis is both authoritative and humble, filled with inspiring, wise, common-sense advice: "Young or old, we should all feel respect, even awe, for the complex, sensitive, yet robust organisms we are."

---Suza Francina, author, The New Yoga for Healthy Aging and other books on yoga for people at midlife and older; writer for The National Osteoporosis Foundation website, Yoga for Healthy Bones blog.

43 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent resource, March 22, 2010

By 

J. Mitchell (Rochester NY) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Yoga for Osteoporosis: The Complete Guide (Paperback)

I teach a yoga class for people 50 years old and up. I recommend this book to my students for their home practice. It shows a large number of yoga poses at three levels of difficulty, so that students can choose the best level for their own physical condition. People of any age and condition can do yoga--you don't have to be able to twist into a pretzel to start yoga.

I like the way careful attention is paid to alignment, to prevent injuries from stressing joints.

Small scale studies show that yoga truly does increase bone density. Dr. Fishman is running a larger research project to study the effect of yoga on bone density. The book tells how people can become part of this study and receive a DVD to help with daily home practice.

Does yoga have any side effects? Well, as the authors point out, you might end up more relaxed and more flexible, as well as having stronger bones.

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars smart, safe approach, March 16, 2010

By 

Kelly McGonigal (Stanford, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Yoga for Osteoporosis: The Complete Guide (Paperback)

This book exceeded my expectations -- it is more than a book of postures. The authors provide a really good education about bone health, osteoporosis, and common treatments.

Every posture is shown as three options, depending on your current health and risk level. I especially appreciate that they give the easiest version first, rather than present it as an alternative if you can't do the "real" (e.g. most difficult/risky) pose.

A great resource.