International Yoga Day: Try these 3 simple poses for stronger bones

Suffering from orthopedic problems? Yoga can help prevent weak muscles and help you gain stronger bones.

Yoga, since time immemorial, has been healing people. The whole world is in awe of yoga and the significant benefits that it offers. People from all the nook and crannies of the world flock to yoga classes and professionals to seek the benefits. It is not just a mere set of exercise but an entire school of physical, mental and spiritual awakening.

“Yoga is a great way to exercise daily and reap the innumerable benefits that it offers. It heals you from stress, strengthens you physically and acts as a protective blanket against illnesses. Yoga not only offers health benefits but also helps create a balance between the physical and spiritual aspect of life,” said Dr. Dhrity Vats, Healthians.

People suffering from orthopedic problems can also find solace in yoga as it can help in dealing with orthopedic problems and provide:

Strong bones and a firm back which means a good posture

· Prevents weak muscles and keeps back aligned for a good posture

· Stronger bones prevents fractures

· Prevents osteoporosis

Here are a few simple yet effective asanas that can help deal with the orthopedic issues and ensure healthy bones.

- Tadasan or the Mountain Pose- It gives stability to the body by working on balance and concentric muscle movement.

· Start with standing straight and place your legs slightly apart

· Exhale and interlock your fingers in front of your body

· Inhale and raise your hands with your palms pointing upwards

· Stretch your entire body in upwards direction

· Raise your heels slightly and make sure that your entire body weight is rested on your toes

· While stretching fix your gaze at the interlocked palms

· Feel the flow of the energy in your entire body from toes to head

· Hold the pose for few second

· Exhale and relax

- Bhujangasana or Cobra Pose- It stretches the spine, opens the chest and the shoulders and strengthens the diaphragm.

· Lie on straight on your stomach

· Place your hands on the side

· Ensure that your toes touch each other

· Now move your hands to the front at shoulder level and place your palms on the ground

· Inhale and raise your head and torso

· Make sure that your entire body weight rests on your palm

· Try to arch your neck slightly backward to replicate cobra with a raised hood

· Align your elbows underneath your shoulders for support

· Open your chest and relax your shoulders away from your ears

· Press your feet, thighs and hips to the ground

· Look straight ahead and hold the pose for 15-30 seconds with normal breathing

· To release slowly bring your hands to the side and gently rest your upper body on the ground

- Uttanasan - Relaxes back and increases stability.

· Stand straight keeping hands on your hips

· Inhale stretch your arms up and gently bend forward with an aim of touching the floor with the tip of your fingers

· Hold the pose for as long as you comfortably can

· Exhale and rise slowly

These three asanas are the basic yoga asanas that can be easily practised at home and will help you achieve flexible muscles. Regular practice of these yoga poses will help manage your orthopedic problems effectively.

“Yoga and meditation are means of fortifying ourselves against physical and mental strife that we are constantly experiencing in the present world. Not only do they not need any external device or equipment but also do not have any side effects. In that, they seem to be an extension of body’s own natural defense and repair system. They help us align with the universal frequency for effortless flow of energy,” concluded Dr Praveen Kumar, BGS Gleneagles Global Hospitals, Bengaluru.