3 Tips to Prevent Wrist Pain in Yoga
Yoga is well known for its’ transformative benefits on the body and the mind. However, if you’ve been practicing yoga regularly, it’s likely that you’ve run into wrist pain or strain at some point in your journey.
In practices like Vinyasa or Ashtanga, the high volume of repeated push movement and planks can lead to strain, overload, and injury.
Whether you’ve been practicing for years, or you’re new to this journey, here are three quick tips to prevent wrist pain:
Don’t skip the warm up.
Take the extra time prior to putting weight on your hands and wrists to roll out the wrists with circular motion, flexion and extension, and gentle movement in a table top.
Obsess over alignment.
The ligaments in the wrist are some of the most injury prone ligaments in the body. Learning how to properly stack and distribute your weight will prevent undue strain on your wrists. If a particular movement is bothering your wrists, ask your teacher after class to observe your alignment and offer suggestions.
Modify, adapt, and use props.
Blocks are a fan favorite for managing and preventing wrist injuries in a Vinyasa style class. Utilize blocks in plank postures, through your connecting vinyasa, and any time you’re stacking weight directly on your hands. The extra space decreases the angle of your wrists and can reduce discomfort on an overstrained ligament.
Minimizing our susceptibility to injury allows us to have a more enjoyable and sustainable practice. Repeated use of any ligament in the body can cause problems if we aren’t mindful of the way they are being used.
Building patience with ourselves, and adding in extra support helps us cultivate a practice that truly serves our individual body needs, leaving us feeling more balanced and empowered to notice where we can find that support off of the mat.
