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Wrist Injury Prevention in Yoga

March 24, 2022 2 min read

Injuries can happen in yoga. One of the most common ways yoga practitioners get hurt is by underestimating the importance of keeping their wrists in check. Follow these tips for a safe and healthy yoga practice.

Four Mindfulness Questions for Wrist Injury Prevention

Any pose that uses body weight, like a plank or an arm balance has the potential to hurt your wrist. Next time you’re on the mat, observe your body and ask yourself these questions:

Are you keeping your elbows in?

1) Are you keeping your elbows in?

Vinyasa poses like plank, Chaturanga, Cobra, Upward Facing Dog or Downward Facing Dog can be difficult and uncomfortable if you don’t pay attention to your elbows. Observe your body and notice if your elbows are rotating out. If they do, press down from your index and thumb to help your elbow rotate inwards. This will help you stabilize and engage your entire arm.

2) Is the weight distributed evenly over your entire hand?

One way to avoid overusing your wrist is by ensuring that your entire hand is holding your weight. Open up your palms, stretch every finger wide, and press the tips of your fingers down until the color of your fingertips changes. Be mindful of how the weight is distributed from the heels of your hands to the tips of every finger.

Wrist Injury Prevention in Yoga | Mukha Yoga

3) Are you engaging your core?

More often than not, poses that put pressure on your wrists require that you engage your core. In doing so, you’re holding your weight with your entire body, and not just your arms.

4) Do you feel a sharp pain when you put weight on your wrist?

If you answered yes, you might already have an injury. If this is the case, adjust the pose to lessen the pressure on your wrists. Using props, dropping to your knees (in the case of planks and tabletop positions), or reducing the range of movement can help. If the pain persists, stop and rest. If it’s really bad, talk to your physician to rule out any serious concerns.

Learn to be mindful of your body’s alignment, weight distribution and the sensations you experience to guarantee a safe yoga practice.

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