Vinyasa Yoga and Wrist Pain

Overview of Wrist Pain

• A common cause of wrist pain is Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI), which results from excessive stress on the musculoskeletal system, typically due to poor posture or ergonomics.

• Typical activities that can lead to wrist pain include:

  • Working at a desk while typing

  • Texting or using a mobile device, even handling tools for long durations

  • Engaging in meticulous tasks such as artistic creation

  • Repetitive wrist movements common in professions like hairstyling, music, and dentistry

• Additionally, improper posture can exacerbate wrist discomfort.

  Potential Causes

• carpal tunnel syndrome

• tendonitis

• arthritis

• strain injuries

• herniated discs

• ganglion cysts

• Dupuytren’s Contracture: Thickening of tissue in the palm resulting in nodules, puckering, or curling of fingers

  Symptoms

• Tingling sensations

• Numbness

• Other "nervy" feelings on the thumb and forefinger side of the hand that may extend up the forearm

• Weakness when gripping or holding objects

• Sharp pain when performing certain tasks or movement

  Prevention

• To prevent excessive pressure on the wrists, avoid placing body weight directly on the base of the hands, which can lead to unintended strain.

  
  

• Rather, When performing yoga poses that require your hands to be on the ground, such as Downward Facing Dog and Plank, utilize a technique where your hands are placed flat, fingers spread wide, and the base of your fingers firmly pressing down.

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  press down into base of fingers

  
  

• Maintain proper yoga alignment suited to your body (consult your yoga instructor for suggestions and modifications for poses).

Yoga May Help Prevent Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

by David Keil

"Yoga may help prevent the onset of carpal tunnel syndrome. I say this theoretically. The reason is that in yoga practice we don’t just use the forearm muscles in a contraction way. We also stretch them through various postures. These include poses like reverse namaste, chaturanga, plank, etc. Yoga helps us create a healthy balance between strength and flexibility in these tissues." – David Keil, YogAnatomy, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome And Yoga link

How Yoga poses Downward Facing Dog and Plank can be Modified

Dolphine and be a modification for Downward Facing Dog

Forearm plank is a great modification of plank

There are many more modifications for poses, so the next time you visit us, ask your teacher for suggestions. We are always happy to help.