How to Protect Wrists in Yoga

When practicing yoga, there are poses that can put a lot of pressure on your wrists. For example, hand stands and balance poses, such as the plank and downward facing dog, require you to put a lot of the pressure of your body weight onto your wrists. If you have weak wrists, are recovering from an injury, or you perform the poses incorrectly, these poses can make your condition worse or injure you. However, there are ways to practice yoga that protect your wrists. With a few adjustments and a few tools, you can get all the benefits of a yoga practice without wrist pain or injury.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Stretching and Changing the Position of Your Wrists

1
Stretch out your wrists before starting your practice. Place your palms together in front of your chest with your elbows bent at 90 degrees. Slowly lower your hands so that your wrists are fully extended and you feel a stretch in both of them.^{[1]XResearch source}
- Hold this stretch for 15 to 30 seconds and repeat it several times.
- You can also do light stretches in which you rotate your wrists in a circle or each individual wrist back and forth toward your forearm and then back.^{[2]XTrustworthy SourceHarvard Medical SchoolHarvard Medical School's Educational Site for the PublicGo to source}
- Stretching helps your wrist muscles fully extend while under the pressure of your weight. If the wrist muscles are not stretched out, full extension cannot be achieved and injury is more likely.
2
Press your fingertips into the floor when you are in weight-bearing poses. Instead of putting all of your weight onto the base of your hand, spread it out across your fingers as well. Your weight should rest mostly on the pads at the base of your fingers rather than the heel of your hand or your fingertips.^{[3]XResearch source}
- Spreading out the pressure across your hands will reduce the strain on your wrists but it will not take all of the pressure off of them. If you can’t put any pressure on your wrists, this hand positioning will not solve your problem.
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3
Spread out your fingers to provide a wider base. When you put your hands down on your mat for weight-bearing poses like plank or four-limbed staff pose, spread your fingers out wide before putting your weight onto them. Having your fingers spread out will give you more stability as you move through the pose. This will reduce the amount of work your wrists need to do to keep you steady and will protect them.^{[4]XResearch source}
- You do not need to spread your fingers out beyond what is comfortable. You simply need to keep them wide for stability.
4
Put your hands into a fist as you do weight-bearing poses. Instead of putting your palms on your mat, curl your hands into a fist and place the flat surface of your knuckles on the mat. Your palms should be facing in towards each other.^{[5]XResearch source}
- Do a variety of weight-bearing poses, such as cobra or upward facing dog, on your fists to keep your wrists neutral instead of extending your wrist muscles by being on your palms.
- You can either fold your thumbs into your fist or keep them out, whichever is most comfortable for you.
Tip: If you find this position difficult, try doing it for just a few of the weight-bearing poses you do at first. Taking the stress off of your wrist muscles for just a pose or two will help reduce the overall stress on your wrist muscles.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Altering Your Practice

1
Put your weight onto your forearms instead of your wrists. Poses like downward facing dog can be done on your forearms to better support the weight of your body. Instead of putting your palms down when you move into a weight-bearing pose, simply place your forearms onto the mat with your hands flat on the mat in front of you.^{[6]XResearch source}
- It may take a bit of time to get used to balancing on your forearms instead of your palms. Use your hands on the mat to help steady yourself and move in and out of these poses slowly at first.
Tip: To get the correct posture while using this variation, you may need to put a yoga block under your forearms. However, this varies from pose to pose.
Resting poses, such as child's pose, can be used at any time if your wrists are uncomfortable or in pain. The moment you feel a problem happening, move out of the pose you are doing and rest your wrists.
3
Ask your instructor to help you make adjustments for your wrists. If you are unsure how to make a pose better on your wrists, as your instructor what you should do. They should be able to give you a variation on the pose that will provide the same stretch as the original pose or they may suggest a different pose that creates a similar stretch.
- For example, if the Upward Facing Dog pose is hurting your wrists, they may suggest you do Cobra pose instead, as it does a similar stretch without the same pressure on the wrists.^{[7]XResearch source}
- Yoga is an exercise practice that can work for everyone. It just needs to be modified for your specific needs. Don’t feel bad about that! Everyone should be making modifications for their specific body.^{[8]XResearch source}
- To ensure you're able to get personalized instruction when you need it, try a smaller yoga class with other people who are at your same level.^{[9]XExpert SourcePasquale Antonio, CPT, RYT-500
  Martial Artist, Yoga, & Fitness InstructorExpert Interview. 8 May 2020.}
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using Tools to Take Some Pressure Off Your Wrists

1
Fold the top of your mat over to add extra cushioning. This creates an area that has a double layer of mat. Rest the heels of your hands on the fold, and your fingertips on the floor when you do poses that put a lot of pressure on your wrists.
- This position will prevent you from hyper extending your wrists because it reduces the angle that they are bent at.
- It’s important to have your fingers on the firm floor while doubling up the cushioning on the heels of the hands. This will help you have stability in your hands and wrists while still cushioning them.^{[10]XResearch source}
Tip: In most cases, you will need to fold the mat over quickly right before you do a pose, as the mat won’t stay folded when you let go of it.
2
Use two mats stacked on top of each other during your practice. Using two yoga mats stacked on top of each other will give your wrists extra cushioning automatically every time you go into a pose that puts pressure on them. However, when you are going into weight-bearing poses, have your fingertips off of the mat, while the heels of your hands on the mats.
- Using two mats will also give you extra cushioning on your knees and feet, in addition to your wrists.
3
Rest your forearms on stacked yoga blocks or on the seat of a chair. If you want to place your forearms down instead of your wrists, lifting them off of the ground can be helpful so that you’re not trying to lean over too far. Place the blocks or the chair at the end of your mat and push them into place every time you need to go into a weight-bearing pose.^{[11]XResearch source}
- Using yoga blocks or the seat of a chair will keep you at the correct body angle, as you will be at a similar height as you would on your wrists for many poses.
- If you are using yoga blocks, let your fingers curl around the edges as you hold them to give you a better grip.
4
Use yoga wedges to reduce the angle of your poses. Place the wedges at the very end of your mat, shoulder width apart, with the thicker side towards the center of the mat. When you go into a weight-bearing pose, place your hands of the wedges, with your finger tips on the floor.^{[12]XResearch source}
- Yoga wedges are yoga props that can be found most easily on the websites of online yoga supply retailers.
- Yoga wedges are made out of a similar material as yoga blocks, so they give a bit of cushion but remain solid enough to hold your body weight.
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Question
How do I stop my wrists from hurting in yoga?
Pasquale Antonio, CPT, RYT-500
Martial Artist, Yoga, & Fitness Instructor
Pasquale Antonio is a Martial Artist, Yoga Instructor, Fitness Instructor, and the Founder of Jiyu, a holistic approach to health and movement practices. Pasquale is also the assistant instructor at NC Systema in Durham, North Carolina. Utilizing the principles of Eastern principles of yoga, internal martial arts, bodywork, and Western principles of exercise and behavioral sciences, Pasquale helps students of all ages cultivate their long-term health, creativity, and personal goals. Pasquale is a Certified Personal Trainer by the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), a Certified Systema Instructor, a Certified Yoga Instructor, and a Certified Authentic Thai (MAT) Massage Practitioner.
Pasquale Antonio, CPT, RYT-500
Martial Artist, Yoga, & Fitness Instructor
Expert Answer
Pain is your body's way of telling you that something is wrong, so don't try to push through it. Stop and make adjustments, instead.
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Question
How can I choose a yoga class where I'll get still get one-on-one attention?
Pasquale Antonio, CPT, RYT-500
Martial Artist, Yoga, & Fitness Instructor
Pasquale Antonio is a Martial Artist, Yoga Instructor, Fitness Instructor, and the Founder of Jiyu, a holistic approach to health and movement practices. Pasquale is also the assistant instructor at NC Systema in Durham, North Carolina. Utilizing the principles of Eastern principles of yoga, internal martial arts, bodywork, and Western principles of exercise and behavioral sciences, Pasquale helps students of all ages cultivate their long-term health, creativity, and personal goals. Pasquale is a Certified Personal Trainer by the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), a Certified Systema Instructor, a Certified Yoga Instructor, and a Certified Authentic Thai (MAT) Massage Practitioner.
Pasquale Antonio, CPT, RYT-500
Martial Artist, Yoga, & Fitness Instructor
Expert Answer
The best thing to do is to get a personal trainer with at least a decade of experience working with people of all different body types. You'll also get the best instruction out of small group classes with people who are at a similar level as you.
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