Your wrist has started aching, and poses like downward dog, plank or tabletop now feel like a lot to ask. Many yoga and Pilates moves put your body weight through your hands with your wrists bent back. Adapting these for a while can help you keep practising while your wrist settles.

Why yoga and Pilates can affect your wrists

In poses like plank, downward dog, tabletop and chaturanga, your wrist bends back a long way while carrying part of your body weight. Holding these for long periods, or flowing through them many times in a class, adds up. If you have recently been practising more often, or started a more dynamic style, the load may have risen faster than your wrist can adapt.

In most cases, the wrist is irritated rather than damaged. It is a sign to adapt, not stop.

Spreading the load through your hands

How you place your hands makes a real difference:

• Spread your fingers wide and press through your whole hand, especially the base of your index finger and thumb.
• Gently grip the mat with your fingertips, which lifts some weight off the heel of your hand.
• Turn your hands out slightly if that feels easier.

Reducing the angle

Bending your wrist back less can ease the load a lot. Some ideas:

• Place a folded towel or wedge under the heel of your hand.
• Make fists, keeping your wrists straight, in tabletop or plank.
• Hold yoga blocks or push-up handles, which keep your wrists straight.

Taking weight off your hands

Some swaps move the load onto your forearms or off your arms altogether:

• Forearm plank instead of high plank.
• Dolphin instead of downward dog.
• Lowering onto your knees in plank or chaturanga.
• Sphinx instead of upward dog or cobra.
• Supported bridge or child’s pose instead of arm balances.

Leaving out arm balances like crow pose, and side plank on your hand, for a while can help too.

Poses that often feel comfortable

Much of your practice can carry on as usual:

• Standing poses, like warrior, triangle and tree.
• Seated and lying stretches.
• Pilates moves done lying on your back or side, like bridges, leg circles and the hundred with your arms by your sides.
• Breathing and relaxation work.

Talking to your teacher

If you go to a class, letting your teacher know your wrist is sore means they can suggest alternatives as you go. Choosing gentler or slower classes, like yin, restorative or mat Pilates, rather than fast flow or power classes, can help for now.

Reading how your wrist responds

A mild ache during or after practice that settles within an hour or so is usually fine. If your wrist is sorer the next morning, use more of the swaps next time.

Everyday wrist load

Typing, phone use and carrying bags can all add to the load on a sore wrist. Keeping your wrist straight when typing, and carrying shopping in both hands or on your shoulder, can help. VIDA’s Pomodoro stretches, in the top right corner, can remind you to pause during focused desk work.

Gentle movement

Moving your wrist gently through its comfortable range helps stop stiffness building. Something to try:

• Open your hand wide, then make a gentle fist.
• Gently bend your wrist up and down.
• Turn your palm up, then down.

If you would like a guided stretch, VIDA has short videos you can follow at your own pace.

Building strength

As your wrist feels easier, gentle strengthening helps it cope with weight bearing again. Something to try a few times a week:

• Grip squeezes. Squeeze a soft ball or rolled-up sock for a few seconds, then let go.
• Wrist curls. Rest your forearm on a table, palm up, with your hand over the edge. Holding a light tin, slowly lift and lower your hand.
• Gentle weight shifts. In tabletop, slowly rock a little weight forward over your hands, then back.

Start light and build up gradually.

Building back up

As your wrist settles, you can gradually bring back full weight-bearing poses, starting with short holds in the tabletop before plank and downward dog. Your VIDA pain check-in is a good way to keep track of how your wrist responds.

What to take away

• Plank, downward dog and tabletop load a sore wrist when it is bent back.
• Spread your fingers and press through your whole hand.
• Use a wedge, fists or blocks to keep your wrist straighter.
• Swap to forearm versions of poses for now.
• Build back weight bearing gradually, starting with the tabletop.

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