Have a Wrist Injury? These Pose Swaps Will Help You Maintain Your Yoga Practice

Claire’s sequence is featured in this month’s Yoga Journal. Text courtesy of Yoga Journal, photo courtesy of Chris Dougherty.

Try these alternatives to get all the same benefits without bearing weight on your hands and wrists.

Injuries can be frustrating and upsetting, especially when the area that’s hurt feels primary to the heart of your asana practice. If you’re a member of the vinyasa yoga, Power Yoga, or Ashtanga Yoga communities, you definitely rely on your wrists for a majority of your practice.

Your wrists are very small joints that are not made for bearing the weight of your whole body, and your asana practice can put large weight requirements on them. You may have come to yoga with weak wrists or perhaps acquired a wrist injury from misalignment in postures. Regardless of the reason you have wrist problems, do not fear: You can easily modify a practice (vinyasa flow or otherwise) with other postures. Remember, moving slowly is the key to avoiding injury, so take it easy. Modify carefully and insert these poses to help you enjoy your practice even when you can’t do everything. The good news is that just because you can’t lean on your wrists, it doesn’t mean you can’t explore, strengthen, and grow in other ways.