Tendinitis in your wrists is a painful, irritating condition that's usually caused by making the same repetitive movements over time. If you practice yoga on a regular basis you might view wrist tendinitis as a deterrent. Julie Gudmestad, a physical therapist and yoga teacher, suggests in an article for "Yoga Journal" to avoid weight-bearing poses such as the Plank that put strain on your inflamed tendons. But rather than bench yourself entirely, try these modified yoga poses for wrist tendinitis. Continue following the course of care suggested by your doctor and even in the modified poses ease back if you experience any further pain.
Prayer Pose
The extension of your wrist, or the degree to which you can bend your hand back is going to be affected by tendinitis. Age and over or under use will cause a lack of ability to achieve the 90-degree angle which qualifies as the maximum extension of your wrist; but tendinitis reduces that capability even more. Gudmestad advises using Prayer pose to speed your recovery from wrist tendinitis. Place your hands together in front of your heart. Keep the heels of your hands touching at all times and gently lower both hands towards your waist. Do this every day, holding the pose for 1 to 2 minutes with the aim of increasing the extension of your wrists.
Cat Pose
Cat pose was designed as a stretch for your back but can play havoc with your wrists. Traditionally you would come down onto all fours on the floor and stack your hips over your knees and your shoulders directly above your wrists before exhaling and arching your back like a cat. If you suffer from wrist tendinitis, trying to achieve the full 90-degree extension would not be advisable. You can modify the pose in one of two ways. Instead of placing your wrists directly under your shoulders, move your hands forward of your shoulders and experiment with which angle can support your weight without causing pain. Alternatively you can curl your fingers under and support your weight on your knuckles.
Intense Side Pose Stretch
While excellent for stretching your back, hamstrings and hips, this side pose is a therapeutic way to gently stretch your wrists while they are healing. Spread your legs 3 feet apart. Turn your right foot out 90 degrees and your back foot in 45 degrees. Twist from your waist to the right and on an exhale slowly bend forward over your right leg. Ideally your upper torso should be lying atop the length of your right leg. Extend your arms back and lay your hands on the floor with your fingers pointing towards your left or back foot. If you find the stretch too intense for your wrists, flip your hands so that the tops lay flat on the floor instead. Take five breaths in this pose and then switch sides.
Sphinx Pose
The Sphinx is considered a gentle stretch for your back and is often used as a warm-up to the more intense stretches like Upward Facing Dog and Cobra. Both Upward Dog and Cobra however rely heavily on your wrists to bear a significant amount of your weight. With the Sphinx you get the benefits of a back bend without putting pressure on your wrists. Lie on the floor on your belly with your arms stretched out in front of you. Contract your butt and hamstring muscles and extend your legs fully behind you with your toes laying flat on the floor. On an inhale raise your head, chest and shoulders off the floor and slide your arms back towards you until your elbows are stacked directly under your shoulders. Let your forearms, wrists and hands lay relaxed on the floor and spend up to 5 minutes in Sphinx pose breathing fully and evenly.
