Pit Stop at the Wrist Fundamentals

[Guest guest]

Hi, I am a bit slow so please bare with me, I found your post interesting.

Especially, it seems you are saying in 3) that you should not have your elbows

completely straight. Would this apply to Chattanranga and Downward Dog?

thanks, if so I will be more conscious of this.

 

Curt

 

wrote:

 

Hi there,

 

Its Spring time! Spring. Spring. Spring is my favorite

time of the year. It brings in all the positive energy

- My culinary quotient has risen above poison levels,

my little garden is thriving well, new born affinity

for horses, and to top of all that, I did my first

pain-free arm balance in a long time.

 

For a while now, I have been disabled with Tendonitis

in my right wrist. I figured I might as well use the

wrist pain to my advantage and started playing around

with my arm for proper alignments. I would like to

share my experimental thoughts. And I welcome any

constructive criticism.

 

1) The Palm - Using the entire surface area of the

palm activates the bicep, tricep, and the forearm

muscles and takes away considerable amount of stress

from the wrists. Surface area includes all five

fingers, base of the fingers, the base of the palm

right above the wrist, and the sides of the palm.

 

The entire surface area of the palm must be in contact

with the ground in *all asanas* requiring palms on the

ground (Downward dog, Upward dog, All arm balances,

Plank, Chaturanga).

 

Sometimes, it feels easier to do arm balances with

knuckles off the ground, but this is the real culprit

- It puts all the weight on the wrists and the wrists

will eventually cave in. So it is essential to have

the entire palm on the ground all the time.

 

Although it is hard to sustain initially with the

entire palm on the ground, it does build strength.

 

2) Distance between the fingers - One way to figure

out the optimal distance between the fingers is to

stand up with the arm resting casually next to your

thigh with the palm curved naturally. Then face the

curved palms towards the ground. Then slowly

straighten out your fingers to **almost full

extension**. This way the fingers are neither overly

separated nor too close together. The elbow, the inner

edge of the wrist and the index finger form an almost

straight line.

 

3) Hyperextension of elbows - This pinches the tendons

in my wrist and hurts every single time. Once I bend

my elbows sufficiently, my whole arm is activated and

wrist does not hurt anymore. This is hard to sustain

initially too. But it definitely build strength.

 

4) There is a very good article on this at:

http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/1247.cfm

 

Best,

Gayathri.

 

There is nothing more worse for a teacher than a talented student -- My "prefers

to be anonymous" peer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ashtanga yoga

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Yes, the elbows should not be straight in any asana

that requires a straight arm (like Plank, Downward

dog, Upward dog). This does not apply to Chaturanga.

 

In Chaturanga, the elbow and wrist should be

***perpendicular*** to the ground, the elbow should

not be in front of the wrist.

 

Gayathri

[Guest guest]

why is that the case, please?

 

 

ashtanga yoga,

wrote:

>

> Yes, the elbows should not be straight in any asana

> that requires a straight arm (like Plank, Downward

> dog, Upward dog). This does not apply to Chaturanga.

>

> In Chaturanga, the elbow and wrist should be

> ***perpendicular*** to the ground, the elbow should

> not be in front of the wrist.

>

> Gayathri

[Guest guest]

1) Stress on wrists due to Elbow Hyperextension: The

tendons and ligaments in the wrist are very tiiiiny

muscles in comparison to the forearm, biceps, triceps

and other arms muscles. They support the wrist but are

anatomically not designed by the Almighty to bear

weights.

 

When one hyperextends elbows in weight bearing asanas

like Upward dog and arm balances, the arm muscles are

basically not put to work and all the weight goes into

the bones (elbows and the wrists). And the wrist is

supported by the tendons and ligaments which do not

have the strength to bear this kind of weight for even

a few breaths. Repetitive hyperextension pattern

inflammes the tendons and tears the thin tiny wrist

muscles causing a lot of pain. Medically termed, Wrist

Tendonitis and Elbow Tendonitis. There is an extreme

case Carpel Tunnel Syndrome which is nerve damage and

will definitely result if hyperextension is continued.

 

When I bouldered, I had wrist tendonitis because I was

using my arms more than my legs. Plussed with all the

weight in my wrists partially due to elbow

hyperextension, I had wrist tendonitis which made me

take a break from climbing.

 

Once you bend the elbows, most of the weight is taken

off the bones (wrists and elbows), the bigger muscles

(forearm muscles, biceps and triceps) are put to work

and tendons/ligaments are relieved of the stress.

 

2) Perpendicular alignment between elbow, wrist and

the ground: Once the elbows move forward of the

wrists, the wrist tendons not only have to bear the

weight of the body but also are stretched to tear.

Hence, the perpendicular alignment.

 

Gayathri.

 

--- anthonysaguto <anthonysaguto wrote:

>

>

> why is that the case, please?

>

>

> ashtanga yoga, Gayathri

> Vuppuluri

> wrote:

> >

> > Yes, the elbows should not be straight in any

> asana

> > that requires a straight arm (like Plank, Downward

> > dog, Upward dog). This does not apply to

> Chaturanga.

> >

> > In Chaturanga, the elbow and wrist should be

> > ***perpendicular*** to the ground, the elbow

> should

> > not be in front of the wrist.

> >

> > Gayathri

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

 

There is nothing more worse for a teacher than a talented student -- My "prefers

to be anonymous" peer