Stop Wrist Pain And Carpal Tunnel With Yoga

Yoga may be an alternative to wrist splints, drugs, surgery, or changing jobs, if you suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). After attending two hour-long Iyengar yoga classes a week for 8 weeks, 22 people with CTS pain had significant improvement in symptoms compared to a similar group that just used wrist splints (Journal of the American Medical Association).

The yoga group experienced less than half the pain of those in the control group. In addition, their grip strength increased nearly four times. (Improving grip strength also appears to alleviate symptoms.)

Although researchers aren’t exactly sure why yoga relieves CTS pain, they suspect that it may help by improving awareness and alignment of the upper body, says study author and yoga instructor Marian Garfinkel, EdD, of Philadelphia.

Before trying yoga for your wrist pain, follow these guidelines:

• Check with your doctor.
• Find a certified Iyengar yoga instructor by visiting their website.
• Inform your instructor that you have CTS.
• Avoid poses that put any weight on your hands, and ask for modifications if any pose bothers your wrists.
• If the pain becomes worse, stop, and consult your doctor.