Recovering from yoga injury

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Hi everyone, this is my first post! First of all, I love yoga, I have little patience and concentration so it is hard for me but once I get into the zone I’m there. I cannot remember how long ago it happened, I think about 6 to 12 months ago, and I was doing Crane pose on a mat over my carpet. Well my hand was not in the center of the map and it slipped and my right wrist has not recovered since. I go into downward dog, and sometimes it is hard for me to go far forward because I cannot straighten my elbow with the wrist. It does not shoot pain but it hurts and I know it is not where it could be in terms of flex. I don’t know if I should go see my doctor about it, because it really bothers me that I cannot do certain exercises or poses. Is there anyway to get it back to normal? I could bend it at a full 90* and now it basically ends up at 50*, I loved the crane pose and now I cannot even put weight on my right wrist at all!

Oh, the irony of screwing up my wrist on a wrist-strengthening exercise…:oops:

#2

Anyone? I miss being able to do Crane pose, and even though it’s a wrist strengthening pose, it won’t have any help for me now with it being physically impossible and imbalanced :frowning: Are there any poses I can try or should avoid? I have really not been into yoga since then except for the last month and I didn’t realize how difficult it is to do poses when you are limited to an injury.

#3

Hello Katie,

Sorry for delay in reply but I’ve just now seen your posting. Welcome.

When posting a therapeutic issue - an injury or the like, it is most helpful to paint a picture of you, your living, and your practice. After all, we don’t know you and do not have contact hours with you so we are reliant on the picture you craft with your words.

I do understand the pose you reference is Bakasana and it is often referred to as crane or crow. It is not, primarily a wrist strengthening posture, though obviously the arms are weight bearing.

If you’re a young person and you’ve injured your wrist then you likely have a strong chance of full recovery assuming you give the body the proper rest and nutrition to do its job - healing. Until you’ve provided more it is safest to avoid poses where you bear weight on the upper extremities. This includes Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog), Phalakasana (Plank), Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-limbed Staff), Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward Facing Dog), Vasisthasana (side plank), Bhujangasana (Cobra), and Urdhva Dhanurasana (Full Wheel), and of course Bakasana.

gordon

#4

Hi Gordon, thanks for your response and welcome. My yoga teacher did say that it wasn’t primarily a wrist strengthening pose but that Crane does strengthen the wrists and shoulders enough because of the need to lift yourself up and put your weight on the wrists.

Needless to say I have not put any weight on that wrist since which means an entire year without yoga, and yesterday I found an old yoga video and could not even go into Downward Facing Dog without leaning to the right because of the lack of ability in my wrist and its flexibility.

It was never broken so doesn’t this seem like a long time to leave it be without bearing any weight on it? When I push my wrist back, it begins to curve my fingers forward, which it never did. I was never able to do great push ups but I cannot even put it in the right position to do it correctly now.

Please let me know what I can do to paint the picture.
I am twenty, I take classes online, I am trying to become more active, as well as switching over to a healthier food plan. Thanks for your help!

#5

Katie,

Yes a 12-month layoff is more than long enough for most things that are physical. Could you outline how it was treated after the initial injury please? You state it was not a fracture but also ask if you should see a physician and that is a bit confusing without some additional information.

There are certainly ways to treat such things using the tools of yoga however they require working directly with a therapeutic-grade teacher who can teach a comprehensive practice, rather than just postures.

It is something that should be assessed. If that is most comfortable with an M.D. then please consider that. If you only want to pursue a remedy through yoga then you’ll need to find a skilled teacher. Often that which lingers is an energetic issue and there may be some other life issues begging for your attention.

gordon

#6

Hi sorry for the confusion Gordon - I have never had a fracture/sprain or broken bone and although just last weekend I tweaked something in my right palm, a pinched nerve that went away after ibuprofen. I do not feel like it hurts when I write or go about my daily routine, but otherwise any weight on it seems to limit my ability and hurts a few hours afterward.

It swelled up after I fell and I took ibuprofen and put an ice pack on it off and on for 3 days, usually 3 day pain rule (I have a low pain tolerance for sharp pain and high tolerance for dull pain, I hope that makes sense) before going to the doctors. It did not swell so I used and still use hot pack if I do have to put weight on it. I kept it in a craft glove to straighten it and it was back to normal and did not hurt. I didn’t realize that it was limited until 3 months after the initial accident. I have not seen a doctor for it. I know not everyone has terribly flexible wrists among other body parts but mine bent back 90* so I know something is keeping my right wrist from its complete ability however if it sounds to you, if you are more familiar with, like a fracture I am willing to see an M.D.

I have not seen anyone because other than yoga and pressing it down straight (going from downward facing dog to plank, etc) it does not seem to hurt during activities other than cleaning the floor or the like. Thanks for your advice!

Kaitie

#7

[QUOTE=InnerAthlete;67136]
There are certainly ways to treat such things using the tools of yoga however they require working directly with a therapeutic-grade teacher who can teach a comprehensive practice, rather than just postures. [/QUOTE]

Would it help if my cousin’s wife is a physical therapist? I will be seeing her and the rest of family for the next two weeks.

#8

Katie,

I’d like to point out that I’m not a trained medical professional (nor do I wish to be one). So I’m not providing medical advice. That one you’ll have to figure out on your own.

A P/T may be very helpful (for you). See what she has to offer and go from there. Can’t do much without seeing you and assessing you. Sorry.

#9

True. Thank you, I will probably see her before a doctor and let you know what they assess!