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Yoga & handstands

Downward dog, plank, crow and handstands all ask your wrists to carry your weight at a sharp angle, which is why so many people who practise yoga end up with sore wrists. Pole makes a lot of the same demands, so I have written these guides for anyone whose wrists complain on the mat or when they kick up to the wall.

Start with how to avoid wrist pain in yoga, because getting your hand set-up, alignment and props right is the foundation for everything else in this section. Then read the tips on warming up and sequencing, which help you plan a practice your wrists can handle. If you already have pain, the article on types of wrist pain in yoga helps you work out what yours might be telling you, and the remedies guide covers what to do while it settles.

Handstand training gets its own article, since it puts your whole body weight on your hands for longer than most poses do. And if you are wondering whether a wrap, a brace or a prop is the better choice, the yoga wrist support guide compares them. Give yourself time with all of this, and see a doctor or physiotherapist if the pain hangs around.

Illustration of a smiling woman in downward dog on a pink yoga mat with her fingers spread wide, a yoga block and a folded blanket beside the mat

Start here · Yoga & handstands · 8 min read

How to Avoid Wrist Pain in Yoga: Hand Set-Up, Alignment and Props

Most sore yoga wrists come down to how your weight lands on your hands, so this guide shows you how to set up your hands in down dog, plank and chaturanga and which props actually help.

Read the article

Illustration of a woman with long black hair in tabletop pose on a yoga mat, looking down at her spread hands

Yoga & handstands · 7 min read

Types of Wrist Pain in Yoga: What Your Pain Is Telling You, Plus 6 Tips for Relief

Where your wrist hurts says a lot about why. Learn to tell the common types of yoga wrist pain apart, what tends to help each one, and when it's time to get it checked.

Illustration of a woman with braids balancing in a handstand on a rug, her hands flat and fingers spread

Yoga & handstands · 7 min read

Wrist Pain from Handstands: Why It Happens and How to Train Around It

Handstands put your whole body weight on a joint bent back to ninety degrees, so your wrists need a bit of help. Learn how to set up your hands, condition your wrists and build up at a pace they can handle.

Illustration of a smiling woman with glasses in tabletop on a yoga mat, the heels of her hands resting on a cork yoga wedge

Yoga & handstands · 6 min read

Best Yoga Wrist Support: Wraps, Braces or Props?

Wedges, blocks, wraps and braces all promise happier wrists on the mat, but they solve different problems, so this guide helps you pick the right one for your practice.

Illustration of a calm woman with long braids lying on her front on a yoga mat, propped up in a gentle sphinx-style pose, with a cup of tea beside her

Yoga & handstands · 6 min read

Yoga Wrist Pain Remedies: What to Do When Your Wrist Already Hurts

Your wrist already hurts after yoga, so what now? This guide covers how to calm it down in the first few days, keep practising without making it worse, and ease back into your full flow.

Illustration of a woman with curly dark hair sitting cross-legged on a pink yoga mat, gently warming up her wrists before practice

Yoga & handstands · 7 min read

Tips to Prevent Wrist Pain in Yoga: Warm-Up, Sequencing and When to Back Off

Most yoga wrist pain builds up quietly over weeks. These are the habits around your practice that keep it from starting: a quick warm-up, smarter sequencing and knowing when to ease off.