Get Rid of "CrossFit Wrist"

                   

According to the American Journal of Occupational Therapy,The U.S. Department of Labour recognizes hand injuries as one of the most common, but preventable, injuries in people of working age. Those and those familiar with teaching Yoga will surely agree. Many new students have pre-existing wrist pain long before they ever started practicing Yoga. The hands and wrists, made up of relatively small joints with many muscles, tendons and nerves, are a delicate area.

They control fine motor skills, and at the same time, are strong enough to bear a person's entire body weight. Too many practices are ended early because of discomfort in the hands and wrists. Thankfully, there are exercises to help with strained wrists and sore hands. There are also props to alleviate straining altogether and alternative positions to try that are less likely to cause pain.

First, consider props that can help distribute the weight more evenly along the arm and spare the wrist. A new prop that is getting excellent reviews is the Three Minute Egg, a rounded, egg-shaped foam block that takes the place of traditional square blocks or wedges.

By using the egg blocks in each hand during asanas with weight on the hands and wrists, the pressure is distributed up the arm and the pose becomes much more comfortable. In poses like Plank, or Chaturanga, grasping hand weights can relieve wrist pain. Even rolled up mats beneath the heel of the hand can provide some relief.

Assuming some wrist pain is already present, the following are some simple stretches that can help.

Therapeutic Yoga for Wrists and Hands

Handcuffs: Circle each wrist with the opposite thumb and forefinger and squeeze firmly for 3-5 seconds.

Wrist rotations: Hold the hands palm out flat and circle the wrists clockwise and counter clockwise.

Prayer pose, with both hands together in namaste position. Exert gentle pressure pushing the hands together, then lean them back towards the wrists: first the left hand pushing the right back to a 45 degree angle, then right pushing left back.

Reverse Prayer: Behind your back, put your hands together in Namaste mudra, with your fingers pointing down instead of up. Hold for 20 seconds, or so, as long as it is comfortable.

Backward wrists: On all fours, rotate your hands until fingers are pointing towards you, with forearms facing the front and gently lean back. Go slowly and pay attention to any pain in the muscles, as this stretch can be quite intense.

Wrist Safety and Pain Prevention in Yoga Class

To prevent hand and wrist pain altogether during practice, modify hand positions during Yoga sessions. In Downward Facing Dog, or Adho Mukha Svanasana, keeping the hands flat and pushing back is responsible for a great deal of soreness. Bending the fingers of the hands at the top joint, so the middle knuckles stick up rather than lie flat, is an excellent modification that strengthens the forearms and keeps pressure off wrists. In Upward Facing Dog, or Urdhva Mukha Svanasana, keeping the hands closed in fists protects the wrists. Many other Yoga poses can be modified by using the forearms to bear the weight - rather than using the hands.

Additionally, chairs, low stools, blankets, and bolsters can be used to modify postures, which put too much pressure on the wrists. It may be necessary to take a rest from arm balances entirely if pain is recurrent. Remember that Yoga works with your body, not against it and honor its need for recovery.

© Copyright 2011 - Aura Wellness Center - Publications Division

Faye Martins, is a Yoga teacher and a graduate of the Yoga teacher training program at: Aura Wellness Center in, Attleboro, MA. To receive Free Yoga videos, Podcasts, e-Books, reports, and articles about Yoga, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Faye_Martins/1017244

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6369217

Video: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzbIpnafDLDvqCztuFkdsdQ

Wrist Mobility for CrossFit

                   

The wrist allows you to properly position your hand, representing arguably one the most complicated joints in the body. There are 15 bones and 27 articular surfaces in the wrist, not to mention its elaborate system of muscles, tendons and ligaments. Ligament injury is quite common among athletes, as the repetitive action of the wrist puts athletes at risk for injury. Wrist sprains result from a torn or partially torn ligament, and wrist strains are the result of a torn or partially torn tendon. The most common wrist fractures among athletes include: distal radius fractures and scaphoid fractures.

The Four Mechanisms of Wrist Injury

Throwing - With throwing injuries, there is an overuse of the wrist. These are common in baseball players, tennis athletes, and racquet ball participants.

Weight-bearing - There are many weight-bearing injuries among those who participate in gymnastics, weightlifting, and cheer-leading.

Twisting - With a twisting injury, the wrist suffers from a rapid rotation that disrupts the stability of the wrist. This type of injury is common with radical skateboarders and snowboarders.

Impact - More common in football athletes are impact injuries that result from either a direct impact or a fall onto an outstretched hand.

Wrist Sprains

The most common wrist injury among athletes is a sprain of the wrist. This often is an injury to one of the ligaments - the connective tissue that attaches one bone to another. Most sprains occur when the wrist is forcefully bent during a fall on an outstretched hand. Wrist sprains can be mild or severe, and can be graded based on the degree of injury. A grade 1 sprain indicates a stretched ligament without apparent tearing. A grade 2 sprain, however, involves partial tearing of a ligament. With a grade 3 sprain indicates ligaments are completely torn.

Distal Radius Fracture

The most common fracture is called a "distal radius fracture." A distal radius fracture is a break that occurs at the wrist end of the radius bone. These breaks are common among athletes and can be mistaken for sprains. Wrist fractures often occur during a fall onto an outstretched hand. With fractures of the wrist, the break can occur in four ways: intra-articular, extra-articular, open, or comminuted (in many parts). Many can be treated with casting alone, though some require surgery.

Scaphoid Wrist Fracture

The scaphoid bone is one of the smaller bones of the wrist, but it is one that commonly breaks during sporting injuries. This bone is located on the thumb side of the wrist, and can be difficult to treat due to its tenuous blood supply. As with most wrist injuries, a break to the scaphoid bone typically occurs from falling onto an outstretched hand. Treatment usually requires casting if not displaced, or surgery if displaced.

Symptoms of Significant Wrist Injuries

-Pain at the time of injury

-Swelling

-Bruising or discoloration

-Difficulty moving the wrist

-A "popping" or tearing sensation during the trauma

-Warmth and tenderness of the skin

Treatment for Wrist Injuries

Treatment really depends on the type of injury you have. For mild sprains, the doctor will generally recommend the "RICE" method and over-the-counter pain relievers, like Tylenol or Motrin.

RICE

R - Rest the wrist for around 48 hours.

I - Ice the injured area to reduce swelling (use a pack wrapped in a towel).

C - Compress the wrist with an elastic ACE wrap.

E - Elevate the injury above heart level.

Nonsurgical Treatment

Simple Sprain -With mild to moderate wrist sprains, you will need to wear a splint for 1 to 3 weeks. This keeps the wrist immobilized while it heals. If you develop stiffness, I can teach you some stretching exercises to allow you to regain full range of motion of your wrist.

Simple Fracture -If your broken bone is in good position, it can be treated by applying a fiberglass or plaster cast. This is done so that the healing wrist bone remains protected from further injury while it heals. You may have to wear the cast for up to 6 weeks, depending on your injury.

Closed Reduction -If the alignment is out of place, your doctor may need to "reduce" the bone and re-position the bone fragments. A "reduction" is the medical term for this process, and because your doctor will not be operating on your wrist, the procedure is called a "closed reduction". After the bone is put in proper position, your doctor will apply a splint or cast for you to wear for 4 to 6 weeks. Depending on the nature of the injury, the doctor will take X-rays at weekly intervals for around 3 to 6 weeks. After a 6 week period, your doctor may recommend physical therapy for you to help improve your wrist strength and mobility.

Surgical Treatment

Complex Fracture -For those fractures that require surgery, follow one simple rule - put the broken pieces back into position and prevent them from moving out of place while they heal. There are several treatment procedures for distal radius fractures and scaphoid fractures, and the choice depends on your age, your athletic activity, and your injury. As with most wrist surgeries, your doctor may order hand therapy and rehabilitation exercises following the repair. It may take as long as 6 to 8 weeks for a complex fracture to heal.

Open Reduction -To perform wrist surgery, your doctor will usually make an incision directly over the area of the broken bones and re-align them in a process called "open reduction". It is considered "open" because the fracture has to be surgically corrected. It may be necessary for me to insert pins, plate and screws to hold the bones in place. As with other surgical procedures,You may be required to undergo hand therapy after your cast or splint is removed. Keep in mind, and open reduction surgical procedure takes a while to heal, but with proper physical therapy and rehabilitation, you will regain strength and full function of the wrist.

Dr. Ruhlman works through Orthopedic Specialists of Seattle to provide top quality orthopedic care to the Seattle area. Visit his website to learn more about him or to contact him.

http://scottruhlmanmd.com/

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Dr_Scott_Ruhlman/1462725

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7900390

Video: https://www.youtube.com/user/sanfranciscocrossfit

How to Fix Wrist Pain For Lifting

                    

For a lot of people the main cause of wrist pain is they lack strength. They're not strong enough to tap a keyboard or push a mouse without coming down with some sort of wrist pain.

That it should come to this, the species designed to draw water, chop wood and climb trees can no longer do what appears to be the cushiest of tasks without experiencing wrist pain.

Coupled with a lack of strength, some muscles have become tight and drawn bones out of alignment.

Studies done by the Musculo-skeletal Fitness Institute indicate that

- only 5% of people have a good strength and flexibility training program.

- only 10% of people have a good flexibility training program (without the strength training component.

- only 17% of people have a good strength training program - but no flexibility training component.

Compared with people who do no training at all, these people are not in bad shape, they experience relatively little musculo-skeletal pain.

People without a strength and flexibility training program are placing themselves at grave risk of some sort of musculo-skeletal dysfunction, including wrist pain.

If you sitting down all day, if you're more than 15 Kg over weight and you have neither a strength nor a flexibility training program, sooner or later you could be in big strife.

Parts of your body start will start experiencing pain. It's pretty much pot luck which part will experience the pain first. If you're reading this article then it's probably wrist pain that you're concerned about.

How to relieve wrist pain will depend on what you, yourself are prepared to do.

For starters you need a good general strength training program. At home that would be situps, pressups, squats and the superman back arch. At the gym it's a good all round strength training program that includes pushing out, pulling back, pushing up and pulling down.

On top of that you need a specific strength training program. There are some specific wrist strengthening suggestions in th'Fix Wrist Pain' ebook, availkable at the Global Back Care website.

Then you need a general flexibility training program. You can't go past yoga and the exercises in the 'Fix Wrist Pain' ebook.

The reason why you need a good general flexibility training program is because the body is a musculo-skeletal ecosystem; what's going on in one part may well affect another part. There is a principle that says the cause of the pain is rarely at the site of the pain, so don't just heat and pulsate the spot where it hurts.

For instance if you have tight hamstring and buttock muscles there's a good chance your pelvis will drift out of alignment and with it your shoulders, arms and wrists. If you have weak and tight shoulders

Finally you need a specific flexibility training program for your wrists - arms and shoulders.

If you're prepared to do whatever it takes there's a good chance that in a few months time, poor function will have been restored to good, the pain will have disappeared, you'll be feeling better.

WHAT IF YOUR WRIST PAIN IS A MEDICAL PROBLEM?

It's highly likely that you don't have a medical problem, it's a fitness problem and you can't fix a fitness problem with a medical solution.

Drugs to mask the pain coupled with heating, rubbing, pulsating, vibrating and electronic stimulation at the point where it hurts won't fix the underlying problem if it's caused by a lack of strength and flexibility. These therapies may relieve some of the pain, they may help speed up the rehab process but they won't take the place of the strength and flexibility exercises you need to do for yourself.

In fact it's a big ask expecting to get better by having someone do something to you. Sooner or later you need to do something to yourself. Just relying on therapy may well divert your attention away from the strength and flexibility training program that's going to fix you up.

Whilst most people don't have a serious medical problem it's worthwhile getting yourself checked out just in case. You may have a carpel tunnel problem that can be easily remedied by a simple surgical procedure. It's not something you have to put up with.

But also keep in mind that once you've had the medical fix, you need to embark on a serious strength and flexibility training program - for your body and your wrists, arms and shoulders.

It stands to reason, you don't get stronger or looser by heating and rubbing your wrist. Just doing that doesn't treat the cause of the problem. In my experience the cause of the problem is a lack of strength and flexibility.

There are three key wrist pain exercises that I recommend. If you click on the Fix Wrist Pain tag at the Global Back Care website you can get the free eBook in which these exercises are outlined. Of course there are a lot more than three that I'd advise you to do, but these are must-do exercises.

In the meantime stay tuned, highly tuned and it remember, if you want to know how to relieve wrist pain start a wrist pain strength and flexibility training program

John Miller

Canberra (Australia) based physical educator, John Miller is the Director of the Musculo-skeletal Fitness Institute. The Institute is dedicated to improving musculo-skeletal health. John conducts corporate health programs around Australia. His most popular program is the CrookBack Clinic. He is the author of a series of ebooks including, 'Fix Back Pain', 'Fix Neck Pain', 'Fix Shoulder Pain', 'Fix Wrist Pain', 'Fix Hip Pain', Fix Knee Pain', 'Fix Achilles Tendonitis, Calf and Shin Pain'. If you would like to read more about how to relieve wrist pain go to the Institute's Global Back Care website, www.globalbackcare.com/relieve-wrist-pain/

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/John_H._Miller/413044

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4184973

Video: https://www.youtube.com/user/JDCav24