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/

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Weak wrists? Let's fix that!

               

When people look to towards building strength they very often think about doing exercises that work the larger muscle groups such as chest and back, and whilst these areas are very important what seems to be often overlooked are the smaller muscle groups.

In this case were talking about the wrists and forearms. Now the reason the lower arms are so important is because it is due to these body parts that we're able to build upper body strength in the first place, as they are the supporting muscles and joints. After all, can you imagine attempting to build a strong chest by doing heavy bench presses whilst suffering with weak and frail wrists. As inevitable that the stronger the wrists are the more weight you will subsequently be able to handle and therefore the greater the long term gains can be.

The same would apply to other exercises such as pull up. If you suffer from weak wrists and forearms, this will have a direct impact on your level of grip strength. Do you ever recall attempting to do a set of pull ups only to have given up due to not being able to maintain your grip? You see, it is only when it's illustrated in this way that one begins to realize the importance that such seemingly under rated body parts actually have.

Now having established that wrist and grip strength can actually have a direct impact on your overall performance, we might want to think about what wrist exercises we can start implementing to ensure we maintain strong and healthy wrist joints.

Kettlebell and Gripstik wrist exercises are an excellent choice as they both work in different ways and provide great results in terms of grip endurance and overall wrist strength. The kettlebell, whilst being more targeted toward core strength exercises, requires enormous grip strength to perform many of the exercises, such as kettlebell swings and Turkish Get Ups.

On the other hand, the Gripstik is extremely good at directly working the wrists and forearms. Building primarily endurance and strength as lactic acid build up becomes predominant during high repetitions.

There are other old school wrist exercises that can be used to develop wrist strength. Boxers for example use a method where they tie a weight to a broom handle and using repetitive twisting motions, slowly lift the weight from the ground up towards the broom handle.

There are simply too many to list here, but you get the point. They key issue here is to ensure you find an exercise you feel comfortable with and start doing it. Just remember to consult your doctor before beginning any new exercise or nutritional program.

Mo Mastafa is a business management graduate and a health & fitness enthusiast with of 15 years experience in training and nutrition.

Visit my wrist exercises [http://wristexercisesblog.com] blog now for more hints, tips and tools to improve your wrists and grip strength.

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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/

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The Return of Old School Break Dancing Moves

                   

If you thought your break-dancing days were over then think again. I'm sure the above warm up took you back to a time when your body never let you down. These days, you need to Bulletproof your wrists against injury, particularly when performing any sort of pushing or pressing movement.

A common injury when doing a lot of heavy pressing, such as bench and military press, is a sprained wrist. This is due to the extra flex-ion or hyper extension that happens to the wrist when under a heavy load. This usually occurs on days when the trainer is working their shoulders or chest muscles.

There are three ways to prevent yourself from suffering from a sprained wrist. For the purpose of this article I will be using the bench press as the example exercise.

The first, is simply to warm up. The purpose of a warm up is to get the blood pumping and the muscles, joints, ligaments and tendons ready for exercise. So many trainers walk into the gym and start off lifting moderate to heavy loads without a thought of warming up.

A warm up is very important and only takes 5-10 minutes. I should also note that dynamic stretches are more beneficial than static stretches.

Secondly, when performing a lot of pressing movements trainers tend to concentrate more on just making sure they can lift the weight, opposed to lightening the load, having better technique and feeling your muscle work. For example how many people have you seen doing bench press with their wrists bent right back (hyper extended). After performing rep after rep of a bench with a bent backward wrist there is no wonder why they have a mildly sprained wrist. When you do heavy pressing movements concentrate on keeping your wrist straight, (I like to use the phrase to keep the wrist 'rock solid'.) Doing this will decrease the chance of a sprained wrist from having your wrist at an awkward angle.

If your wrist is still sore even after keeping it straight then you may need to use some wrist wraps. Wrist wraps are elastic and wrap around the wrist and prevent it from flexing and extending. In other words wrist wraps keep your wrist in a straight 'rock solid' position. The use of wrist wraps will prevent your wrist from flexing or hyper extending to the point of injury.

Wrist wraps are a really great invention and, depending on your training regime could be useful for you, especially if you consistently train with heavy weights.

It is very important that you stretch out the muscles you have been working. When lifting you are constantly contracting your muscles and they become tighter and tighter. If you are doing a lot of heavy pulling movements your forearms can become extremely tight resulting in a muscular imbalance in the forearm muscles. This can also be a factor in wrist injuries while performing heavy lifting.

In conclusion if you are constantly lifting heavy weights the smaller joints, such as the wrists, can attain an injury. Implementing strategies such as warming up, using wrist wraps and stretching will protect you from injury. Another important injury prevention strategy is looking at your lifting technique. If your wrists are continually hyper flexed or hyper extended then it is only a matter of time until you suffer an injury.

Author: Matt D'Aquino

http://www.workoutsforjudo.com

Matt is the founder of Beyond Grappling fitness and conditioning. He is a 2008 Beijing Judo Olympian as well as nationally ranked freestyle wrestler and National Champion in Brazilian Jujitsu. Matt has a passion for teaching all aspects of grappling especially the fitness and conditioning aspect. Recently he has been traveling the world aiming to qualify for his second Olympic Games.

To learn more about Matt and his fitness and conditioning training visit http://www.workoutsforjudo.com.

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Physical Training - It's not without Wrist

                      

Wrist Sprains

The most common sporting injury to the wrist is a wrist sprain. There are many ligaments in the wrist that can be torn or stretched, resulting in a sprained wrist. This commonly occurs when the wrist is bent forcefully or in a fall onto an outstretched hand. Sprains to the wrist can range from mild to severe and are graded depending upon the degree of ligament injury that exists.

Grade 1 - mild sprain where the ligaments are stretched but not torn

Grade 2 - moderate sprain where the ligaments are partially torn

Grade 3 - severe sprains that occur when there is significant complete tearing of ligaments

With grade 1 sprains, there is some mild discomfort and decreased range of motion. With grade 2 sprains there is more serious loss of function. Grade 3 sprains result when the ligament tears away from the bone and require surgical treatment. Many times this tearing leads to a small chip of the bone being torn away with the ligament. This is known as an avulsion fracture.

The most common symptoms of a wrist sprain include:

Swelling of the wrist

Bruising or discoloration of the skin around the wrist

Pain at the time of the injury

A feeling of popping or tearing inside the wrist

Persistent pain when you move your wrist

Tenderness at the injury site

A warm or feverish feeling to the skin around the wrist

Most sprains can be treated with immobilization and rest. However, your orthopedic specialist may have to perform surgery to correct your wrist injury. This all depends on the severity of the sprain and intensity of the torn ligament. Surgery involves reconnecting the ligament to the bone. This procedure is followed by a period of rehabilitation with exercises to strengthen your wrist and restore motion. Although the ligament can be expected to heal in 6 to 8 weeks, rehabilitation for a full recovery could take several months.

Other Injuries of the Wrist

Tendinosis - This is a syndrome that involves a series of very small tears (called microtears) in the tissue in and around the tendon. Common symptoms are pain, tenderness, decreased strength of the wrist, and limited movement.

De Quervain's Tendonitis - This can occur in the hand and wrist when the thumb extensor tendons and the sheath covering these tendons swells and becomes inflamed. This leads to pain, tenderness, and decrease in motion of the wrist.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - This is caused by pressure on the median nerve in the wrist. The symptoms of this syndrome include numbness, tingling, weakness, and pain in the fingers, hand and wrist areas.

Colles' Fracture - This type of fracture is a break across the radius that occurs when the hand is extended out during a fall. The break occurs causing the wrist to become shortened and extended. Teens that enjoy outdoor sporting activities often develop these types of fractures because falls often occur.

Symptoms of a Colles' fracture include inability to straighten the wrist or to hold heavy objects, distortion in the shape or angle of the forearm above the wrist, and pain and swelling of the injured area. Many of these fractures are not severe and you can be placed in a splint and sling. Sometimes, the orthopedic specialist applies a fiberglass cast. More severe fractures may require surgery including placement of pins or plates and screws. Recovery from this injury ranges from 6 weeks to 6 months depending on the severity of the fracture.

Visit Dr. Weil's website to learn more about the procedures he offers, including treatments for carpal tunnel and trigger finger release.

http://handandelbowsurgery.com/

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