Got a wrist injury? Good news: I’ve got a secret weapon so you can keep practicing yoga!
I have found a tool that ensures you don’t have to interrupt your yoga practice (or any workout that’s on your hands, really) because of a wrist injury.
This information comes first-hand. I’ve had a wrist injury before and needed to find a solution. Back when I was working as a writers’ assistant on different television shows in Hollywood, I had to speed-type on a computer for hours and hours on end, taking notes for the writers.
It fucked my wrists up and I developed a bad ganglion cyst in my left wrist.
What’s a ganglion cyst? Why, thank you for asking! It’s a sexy sac of jelly-like fluid that forms over joints or tendons. They’re very common in your wrists because a lot of us have to work all day typing at our computers. Ganglion cysts are super painful, and because of the obstruction I basically couldn’t bend my wrist at all forward or backward. I tried everything to get rid of it—I had two surgeons extract some of the fluid (it filled right back up), and, I’m not kidding here—I even tried slamming my wrist against my car steering wheel to try to pop it.
[Spoiler alert: that did NOT work and I do not recommend that OR the popular book-slam method (I wish I were making that up, but things get desperate, people).]
Having a wrist injury can be incredibly frustrating, especially when it takes a while to heal.
What DID work was actually resting my wrists and not putting as much pressure on my hands. Over time, the cyst eventually faded.
I have always done yoga and strength training, both of which usually require a lot of hand-pressing. And I definitely was not about to give that up—working out has always been key to helping me manage my mental health.
» Squinting into the bright New Mexico sun on a recent trip back to my hometown of Albuquerque «
Enter the Perfect Pushup Elite.
Originally designed for bros who want to, you guessed it, achieve the perfect pushup, this unlikely tool became my best friend. I still use mine every single time I work out, because it makes my wrists feel better in general. I’m attached.
I love to try all the weird health tools on Amazon, and the Perfect Pushup Elite does not disappoint. If you’ve got a hand or wrist injury, holding onto these handles is a possible solution to help you get in your flow without causing further pain or inflammation. For $27 bucks, that’s not too shabby.
From the Perfect Fitness website:
Innovatively designed, the rotating handles increase muscle activation as your body dips, which can result in more muscle strength and definition in arms, shoulders, back, chest, and abs.
Ergonomic grips help distribute weight evenly, reducing pressure points and joint strain on wrists and elbows.
I don’t know about you, but I’m here for all of that.
How to use the Perfect Pushup Elite handles:
Set them at the top of your mat shoulders-distance, with the handles parallel to the sides of the mat. Then, grab onto the handles as you step back into plank, flow through chaturangas, etc! They have a nice grip on the bottom to ensure they don’t slide around.
The handles do twist, so just be mindful of keeping your body aligned as you flow through. If you need, try dropping your knees to the ground for extra support when you’re using them.
The only thing I don’t recommend them for for is arm balances, unless you’re extra advanced and want the unstable challenge.
Let me know what you think if you give these a try! Sending all the healing vibes for your wrist injury.
» Song Vibes «
Do you have a wrist injury? What other tricks and tools have helped you in your recovery? Share with me in the Comments below!
xo,
Amy
This post is not sponsored, but there are affiliate links throughout this post. I genuinely love these handles and know you will, too. Thanks for supporting the blog!