Carpal Tunnel/tennis Elbow + Yoga/pilates - Can It Be Done?

Updated on September 17, 2013
A.G. asks from Houston, TX
8 answers

Without pain or more injury? I've done classes before and have been reading about the benefits of yoga and pilates and I would love to do it, but darn my CT/TE, which comes and goes 2 or 3 times a year. (this is due from weightlifting and spending my days at the keyboard for work for the past 8 years).

So I'm just curious to see if anyone suffers from either/both and can still do yoga and pilates. Any tips how to compensate for positions like Down Dog and anything else which puts alot of pressure on my wrists?

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J.C.

answers from Anchorage on

I suffer from Carpal tunnel and I love Yoga. I find when I am suffering if I sleep with my brace on every night it helps keep things better all day long. I know it seems odd something so simple as sleeping in a wrist brace could make that much difference, but it really does.

3 moms found this helpful

More Answers

J.W.

answers from St. Louis on

Well I have carpal, have had tennis elbow, neither effected pilates. Never noticed any issues with yoga either.

1 mom found this helpful

J.W.

answers from St. Louis on

Well I have carpal, have had tennis elbow, neither effected pilates. Never noticed any issues with yoga either.

1 mom found this helpful
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D.D.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I have wrist issues, but also love yoga. I talked to my yoga instructor, and she helped make some accomodations. For example, when doing a plank, I go to my elbows, forearms flat on the ground, instead of on my hands with arms straight. Same for side planks.

Downward Dog is a little harder to change. Make sure your hands are out wide and you are pushing against the floor with your whole hands, including your fingers, and not putting all your weight on the base of your hand. It helps take the pressure off your wrists. Even so, I would sometimes come out of the pose early and go to a plank instead.

Pilates is mostly ab work, so no impact on the wrists at all.

Your instructor can help with specific recommendations for the routine she uses, and with a combination of modifications of poses and substitutions for poses that you can't modify, you can do it.

1 mom found this helpful

J.W.

answers from St. Louis on

? That is just freaking strange.....

1 mom found this helpful

J.W.

answers from St. Louis on

Well I have carpal, have had tennis elbow, neither effected pilates. Never noticed any issues with yoga either.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.T.

answers from College Station on

Get over the tendinitis first- go to the dr and have him prescribe some PT. THEN get back into yoga and pilates (which will help you not get those conditions again).

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L.B.

answers from Austin on

For your wrists, make fists and do your down dog/plan/chataranga on your knuckles. You can also go onto your forearms. Any good yoga instructor should have modifications to keep you safe:)

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