Ep 116: Students With Wrist Pain In Your Yoga Classes? Here's How to Help!

Yoga modifications for wrist pain are essential skills for any teacher leading vinyasa or flow-based classes, yet most teacher trainings barely cover them. If you've ever noticed a student skip plank, chaturangas, or even table top pose, this episode will help you understand why and offer strategies you can incorporate into your very next class. 

Learn multiple practical modifications for Down Dog, Plank, Chaturanga, and Table Top that actually work. Discover how to use invitational language that creates exploration, and understand how to help students build their capacity over time. This episode is for yoga teachers who want to create truly accessible classes where students with wrist sensitivity can fully participate instead of sitting out half the poses. We'll cover:

• Yoga Modifications for Down Dog with Wrist Pain
• How to Modify Plank and Chaturanga for Wrist Pain
• Making Table Top and Cat-Cow Accessible for Sensitive Wrists
• Using Language That Reduces Threat Instead of Increasing It, and
• Sequencing Classes for Students with Wrist Sensitivity

Learn why wrist warm-ups matter, how to vary weight-bearing patterns throughout class, when to offer rest breaks, and how to balance challenging sequences with recovery time. Finally, discover how thoughtful sequencing prevents repetitive strain while students build capacity.

Related Episodes:

• Ep 114: How to Teach Yoga to Students with Lower Back Pain
  
  
• Ep 66: Staying Within Your Scope of Practice

Free Resources:

• 10 Chaturanga Variations — Ten ways to approach Chaturanga with reduced wrist load
• Sequencing For Injuries — Structure accessible classes for different bodies
• 10 Questions to Ask Injured Students — Framework for initial conversations

Want to Go Deeper?

• The 1st Step to Teaching Students with Pain — Get a clear roadmap for working with students who have pain