Pin it! A yoga tip for the wrists.
Waring: Teeki balanced traveler pants, f21 tank. Using: Yoga accessories mat.
On a chilly morning in northern Thailand, I found myself in an open air yoga room in the middle of an Ashtanga practice, my wrists screaming. I was still battling Lyme disease and even though I was 100% sure I was pressing down in the all the right places in my hands during downward facing dog, the pain in my wrists just wouldn't quit.
"Here, try this," my yoga teacher said, and squatted down to help fold the top of my mat. "This gives a little more cushion."
I'm so grateful for learning this little trick because it's saved my wrists so many times when my joints have been inflamed, and I hope it can help someone who is dealing with a similar problem.
You really want to make sure you're not collapsing weight into the base of the hands, but rather, keep actively pushing the mat away by pressing into the base of the fingers and the fingertips.
PS- More tips for downward facing dog, and the problem I see a lot of students having when stepping to the front of the mat from down dog.