Got Wrist Pain? Here’s How to Modify Sun Salutation A

If you’ve ever experienced wrist pain, chances are you’re familiar with the frustration of trying to practice yoga in a studio setting. Group yoga classes are typically geared toward the greatest common denominator, which leaves little room to address people’s individual needs. You can probably relate to how awkward or cumbersome it feels when everyone else in class is moving through Surya Namaskar A (Sun Salutation A) and you’re… what? Resting in Child’s Pose with little or no direction.

Yoga is for all bodies, including those with wrist pain. If you suffer from a wrist injury, arthritis, tendonitis, sprains, strains, and beyond, you can practice a Sun Salutation A without bearing weight on your wrists. (Keep in mind, though, that the best yoga cue for any student at any part of the practice is, “If it hurts, don’t do it.”)

I have always been interested in making my yoga classes accessible to anyone who walks through the door, but once upon a time, I had a class that really stumped me. Everyone had their own specific needs. This class became very dear to me. Learning so much from my students encouraged me to dig deeper and enroll in a yoga therapy program that I had my heart set on for quite some time. There I continued to learn from my teacher, Stephanie Anne Vitolo at Prema Yoga Institute, who introduced me to these techniques.