How to love your hands

How often do you focus your attention on your hands and wrists? If you’re anything like me, then you don’t always pay attention, even though they’re critical to daily tasks.

So it’s time to bring some awareness to them.

As a reflexologist, I’m very aware of how I’m using my hands when working on someone. I was taught to use techniques to keep my hands safe.

This same awareness is just as important for everyday tasks and practicing yoga.

I must say that hands are a neglected area in yoga. There are a lot of instructions on hand placement but not always on what they should be doing. Or, in some cases, not doing.

I attended a training with Julie Gudmestad, a physical therapist and yoga instructor. The topic was hands and wrists. Some of the points she made got me thinking. I wanted to share them with you and also offer tips.

#1 Your wrist is happy at a 45-degree angle

Make a fist and look at your wrist. Is there a straight line from your forearm to your knuckles? This may be a good position for punching in martial arts, but this is not optimal alignment for your wrist.

The optimal alignment is a 45-degree angle. Peek at the picture.

Why does this matter? The position of the wrist positions the fingers, and affects how well you can grip and function.

Your wrist is capable of flexion (bending at the wrist) and extension (bending back). These are normal movements. It’s when we spend a lot of time in an extreme that strain can happen.

What you can do

Notice how you hold your wrist throughout your day. You’re likely flexing your wrist more than extending.

Are you picking up items with a flexed wrist?

I know I do this. Just this morning I noticed that I pick up my teapot with a flexed wrist. And I do this every single day, multiple times. I’ve adjusted my grip so my wrist is in a better position.

Picking up items with a flexed wrist isn’t ideal.

How is your wrist positioned when on your computer? What about when you drive?

Because most of us spend more time with our wrists flexed, it’s beneficial to also spend time in extension. This can help to stretch the muscles on your inner forearm that can get tight.

Yoga is great for wrist extension. When your hands are on the ground (think when you’re on your hands and knees or in plank) they are in an extended position.

The problem is that it can be a shock to our wrists that spend most of their time in a flexed position. They are not used to being in this position and definitely not used to bearing weight in this position.

Try this gentle approach to extending the wrist.

1. Place your hands in a prayer position at your breastbone.

2. Make sure the heels of your palms are touching.

3. Gently, lower the hands down.

4. Keep the palms touching. The corner of the palm under the pinky finger will want to lift. Don’t let it.

5. Lower enough to feel extension, but don’t overdo it. Be gentle.

6. Breathe here for 10 breaths.

#2 Love your finger joints

Your finger joints are small. Small joints are not meant to bear a lot of weight. Think about how much bigger your shoulder, hip, or ankle joints are. These big ones bear a lot of weight.

Not so much for the finger joints.

What you can do

Notice through the day if you do anything where you put a lot of weight on the tips of your fingers. Truthfully, I can’t think of a daily activity where I do this regularly.

But in yoga, this can happen in certain positions. Sometimes when in a lunge students put their fingers tips on the floor in a “tented” position (like you’re trying to pick up an apple). Not a problem if there’s little weight on them.

But, we must make sure we don’t lean into those fingertips. If you do this then I suggest you use a block under each hand and place the palm on the block.

#3 Our fingers are flexed most of the time

After I work on a client’s hands they often open and close their hands and comment on how much better they feel. Our hands get tight. Part of this comes from how we use and hold our fingers.

Notice how you use your hands throughout the day. I bet your fingers are flexed, or bent, most of the time. For example,

• Holding the steering wheel

• Typing on the keyboard

• Holding a mug

• Holding your phone

• Holding anything, really

• Texting

• Writing

Gently stretching the muscles and tendons that flex our fingers is a good practice.

What you can do

1. Gently pull back each finger toward the back of your hand.

2. I cannot emphasize the word “gently” enough here.

3. Do one hand and notice how it feels. It probably feels less tight than the other one.

Becoming more aware of what your wrists and hands are doing can help you make adjustments to them. They’ll love you for it!

What do you do to love your hands more? Comment below!