I write to you re an ongoing problem in my right wrist. About 2 months ago I fell on it (no, not in class!!) The doctor thought I had fractured the scaphoid bone, as the pain was in that region. I had an x-ray about 2 weeks after the accident, but no evidence of any fracture. I have been treating it since then, with Chinese herbs, acupuncture, homeopathy etc. Doing that has allowed me to continue yoga, but every so often the pain reoccurs, particularly doing Chatturanga, Urdhva & Adho Mukha Svanasana & handstands & Urdhva Dhanurasana, & all the jump throughs necessary in Ashtanga.
I have just come back from an ultrasound, where again nothing was detected, that is not soft tissue damage … the doctors have basically discharged me, saying because of my age (56) it must be arthritis!!! My acupuncturist just says "Keep getting acupuncture & taking the herbs & homeopathy.’ The main area of pain is halfway on the inner side of the first metacarpal between the knuckle of the first digit on the first finger, & my wrist, in a small area only. Have you any suggestions? My question to you, is have you any knowledge in this area at all? Many thanks… Namaste… A
I have experience with all types of injuries and while not specifically to the scaphoid bone (just below the thumb), I have seen how yoga can both improve and irritate injuries. My main suggestion to you is to not do weight bearing motions that aggravate it. The wrist is delicate and does not recover quickly when it is stressed. I know of massage therapists and yoga teachers who continue to keep pressure on the bones due to their work and as a result have chronic troubles. The series that you do is essentially acting as a repetitive motion assault to the wrist injury. Repetitve motions increase pitta (the energetic source of irritation and inflammation) which will tend to increase heat throughout the body but especially in soft tissue. Joint injuries are characterized by localized heat and they need to cool off (increase kapha) to heal. I realize that most persons doing a serious practice are not likely to heed my warning but I hope you will be different. My recommendation is for you to strengthen your sensibility muscles and take a rest from irritating the inflamed tissue with those practices that you can see are clearly aggravating you. Let it heal by dong what you are already doing with Chinese medicine but most of all by avoiding those practices that are weight bearing to the wrist.
If you want to heal it at a deeper level I would encourage you to do the anti pitta diet recommended by my teacher Indra Devi. While you react strongly to the suggestion of possible arthritis, it sounds like you are promoting the pitta energy that can cause it. Regardless of whether or not you have arthritis, if you are engaged in an aggressive (rajasic) form of exercise; that is the underlying factor causing persistent trouble. The diet I would recommend lessens the body’s tendency to retain heat whether in the digestive tract or joints. You can find the details to the diet on www.yogaforums.com – then search for arthritis diet. Best wishes in healing. Namaste Mukunda