Research-Based Recommendation: Anatomy textbooks and recent research by NIH state that the optimal angle for bearing weight on the wrists is 35-45 degrees of extension. This angle helps distribute weight more evenly across the wrist and hand.
Reduced Strain: Maintaining this angle reduces high compression on the small wrist joints and cartilage, and prevents overstretching of the wrist ligaments and tendons. This helps in preventing wrist injuries and pain.
How Wrist Buddy®️ Yoga Blocks Help
Ergonomic Design:
Hand-Shaped Contours: The CNC-cut 3D hand-shaped contours of Wrist Buddy Yoga Blocks help position the wrists at a safer angle, closer to the optimal 35-45 degrees of extension.
Elevation and Support: By elevating the wrists and providing ergonomic support, these blocks help avoid the dangerous 90-degree angle and reduce strain on the wrists.
Redistribution of Compression:
Shift to the Palm: The ergonomic design shifts at least 60% of wrist compression to the palm, which has a surface area about three times larger than the wrist. This redistribution helps in reducing the overall strain on the wrists.
Anti-Slip Surface:
Textured Surface: The CNC cutting process creates a textured surface that provides an anti-slip grip, enhancing stability and safety during poses.
Enhanced Comfort and Safety:
Proper Wrist Positioning: Ensuring the wrists are placed at the optimal angle significantly reduces the risk of injury and discomfort.
Stability: The blocks provide stability and support, which is crucial for maintaining proper alignment in various poses.
Practical Tips for Maintaining the Optimal Angle
Hand Placement:
Angle Adjustment: Place your hands so that your wrists are extended at an angle of 35-45 degrees rather than a flat 90 degrees. Use props like Wrist Buddy Yoga Blocks to help achieve this.
Using Props:
Ergonomic Blocks: Utilize Wrist Buddy Yoga Blocks to elevate your wrists and maintain the correct angle.
Wrist Supports: Consider wrist supports if additional help is needed to maintain proper alignment.
Body Alignment:
Engage Core Muscles: Engage your core to support your body weight and reduce the load on your wrists.
Shoulder Position: Keep your shoulders aligned over your wrists to avoid excessive forward or backward lean, which can alter the wrist angle.
Conclusion
The optimal angle for bearing weight on the wrists is 35-45 degrees of extension, as supported by scientific research. Using Wrist Buddy Yoga Blocks, with their ergonomic design and ability to shift wrist compression to the palm, helps maintain this optimal angle, reducing strain and preventing injury. Highlighting these benefits can enhance your marketing and sales efforts, positioning Wrist Buddy Yoga Blocks as the best choice for wrist comfort and support during yoga practice.
Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.
Opens in a new window.
Popup
As an aspiring yogi, experienced health professional, and ergonomic specialist, I created the WRISTBuddy® brand to revolutionize the function of yoga blocks. After experiencing wrist pain and discomfort within my first 3 months of using flat-sided yoga blocks, I learned that most of my classmates had similar wrist issues. I felt inspired to correct the faulty wrist biomechanics that occur when hands are placed on flat-sided blocks. WRISTBuddy® yoga blocks have a wrist-friendly, ergonomic design that helps people reduce and prevent wrist pain.
There are 3 key benefits of the WRISTBuddy® design.
Stronger wrist angle maximizes comfort
Reduced risk of injury with optimized wrist and hand support
Strengthened grip for enhanced balance and stability
It has been many years since the initial yoga blocks were introduced in the mid-70s. The rest of the world has moved on. Yet, the flat-sided, slightly bulky yoga block that doesn’t fit the hand persists. As has been done before, I headed to the garage with some old yoga blocks, cutting tools, and a drill with a burr attachment. After much time and many iterations, I had a rough version amenable to producing samples. Demo models were taken to yoga studios on the west and east coasts, and the mid-Atlantic area. Instructors and students provided wonderful and encouraging feedback. Refinements were made and the WRISTBuddy® brand launched in October 2021.
As a sports-focused chiropractor for 30 years, the WRISTBuddy® yoga block design was seen as a natural and effective upgrade to reduce and prevent wrist discomfort.
In my clinic, we taught patients how to implement the basic principles of ergonomics, biomechanics, and posture. Why?
Because these are the most common causes of musculoskeletal pain and injury. Secondary to how our bodies are designed, there are proper ways of using our bodies. How we sit, stand, bend, lift, and stoop, largely determines the amount of daily stress on our bodies. If we perform these Activities of Daily Living (ADL’s) improperly over time, our risk of pain and injury increases. This brings us back to the old yoga blocks. The flat-sided block design bends our wrists 90 degrees backward, a weak and injury-prone position for repetitive weight-bearing. In this position, high compression is focused directly into the small wrist joints and cartilage. Compression is the most common cause of yoga-related wrist pain. In addition, the standard block size is a bit wide and bulky for most hands, making the grip relatively weak. Many yoga practitioners don’t realize their grip is weak until they compare their grip strength on WRISTBuddy® blocks.
WRISTBuddy® blocks correct the flaws in the original block design with innovative contour features that match the natural shape of the hand. First, the hand-shaped design realigns the wrist angle from 90 to 45 degrees, a much safer and stronger position for weight bearing. Second, compression shifts from the wrist to the palm, a broader and more comfortable surface for weight bearing. Third, the hand-shaped contours of WRISTBuddy® blocks are narrower than the old flat blocks. Now the hands can be securely closed around the block, strengthening the grip, boosting stability, and enhancing your performance.
Engineered and crafted with computerized precision, each block is designed to provide unparalleled support and comfort for your wrists and hands. This allows you to deepen your poses with greater ease and confidence. WRISTBuddy® blocks are more than just accessories—they are tools for transformation, helping you unlock your full potential on the mat.
We are dedicated to creating products that elevate your yoga practice and prioritize your overall well-being. We ensure that every block meets the highest standards of craftsmanship using eco-friendly materials. Our commitment to excellence drives us to continuously innovate and serve the yoga community to reach new heights.
WRISTBuddy® is a trusted companion, joining you on your path toward a more fulfilling and enriching yoga experience.
