In my class, I often hear or see people experiencing wrist pain while holding a plank or downward-facing dog. There are a few reasons for this, but the number one cause—aside from an old injury still healing—is hyperextension of the elbows and the ribs opening up.

Let’s explore what it means to have extended elbows and an open ribcage!

Hyperextension of Elbows

Hyperextension of the elbows occurs when the joint extends beyond its normal range of motion, causing the arm to bend backward past a straight line. This often happens due to ligament laxity (excess flexibility in the connective tissues) or improper weight distribution in poses like plank or downward-facing dog.

When the elbows hyperextend, they lock out and place excessive strain on the joint, shifting the load away from the muscles (like the triceps and shoulders) and onto the bones and ligaments. Over time, this can lead to discomfort, instability, or even injury, especially in weight-bearing yoga postures.

As you can see in the pictures, when you hyperextend your elbows, your elbow joints are over the shoulder alignments, which puts all the pressure onto the elbow joints

To prevent hyperextension, it's essential to maintain a slight microbend in the elbows and engage the surrounding muscles actively. This helps distribute the load more evenly and supports the joint in a safer, more controlled position.

Simple Drill to Feel the Difference

Try this on hands and knees:

Place your hands under your shoulders and fully lock out your elbows—notice how it feels.
Now, soften the elbows slightly (micro-bend) and press through your fingertips—feel the muscles engage instead of the joints.
Apply the same concept in plank, downward dog, and Chaturanga!

Hyperextension of elbow joints and ribcage opening up?

Hyperextension of elbows not only put a massive pressure onto your elbow joints but it unable your core to be engaged by opening your ribcage up.

Loss of Shoulder Stability → Ribcage Flare

When the elbows lock out, the shoulders often collapse and lose their ability to stabilize the upper body.
This leads to a chain reaction where the chest pushes forward, causing the ribcage to flare open.

Ribcage Flare → Weak Core Engagement
- When the ribs flare outward, the core disengages—especially the deep abdominal muscles (transverse abdominis).
- This makes it harder to maintain stability in poses like plank, downward dog, and Chaturanga, leading to excess strain on the lower back.
Overreliance on Passive Support
- When the elbows hyperextend, you rely more on bones and ligaments instead of engaging muscles.
- This disconnects the core and shoulders from supporting the pose actively.

Summary

Wrist Pain and Hyperextension of Elbows

Uneven Weight Distribution

When the elbows lock out past their natural range, they shift the load away from the muscles and onto the joints.
This forces the wrists to bear more weight than they should, leading to compression and strain in the small wrist joints.

Loss of Shoulder Stability

Hyperextended elbows cause the shoulders to collapse, making the upper body unstable.
This instability forces the wrists to compensate, increasing stress on the wrist tendons and ligaments.

Increased Wrist Extension Angle

In poses like Plank and Chaturanga, hyperextension in the elbows can make the wrists bend more than 90 degrees, putting excess pressure on the wrist joint and causing discomfort or pain.

Reduced Muscle Activation

Hyperextension prevents the biceps, triceps, and forearm muscles from working efficiently.
Without muscular support, the wrists absorb more impact, leading to overuse injuries like wrist tendonitis or carpal tunnel symptoms over time.

Prevention

✅ Micro-bend the Elbows

Instead of locking out, slightly soften the elbows to engage the arm muscles and reduce pressure on the joints.
This helps distribute weight more evenly between the hands, wrists, and shoulders.

✅ Press Evenly Through the Hands

Spread the fingers wide and press through the base of the fingers (not just the heel of the hand) to avoid wrist compression.

✅ Stack the Joints Properly

In Plank and Down Dog, keep the elbows in line with the wrists instead of allowing them to bow backward.

✅ Engage the Core and Shoulders

Activate the serratus anterior (muscles under the armpits) to stabilize the shoulders and prevent weight from dumping into the wrists.
Draw the ribs slightly inward to keep core muscles engaged and prevent overloading the arms.

✅ Use Props If Needed

Blocks under the hands in Plank or rolling the front edge of the mat can reduce wrist extension and ease pressure.
Practicing on fists or using wrist wedges can also help.