Chronic numb hands while biking
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streetsmarts.
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AuthorPosts
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June 17, 2013 at 12:15 am #913584
KLizotte
ParticipantA year ago I bought a 44 cm Cannondale Synapse, had a fitting with Clovis at FreshBikes, and had a problem with my right hand falling to sleep while riding. I went back to Clovis but he couldn’t find a cause or a solution, esp since it was only affecting one hand. Now I get it with both hands, usually as soon as I start riding and typically for the duration. I went for a hilly ride yesterday and numb hands only affected me for a portion of the trip but I woke up this morning with very numb hands which is a bit scary. So the problem is definitely getting worse.
I already have the shortest riser stem available and don’t have any pain or numbness anywhere else. Legs have always been good which is why I’ve been reluctant to fool around with the saddle. I do move my hands around on the handlebars but mostly ride on the hoods. I had an upright hybrid prior to this bike and also experienced hand numbness but not to this extent.
Googling the issue I’ve seen a description of ulnar neuropathy but my numbness extends to my entire hand, not just the ring and pinky fingers.
Has anyone experienced this, found a cure, or else be able to recommend a doc with experience in this specific issue? I don’t think a regular doc without experience with cycling would understand.
June 17, 2013 at 12:21 am #973041jnva
ParticipantYep, I always get a numb hand once in a while. I could never figure it out so I just ride with no hands or take all pressure off of the hand as soon as I feel it starting.
June 17, 2013 at 1:14 am #973043oldbikechick
ParticipantI asked a similar question awhile back and got some good advice:
http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?4785-How-can-I-make-my-commute-more-comfortable
While I haven’t really solved the numbness problem, I have tried a few things. I noticed that I was riding with very tense shoulders. If I consciously try to relax my shoulders, it takes longer for my hands to go numb. Also, a tried recently tipping my seat a bit to the back as I noticed it was actually tipping me forward and most likely putting more pressure on my hands. This did not really solve the problem although at least I’m not sliding forward on the seat anymore. It was also good for some comical moments as I apparently didn’t tighten it enough when I adjusted it, so it decided to come loose mid-ride and tip WAAY back and since it was possible tornado day and raining torrentially, I just rode home that way instead of trying to fix it. I will keep trying small things. Maybe new handlebars next. If you find a good solution – let us know!
June 17, 2013 at 1:18 am #973045TwoWheelsDC
ParticipantDo you wear gloves? I find mine cut off circulation a bit depending on how I position my hands.
June 17, 2013 at 1:25 am #973047rpiretti
ParticipantI think THIS article is perfect for your question. It’s a “Riv” write-up. IF you’re unfamiliar with Rivendell (not saying you are), be prepared to be informed and a little offended.
“..The saddle’s location itself is too far forward, which puts the forward pedal too close to you. Then when you pedal, the downstroke pulls you forward more and puts more weight on your hands.”
When I had numbness, it would last for days but not much after going to a slacker seat/head tube as I have now. With your case and from the write-up, I would find a seat post/seat that could put your seat further back. IMHO it would take a little pressure off the hands.
June 17, 2013 at 1:35 am #973050rcannon100
ParticipantAgree with spirit of comments. Considering changing and adjusting things until it feels comfortable. The position of the seat can be key, because the seat can throw you / push you into the handlebars. The handlebars should be comfortable. I like bar extensions (on flat bars) because it gives me multiple positions for my hands. Butterfly handlebars are particularly good for giving LOTS of positions for your hands. I ride with gloves I like (took a couple of pairs before I found what I liked) and I have foam tubing on my handle bars (a soft grip – I seem to find this at SPOKES).
June 17, 2013 at 1:54 am #973051ebubar
ParticipantI too am fiddling with my seat a bunch to get is as comfy as possible. I keep reading about biking and delaying my new commuter purchase until I can be certain that my current hybrid isn’t comfortable and/or sturdy for my 30 mile RT commute. Its been amazing to me how simple mm adjustments can really change how the bike feels.
When my hands were getting numb (this is on a flat bar hybrid), my essential purchase was Ergon grips to give my wrists somewhere to rest (http://www.rei.com/product/722554/ergon-gp1-grips-large). Added on some bar ends and the comfort factor vastly increased. Now as I fiddle with the seat i’m working on distributing my weight across all parts of the bike a bit more equally. I’m betting you had this done with a fitting though.
Hope it improves for you! I’m expecting a bit of hand pain if/when I ever get a curvy bar bike.
June 17, 2013 at 2:20 am #973052KLizotte
Participant@Rando Guy 55316 wrote:
I think THIS article is perfect for your question. It’s a “Riv” write-up. IF you’re unfamiliar with Rivendell (not saying you are), be prepared to be informed and a little offended.
Not offended just a wee bit depressed since he sums up what I’ve assumed for a while now: “Small bikes, as a rule, are the worst-designed bikes in the world.”
I did recently read his book where he said the “plumb bob over the knee” theory is hooey. I think I’ll try moving the saddle a little back to see if that helps. It’s an easy thing to try. My hands always feel better when I’m riding up a low incline because the pressure is taken off.
June 17, 2013 at 2:21 am #973053KLizotte
Participant@Rando Guy 55316 wrote:
I think THIS article is perfect for your question. It’s a “Riv” write-up. IF you’re unfamiliar with Rivendell (not saying you are), be prepared to be informed and a little offended.
Not offended just a wee bit depressed since he sums up what I’ve assumed for a while now: “Small bikes, as a rule, are the worst-designed bikes in the world.”:mad:
I did recently read his book where he said the “plumb bob over the knee” theory is hooey. I think I’ll try moving the saddle a little back to see if that helps. It’s an easy thing to try. My hands always feel better when I’m riding up a low incline because the pressure is taken off.
June 17, 2013 at 2:27 am #973054KLizotte
Participant@TwoWheelsDC 55314 wrote:
Do you wear gloves? I find mine cut off circulation a bit depending on how I position my hands.
Yes, but will try riding one day without them to see if the gloves are the culprit though I’ve been thru quite a few different brands.
June 17, 2013 at 3:15 am #973056PotomacCyclist
ParticipantThe only time I had numb hands and forearms was during my impromptu century ride a few years ago. My hands became numb during and after the ride, and continued to tingle for nearly a week. I was kind of scared that I had done permanent damage. But fortunately, the tingling faded away. I don’t think I’ve ever had any similar problems.
I think my problem was riding too much on the bullhorns/pursuit bar on the triathlon bike, instead of leaning forward and putting my forearms on the aerobar pads. It’s not natural to sit up like that on a tri bike for long periods.
Since the problem is starting to happen early in each ride, you may want to take a few days off to let your hands and forearms recover.
Other than bike fit, the first thing that comes to mind is core, hip and upper-body strength and stability. Core weakness means that your core may not support your upper body as well as it should, thereby putting more stress on the hands and forearms. You could also do some isolation strength exercises for the forearms, both the extensors and the flexors. Do a general warm-up before any strength exercises, or do them right after an easy ride. Use a light dumbbell and do wrist curls, keeping the forearm horizontal to the floor. Use a full range of motion, letting the dumbbell curl down to the fingertips before curling the weight back up.
Pair that exercise with reverse wrist curls. Keep the forearm horizontal to the floor again. You don’t need to keep the forearm supported unless it feels more comfortable that way. Again use a full range of motion. You’ll probably use a lighter dumbbell for the reverse dumbbell curls.
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I would combine these isolation exercises with general functional strength exercises. One routine could include push-ups (or knee push-ups, if necessary) and dumbbell row for the upper body. Maybe a dumbbell overhead press too. Add squats and lunges (or alternate exercises) for the hips and legs. Work on the core too, if you don’t use a barbell for the squats. Core work should include exercises for the obliques (sides of the abdomen), the lower back and the abs.There are many options, some easier than others. The plank is a basic ab exercise, although it isn’t too challenging for experienced athletes. You can do tougher versions of the planks by adding leg movements, by extending the elbows farther ahead and by tightening up all the muscles of the body at a more intense level. Same thing with side planks. If they are difficult, stick to the standard version. If they are easy, add leg movements. Other oblique exercises include woodchoppers, side bends and farmer’s walk (one-arm dumbbell walk, alternating sides). You don’t need to do all of these exercises. Just pick one for each of the major muscle groups per workout. For the back, you can do neck bridges (hip lifts). If those are easy, try the one-leg version, with leg movement.
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While core, hip and general muscle weakness are more closely associated with running injuries, I’ve heard about cyclists suffering from overuse injuries because of core and hip weakness too. I really think it’s important to pre-hab. That is, develop the core and overall stability before you have to deal with issues related to muscle imbalances and weakness. Once you get injured, it can be difficult to recover. For certain injuries, the recovery and rehab process can take quite a long time. Scar tissue can accumulate or muscles can shorten. If those problems aren’t addressed, you could develop chronic problems.***
Another note: Once you get injured, recovery from injury becomes the priority over everything else. If you have to take time off, take that time off.Post-ride stretching can help, but sometimes that’s not advisable once you get injured. I don’t always stretch after bike rides but I always stretch after running. For the forearms, I stretch the extensor and flexor muscles. For the extensors, form a fist and bend at the wrist. Use your other hand to pull the fist toward your forearm until you feel the stretch on the “top” of your forearm. Do this on both forearms. For the flexor muscles, straighten your fingers. Then pull back on the fingers with your other hand, until you feel the stretch on the “bottom” of your forearm. Do this for both forearms.
I also like to do hand stretches. I simply spread all of the fingers as wide as I can, as if I’m trying to palm a basketball (which I can’t do). I hold these stretches for about 5-10 seconds each. I know that some recommend much longer holds for stretches, but I don’t know if that’s necessary. I think the stretches help with loosening adhesions in the muscle fascia and calming down microspasms in muscles.
For other stretches, I like to cover the usual muscle groups (quads, hamstrings, both calf muscles, shins, bottom of feet) as well as the inner thighs, hip flexors and IT band/lateral thigh. I also stretch the obliques, abs and the shoulder joint (pecs, lats, deltoids, triceps) and the upper back: traps, side neck stretch and front neck but be VERY CAREFUL with front neck stretches because you really need to do them correctly. (Don’t bend your neck back. Reach your chin forward as though you are trying to push your chin ahead and up slightly, without tilting your head backward.)
I can do all of these stretches while standing so I can do them anywhere, right after a bike ride. I do use a bench or steps to put my leg up for a few of the leg stretches.
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I experienced a lot of different injuries in my first year of triathlon training, mostly from running. But I also had some minor aches and soreness from cycling. All of those issues and injuries went away once I started following a more structured annual training plan (which includes easy weeks, a midseason very easy week and an off-season break) and once I began to include functional strength training. The post-workout stretching helps too. I can’t say if this will fix your hand problems, but it might help.June 17, 2013 at 12:04 pm #973063acc
ParticipantWe ride the same size bike. I went through about a year of my left hand twitching after long rides.
1. I stopped death gripping the brakes.
2. I learned to move my hands all over the bars.
3. A lot of the time now I ride in the drops, that helps.
4. I changed the way I distribute my weight on the bike. I was leaning way too much on my forearms.Assuming I’m not being obnoxious and playing Cat 6 racer, periodically I’ll move my hands into the middle and spin specifically to give my hands a break. But that’s a big assumption.
And of course this is not a problem on my bikes with flat bars. I have other problems with them. They are much harder to pedal.
June 17, 2013 at 12:45 pm #973070Dirt
ParticipantI occasionally have problems with this. When I look at the times when I get numbness in my hands, it is usually when I’m tired and supporting my weight using the base of my palms anywhere on the handlebars (hoods, tops, drops, etc).
Generally I find that I don’t have problems when I’m grabbing the hoods or drops from the sides, using the muscles of my hands and arms to support my weight rather than the bone structure of my palms and wrists. When grabbing the tops, I do better when I support my weight holding the bars closer to my fingers… having the bar contact right where my fingers meet my hand. I try not to have my wrist bent way back when doing that. It takes a little more energy to hold the bars that way and that is difficult on a long ride, but, like everything, it becomes easier and more second nature with practice.
One last thing (which usually means I’m really going to list a bunch of things here)…. Ergonomics are important. I find it is better for me to have padding in the handlebar tape rather than in gloves. I’m definitely in the minority in that, I think. I prefer gloves for safety only… little or no padding is best for me. I use thicker tape (or double wrap the bars) all the time… not just in the winter for warmth. Fizik makes a gel insert for bars that you could try… making sure to use very thin bar tape so the bars don’t get too thick for you to grab. That might give some relief. The shape of the hoods also makes a big difference for me. Shimano and Cane Creek brake levers are much more likely to cause problems for me with numbness. SRAM and Campy brake levers/hoods are MUCH less likely to do so. Test ride some bikes and see how they feel. Handlebar shape and brake lever placement is important for ergonomics too. Modern bars and levers should give a smooth transition from bar to brake hood that eliminates a lot of the pressure areas that the old bars/hoods used to cause.
Okay… I listed a bunch of things, like you knew I would, but they’re all related to ergonomics… which is my real “one more thing”, so if you squint and tilt your head to the side, I didn’t completely fail at only saying “one more thing”… though this bit of self justification ends up being a second thing… D’OH!!!!
Rock and roll!
Dirt
June 17, 2013 at 2:08 pm #973089rpiretti
Participant@KLizotte 55321 wrote:
Not offended just a wee bit depressed since he sums up what I’ve assumed for a while now: “Small bikes, as a rule, are the worst-designed bikes in the world.”
I did recently read his book where he said the “plumb bob over the knee” theory is hooey. I think I’ll try moving the saddle a little back to see if that helps. It’s an easy thing to try. My hands always feel better when I’m riding up a low incline because the pressure is taken off.
Sorry, didn’t mean to make you depressed! Yeah, I’d try that, along with anyone else’s suggestions. Let us know what works.
June 17, 2013 at 2:23 pm #973092NicDiesel
ParticipantMy hands get pretty numb about 35 minutes into a ride and then go numb off and on for the rest of the time I’m riding unless I get off the bike and take a five minute break. One thing that Dirt mentioned that I’m trying and finding some success with (small sample size) is using gel patches on the actual dropbars underneath the bar tape. I haven’t done a super long ride yet (~two hours) with the new bar gels but from my quick rides this past week it’s made a huge difference in feel and my hands haven’t went numb yet.
One downside to bar gels (at least the Fizik version) is that it’s hard to get your tape nice and tight.
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