Pain in my shifting hand/arm while riding?

[gabriellesca]

Just curious if anyone has ever experienced this ... For the last month or so when I ride I feel a sharp pain in the muscles on the top of my arm right below my right elbow. It is usually very painful when I squeeze my water bottle (and incidentally when I squeeze my nasal spray at other times) but on my longer ride on Saturday I noticed pain while shifting and then towards the middle to the end of my ride there was a constant dull pain - though still sharp when I squeezed my bottle.

Anyone ever have this kind of pain before? I'm wondering if it has something to do with my position or tensing up. I always ride with my hands on my horns (I think that's what they're called) - ready to break since I'm so paranoid now with my news shoes. Saturday was a 23 mile, 1:40 minute ride.

?????????

[tulip]

Sounds like it could be tendinitis. I would bet that you ride with your elbows locked. Take a good look at your position and your tension. Your elbows should be gently bent and flexible. Your shoulders should not be up to your ears. Your hands should be relaxed and you should wiggle your fingers alot.

What else do you do outside of cycling? Do you work or play on the computer alot? I had to learn to use the mouse with my left hand because I developed typing-and-mousing based tendinitis in my right arm. I have to take it easy on the typing, and I only mouse with my left hand now. I was in PT for several months to work out the issues.

BTW, they are called "hoods," but "horns" certainly is a descriptive term!

[gabriellesca]

Thanks tulip - my BF calls them horns and he rides alot but I thought it sounded funny!

I do TOTALLY tense up - more our of fear since I went clipless. So I'm thinking that that could be the culprit. I work at an architecture firm but one of our architects is also an MD and she said it sounds like overuse of that muscle. And that I should try to relax, ice, and take ibuprofen. Also try to reduce the actions that have caused it. Which I think is the shifting, water bottle, etc.

Other than cycling and working I don't do much. But I'm on a computer all day long - maybe its a mouse thing. At home I have a laptop with a trackpad. I'll just try laying off of it a bit and relaxing when I ride and icing it. I really want to do this ride in 3 weeks so I'm just going to try to endure it a bit.

THANKS!

[MCAP]

I have that problem from time to time. For me, it is my left elbow. I think that it is a combination of things for me.

First, my saddle was no good for me and I was pitching too much weight on my hands to avoid saddle pain. I changed my saddle and now I can ride more balanced.

Second, I got some gloves.

Third, I am gaining more strength in my core and am more able to hold myself up in a good position without leaning too much on my hands and stressing my elbow.

Fourth, I may try a slightly shorter stem so i'm not reaching quite as far.

Fifth, I try to keep my shoulders at the same height so that I am riding more symmetrically and not putting more pressure on one side over the other.

I still get pain after about 20 miles or so, but it is less and less each ride so the things that I'm doing are working for me.

[tulip]

gabriellesca, I would really encourage you to see a physical therapist at your earliest convenience. It's not going to get better on its own. Do you do alot of AutoCAD at work? That kind of precise mousing can really do damage.

My PT gave me exercises, a brace to wear when I type and sleep, and I had hot wax and massage treatments twice a week for a while. It's really important to nip it in the bud.

Your cycling habits do not sound good. Strengthen your core and relax you arms. And make sure that your bike fits you properly. Smile and breathe when you ride. And be aware of clenching your jaw. These are habits that will help you all around.

Best of luck to you.

[OakLeaf]

What everyone else said.

Plus one other thing: when I set up my trackpad to tap to click, it relieved all SORTS of problems I was getting from mouse-clicking with my thumb.

[gabriellesca]

I had my bike fit well so I know that its not the bike. I'm SURE it has to do with the shear terror I feel when riding at times. Still trying to get used to the new shoes/pedals. But you're right - I need to relax more.

I'm the marketing director here so thankfully I'm not on Autocad - but I am on the computer all day - more typing than moving my mouse around though.

I have NO core strength at all. So its a good reminder for me to try to strengthen my core and that that will help. I'm in a pickle with money and can't afford a PT at the moment - but these suggestions will help - I hope!

I do smile alot when I ride because I love it so much - but I probably don't breath as much as I should and I certainly don't relax! I'm hoping the fear factor will dissipate one of these days.

[OakLeaf]

Also, work on releasing trigger points in the forearms. You'll probably find a lot of them.

[HillSlugger]

Pilates is really good for strengthening the core; pick yourself up a beginner's video.

[PinkBike]

+1 for tendonitis and getting it looked at! seems like the only way i've ever gotten rid of it was to rest it, for a lo-o-o-ong time, and then it can always come back.

i know you've been fitted, but are you really comfortable on the bike? is there one position more comfortable than others (on the top of the bars instead of the hoods, maybe?) you should shift your hands on the bars often when you ride, from the hoods to the tops to the drops.

good luck as you try to fix this, i know what it's like, i totally feel for you!