Numb hands

[terpin]

I purchased my first road bike this year and I've been enjoying riding on the weekends. After after about 10 to 15 miles, my hands start to get tingly and numb, like they are falling asleep. Is this normal and does it ever stop happening? I wear cycling gloves with a bit of padding, gel padding under the handle bar wraps and I try to vary my grip, but still the numbness comes. Any suggestions?

PS...new to the forum and absolutely love all the tips I've read so far!

Thanks!

[Trekhawk]

Welcome to TE. Here is a few tips from Andy Pruitt regarding numbness or tingling in hands.

"Your grip on the handlebar is the key to treating cyclist's palsy and carpal tunnel syndrome. Keep your wrists straight when you grip the handlebar. Bent wrists lead to nerve entrapment and hand pain. If you are on a road bike vary the position of your hands every few minutes from the drops to the brake hoods to the top near the stem".

He has loads more info regarding this in his book Andy Pruitt's Complete Medical Guide for Cyclists. I love this book. For a new rider it provides heaps of good information on bike fit, cycling injuries and training.

All the girls here at TE are probably laughing because Im always raving about this book but it really is worth the money. Check it out you wont regret it.:)

[terpin]

LOL - I've only read a few threads on TE, and I've already seen you reference Pruitt's book! I think I'm going to have to pick up a copy. Sounds like it must be packed with good info.

Thanks!:D

[tulip]

bend your elbows and RELAX!

[SouthernBelle]

This is something I'm trying to work on correcting in myself. I tend to lean or rest my weight on my hands too much with my elbows locked which kinks my wrists. Then numb hands. Relax your arms and keep your elbows bent making your body hold up it's own weight. If you can't do ths your bike may need adjusting.

HTH,

[morsecode]

Getting one of those stress balls can help by strengthening your wrists

I had problems on my bike (MTB), but I got handlebar extenders and have forced myself to regularly change my grip as I've riding, which has helped

[morsecode]

He has loads more info regarding this in his book Andy Pruitt's Complete Medical Guide for Cyclists. I love this book. For a new rider it provides heaps of good information on bike fit, cycling injuries and training.

All the girls here at TE are probably laughing because Im always raving about this book but it really is worth the money. Check it out you wont regret it.:)
I just told hubby that we should pick this up!

[eclectic]

I purchased my first road bike this year and I've been enjoying riding on the weekends. After after about 10 to 15 miles, my hands start to get tingly and numb, like they are falling asleep. Is this normal and does it ever stop happening? I wear cycling gloves with a bit of padding, gel padding under the handle bar wraps and I try to vary my grip, but still the numbness comes. Any suggestions?

PS...new to the forum and absolutely love all the tips I've read so far!

Thanks!

How is your bike fit?
Until I adjusted my stem I was leaning too far forward and putting too much weight on my hands,
I still notice it some when I am getting tired and shifting my weight again back onto my hands instead of my butt and legs

[terpin]

How is your bike fit?

I am a bit concerned about bike fit and have been trying different adjustments. I actually think my handle bars may be too narrow for me which could be causing me to bend my wrists. And I definitely need to work on my form.

I also wish I would have spent more time looking for a bike and test riding before I purchased, but this is a learning process. Aside from the numb hands, though, I've been quite happy with my Specialized. I have to say the saddle it came with is more comfortable than I ever thought possible on a road bike. But that's a whole other topic...

[eclectic]

I am a bit concerned about bike fit and have been trying different adjustments. I actually think my handle bars may be too narrow for me which could be causing me to bend my wrists. And I definitely need to work on my form.

I also wish I would have spent more time looking for a bike and test riding before I purchased, but this is a learning process. Aside from the numb hands, though, I've been quite happy with my Specialized. I have to say the saddle it came with is more comfortable than I ever thought possible on a road bike. But that's a whole other topic...

As I have discovered there are hundreds of places to make adjustments and they can be the minutist little things but make a huge difference.

I would suggest really observe how you are riding and holding your hands at all times and where the rest of your body is and how much pressure there is on your butt, knees, feet, shoulders, back etc.

My left foot kept falling asleep after 12 miles and the numbness would creep up my leg. It took me awhile to figure it out (everyone said it was my seat) I didn't think it was. I really watched and figured out it was how I was putting pressure on my foot while pedaling. Went clipless with stiff soled road shoes and haven't had a problem up to 65 miles ( longest ride to date)

Good luck and keep us posted

[RedRansV2]

New here! Someone over on the bentrideronline website mentioned this board and I'm enjoying reading through the messages.

I wish I'd had Pruitt's book (or the info therein) about 20 years ago. The knowledge and techniques might have saved my hands and wrists. Or maybe I'm just a bit defective. :) Terpin, get that hand numbness issue addressed. Yep, even if you have to buy a different road bike.
I ride a recumbent bike these days and I absolutely love it. (And no, they're not slow.) But I sure miss having the option of riding a diamond frame bike; there are lot of really nice bikes out there. Preserve your options!

[Kano]

eclectic -- numb foot after 12 miles sounds VERY familiar! And today, on my first real ride with the new clipless pedals, no numbness! How cool!

Terpin -- hand pain/numbness -- I haven't got drops on my comfort-beast, and I don't recall seeing what style your bike is, but mine is Specialized too, and if you've got similar handgrips to mine, you might need to adjust them a bit. Bike guy told me at one point, when I was having some issues, that the handgrip -- it has that sort of pointy part that makes a nice wide flat area -- that should stick out in such a way that the flat is parallel to the ground, sort of, so that the heel of your hand is resting on flat. If you're on the pointy part, OUCH. Another trick I've used when aching is to not wrap my thumb around the bar -- death grip is not possible if you do this, and that relaxes your hand!

One thing I've learned very well in 500 miles: if there's something that hurts when you ride, the bike guys can help! Even if the best description you can give is "it feels like old lady elbows," they can help! Talk to your bike guy!

Karen in Boise

[tulip]

Putting alot of weight on your hands may be a sign of a weak core (abs, etc.). Strengthening the core (pilates is a good way) will allow your body to hold more of your weight, as opposed to your hands and wrists.

[eclectic]

Putting alot of weight on your hands may be a sign of a weak core (abs, etc.). Strengthening the core (pilates is a good way) will allow your body to hold more of your weight, as opposed to your hands and wrists.

Welcome RedransV2 ! ! !

and very good point Tulip. I forgot about core strength, important in EVERYTHING

And Kano - Hooray on the clipless ! Don't you just love 'em ? I shift my hands around a lot too and keep my thumbs up on top if just cruising along

[Kano]

And Kano - Hooray on the clipless ! Don't you just love 'em ? I shift my hands around a lot too and keep my thumbs up on top if just cruising along

I DO love those new pedals! :D :D My body is grumbling a bit today, as new muscles came into play, simply because they could yesterday and perhaps 30+ miles wasn't the best choice for a first ride, but, you know....

I gotta echo the core strength thing -- my LBS set my handlebars to sit me more upright early in the season -- my bike is a comfort bike, and you don't get much more upright than those, really, but more upright than the "default" even, and as the season has progressed, we've changed my handlebar position now to less upright, which changed the way the bike handles and MY position -- again, new muscles engaging, good thing I've been doing some core work! (not enough, but it's helped a lot!)

Karen in Boise

[run it, ride it]

All this talk is making my forearms ache. I've had bad tendonitis in both for four years. Most of it came from improper keyboard height, carrying too many textbooks and years of working labour. It's not carpal tunnel yet, but it will get there. Did I mention I'm only 20? You're never too young to do permanent damage.

Straight handlebars are now out of the question in my case. Don't let it get that far. Don't suck it up like I did--it may not be reversible.

In addition to core strength (upper, lower, obliques, back, everything!), make sure your wrists are indeed strong enough to support the tendons without extreme stress or (lord forbid) excessive and prolonged bending.

Whenever you put prolonged stress on your wrists (biking, typing, etc) shake out your wrists, stretch them up and down, wiggle your fingers. Stress balls may either help or hinder depending on the tendons and inflamation involved--if it hurts, don't do it. If it helps, do.

Wrist curls won't heal damage already done, but it can preserve what you have left. At worst I had no mobility in either wrist and wore braces all day. I worked up to a gentle stretch, partial mobility, full stretch and mobility, then a full wrist curl. Now I can do 12 lbs (CAREFULLY). But if I palm open a door the wrong way I'm doubled over in pain. It's knuckle-pushups only and I need to be very, very careful on all equimpent at the gym.

Make sure EVERYTHING you do is friendly to your wrists. Elbows bent 90 degrees for mouse and keyboard, and gel pads. I don't care if you feel silly. Do not break severely at the wrist when you hold a pen or frying pan, carry a box, squeeze the gas pump, drive a car...

I know I sound like an old biddy about this, but some injuries you just can't ignore!

[RoadRaven]

Rather than start something new, I thought I would just search for a discussion on handlebar palsy and

BUMP

it... and reference everyone to a great article in the May-June 2007 issue of Bicycling Australia which I only just bought this week.

Pages 70-74, complete with an "anatomy and compression site" pic (a hand with the lines/sites drawn on it) and pix of a woman modeling different riding positions and bike fit to minimise the palsy.

Also some useful prevention strategies and clear description and photos of treatment exercises.

[Flybye]

This is a ridiculously simple question but -
Are you cinching up your gloves too tight?

This is from a post entitled "I'm such a dork" that I remembered reading:

'm such a dork.
So I went on my first after work road ride since my 'vehicle drama' - and it was GREAT! The traffic wasn't very bad and most of the drivers were really considerate. I did a couple of the harder hills in our area and still managed to maintain a 16 mph average, which is good for me. The 'I'm such a dork' part comes because I noticed last year that my wrists were getting sore and hands were getting numb during my rides. Even when I changed hand positions, moved my fingers a lot, etc, there was still pain and numbness. Well yesterday, it was really bad, right after the first 5 minutes or so. I pulled over, undid my gloves and started to take them off, when I noticed that the numbness started to go away and my hands stopped aching. Hmmm, I thought..... that's weird...did up my gloves, got back on my bike, and voila, hands numb and aching. So, being the blonde that I am, I stop, take off my gloves.....numb going away....

It only takes me a year and a half to put things together (I'm quick that way). DOH! I'm tightening my gloves around my wrist too much. So, left the gloves undone and MIRACLE OF MIRACLES.....no numbness, no pain..... I'm such a dork.......


If the solution is that easy, you need a red easy button - hope that is all it is :D

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

This is a ridiculously simple question but -
Are you cinching up your gloves too tight?

Not ridiculous at all! This same thing happened to me. When I first started wearing biking gloves, I closed the velcro at the wrist in a logical way- not tight at all, just pleasantly snug. My hands kept going numb. As I experimented, I found that I really had to close the velcro so that it left a bit of a loose gap. When I closed it snugly AT ALL, my hands went numb again. The gloves are snug enough on my hands not to really need the velcro closures anyway (you know how hard it is to pull biking gloves off!), but I began closing them as loosely as I possibly can and the numbness disappeared.

[Flybye]

Lisa S.H.

I just have to know about your avatar. It is great! Do tell.........:D