Nerve impingement on the bike

[Catrin]

Had a lovely 80 minute ride this morning! However, just as most other rides since my neck injury, after about 45 minutes there are some neurological symptoms in my left arm. It isn't bad, but noticeable. My bike fit has been thoroughly checked, so it isn't a fit issue. It is frustrating given my activity level at the gym - which is far more intense than cycling! Few issues there, and I am pretty good these days about enforcing that rule - if it hurts don't do it... I ALSO have to admit that I've far more "neck after-effects" after riding than I do after any gym workout - and that includes heavy deadlifting and back squats (which have no repercussions - but I don't lift much above my body weight).

This morning I tried to focus on keeping a neutral spine and not rounding my shoulders so I am not over-extending or breaking at the lumbar spine. Of course that doesn't mean I was successful for the entire ride. I DO have a very upright riding position, most of my weight is on my saddle.

I do use a hydration pack, and it is engineered to keep most of the weight off of the back. I've never learned to drink from a bottle while riding and am unsure that my neck/shoulder would actually allow that. It is possible that the pack is causing the problem, and there is only one way to check that out. My next ride I will take a bottle and leave the pack at home - I will just have to stop to drink. While the pack IS 100 ounces, I typically only put 12-20 ounces in it at most for my current ride length, but it must be ruled out.

Any other suggestions? If I can't solve this I will have to limit my riding to 1 hour pleasure rides and focus my more intense cardio efforts to other things. I do a wide series of mobility/rehab exercises every day - I don't think I need to add anything in that department. I am perplexed why this is limited to riding only - so hopefully that will make it easier to figure out what is going on.

[OakLeaf]

What about a hands-free hydration system like triathletes use? Some of them are frame mounted so you wouldn't need aero bars. You'd still probably have to dip your head and shoulders to drink from a non-aero position, but you wouldn't have to grab a bottle?


ETA - or since you're okay with reaching for the drink tube of your Camelbak, maybe you could put an extra long hose on the bottle in place of the straw, and clip it to your handlebars somehow?

[Catrin]

I think the head dipping thing would cause another problem - but FIRST I need to rule out the hydration pack as the cause of the problem. Sunday morning is an intense conditioning group training session so I don't normally ride on Sundays. However, unless we do a lot of deadlifting or overhead work today I will get the bike out this evening for a gentle ride and just take a water bottle/stop when I need to drink. From what I've been able to tell the intensity of the ride isn't related to the onset of my symptoms so a gentle ride should tell me something.

I SO wish I lived close to Wahine or Knotted!

[Crankin]

I second investigating the pack as the cause, before you do anything. I have had a similar lower back issue that was definitely related to the type of waist pack I was wearing while nordic skiing. Yes, I already had a sensitive spot/issue there, but the weight and angle of the pack just pushed it over the edge.
I've spent 2 months rehabbing, and while it's better, and I stopped the PT visits, I feel like this is something I could have avoided. Now I have to do a whole bunch of stretching to keep it from coming back! I will definitely be investigating new options for next winter.

[Catrin]

Interesting product Murieen, this is certainly worth exploring, especially the F2. As far as my back is concerned I associate it with the back/shoulder position required for a good deadlift - starting with the hips (flat back, no breaking anywhere, no rounded shoulders). That being said, it is quite possible that I only do this when I think about it. I typically ride solo but if there is a good time I will have someone take a video of me from the side to see if my riding position is what it feels like. I've learned the hard way over the last year that just because it FEELS like we are in a certain position that it doesn't automatically mean that we are...

Our morning session was a bit less intense than usual as we were focusing on the basics. It looks like I will be able to spend an hour on the bike this evening, a gentle ride to test what it is like without the pack.

[OakLeaf]

That's the kind of thing I meant.

FWIW, Camelbak and Platypus use the same diameter tubing, but Hydrapak and Nathan use a different size. I'm not sure what other brands use - including that Speedfil. But you can find a variety of tubing for sale, either as water lines in a plumbing supply store, or as siphon/drain/vent lines in a home brew supply store. Just make sure you get potable water/food grade tubing. You'd just have to figure out a way to secure the excess length when you weren't using it, but that shouldn't be too hard.

[Catrin]

That's the kind of thing I meant.

FWIW, Camelbak and Platypus use the same diameter tubing, but Hydrapak and Nathan use a different size. I'm not sure what other brands use - including that Speedfil. But you can find a variety of tubing for sale, either as water lines in a plumbing supply store, or as siphon/drain/vent lines in a home brew supply store. Just make sure you get potable water/food grade tubing. You'd just have to figure out a way to secure the excess length when you weren't using it, but that shouldn't be too hard.

I am not the most mechanically inclined but I've an incentive here! If I could come up with some way of using this that didn't require head/shoulder dipping...perhaps a way of clipping it to my jersey about where I have the tubing for the Vaude? hmmmmm it would have to be very secure so it wouldn't come unattached accidentally and wind up in the chain, but that sounds like a better bio-mechanical position than having to lean forward. Frankly, the more complicated it is, the less I would be inclined to actually drink.

[Catrin]

It's hard to tell, but it looks like she would be able to bend it upright and still reach it, especially since she is on a smaller frame. The straw case has a covering and a wire to allow it to be positioned. (See video).

The video froze for me, regardless of browser The narrative continued but the video stopped. I will check it out later, perhaps it will work better another time.

[Catrin]

Very good to know Muirenn, they do seem to have different models for Tri and other bikes. Didn't get to ride tonight, we just had a major thunderstorm and things are now a mess. Hopefully tomorrow after work I can conduct my experiment.

[Catrin]

Rode today with no hydration pack, just a water bottle & stopped when I needed to drink. While my neck/trap was less troublesome than when I use the pack, it was still a problem but NO neurological symptoms however. So, for now, it appears that one hour is about my riding limit. Well, I will take it! Riding for one hour is far better than NO riding. I just need to change my purpose for riding in the first place. So, for now, it will simply need to be for joy and stress relief and keep the more serious exercise to my other activities that I can do without pain. This doesn't mean that this won't resolve as I deal with my shoulder however, this doesn't have to be permanent!