Numb hands

[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

[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.........