Issues with Hand Pain - not sure what to do?!?

[Kano]

Core strength, Saddle position -- angle, and gloves. Those are the things to think about, IMO.

After fitting the other day, my hands are bothering me again. My saddle (Bontrager Inform that I deliberately purchased, btw, and which has made a big difference in my comfort level in a good way, even if Bontrager saddles are "famous" for being uncomfortable) was too low. Corey raised it about 2.3cm. (almost an inch!) I knew this needed to be done, though I didn't expect that much change, and that it was going to affect the all kinds of other things too, which is why I took it to the fitter. My bar height was adjusted too, by changing the angle of my stem 2 degrees. He says that's it -- put it any higher and downhill will be scary. Living where I do, with hills to cope with on every ride, I don't need descents to be any more spooky.

Anyway, that changes my upper body angle, so I've got to get still stronger in the core to help myself support that change. That's okay. I can do that. I've got a few other muscles to strengthen too, and my trainer is delighted to devise new tortures for me!

I realized something else today though -- my new "favorite" gloves are NOT my favorite gloves anymore! I've been wearing PI symphony gloves for a couple of years now. They've worked well for me for the most part. I wore size large two seasons ago. Last year, medium was better -- the large would slide on my hands and I had all kinds of interesting pain. This year, I needed to buy some in Small. One day, I forgot them when I went on a shop ride, so I figured no biggie, I'll pick up another pair -- I'm at the LBS anyway, eh? I bought the medium. They felt good when I put them on.

Shouldn't have done that. They were pretty blue ones, and until this morning, they've been my favorites because they're the pretty blue ones.

My hands have been bothering me a bit lately, but now, with the change in my bike's set up, and the new body position to get used to, my hands have been BOTHERING me! My gloves are "sawing" into the "webs" between my fingers, the padding is TOTALLY in the wrong places, they're just all wrong. Back to my yellow gloves! I really do like my blue ones, and I did like having two pair, darn it!

Good thing tonight is a shopping night with my daughters. I'll add one more stop to my list, before I meet them, since the bike shop isn't their favorite place to go like it is mine!

Karen in Boise

[Crankin]

The horrible pain I had in my hands when I started cycling was purely from gloves with gel pads. I cannot take even the tiniest amount of padding or gel in my gloves. It is very hard to find gloves with hardly any!

[Seal]

You might want to try a horseback riding store to find gloves w/out gel. They will probably be spendy and have fingers but no gel.

[kenyonchris]

You might want to try a horseback riding store to find gloves w/out gel. They will probably be spendy and have fingers but no gel.

Riding gloves may work, but you might find them too restrictive. The hand position for riding a bike is more open than holding a rein. And, because of the need for riding gloves to take a lot of friction and abuse, they tend to be pretty thick and reinforced in the finger area.
I don't like any gel under my bar tape, and I don't like cycling gloves because of the gel pads in them. I am a full body sweater and that includes my hands and arms...the gel pads wind up creasing in weird ways.
The best I found were driving gloves. They are much, much thinner than riding gloves without the reinforcements that come with riding gloves. They are pricey, tho.

[mtbdarby]

Here's just an alternative thought for those that do have the bike dialed in and still get hand pain. C7. I had a LOT of hand pain after a road crash a couple years ago and had my bike dialed in, went to PT, orthopedic hand dr., cortizone injection, etc. Then I went to my chiropractor. After an adjustment to my neck the swelling in my hand went away and so did the hand pain. FWIW...