Wrist pain woes

[hirakukibou]

Hi All,
I ride with Hirakukibou and I have pain in my wrist. She was sure y'all would have some ideas!!! You need to know that I have a structural injury that is contributing to the problem - I have a free floating clavicle so hand numbness is a given. But, this year I am also experiencing pain in my wrist and am wondering if there might be some kind of adjustments I can make to my bike that could ameliorate the situation.
- I've tried different sized bikes to see how the reach changes things
(it was less painful on a shorter reach)
- I'm wondering about how to straighten my wrist without losing the ability
to reach the brake grippers
- I have a hybrid bike with shimano brakes - anybody ever shimmed them?
- Any suggestions for exercises? I think one of the carpal bones is getting
"dislocated" on the ulnar thenar eminence.

Thanks for any thoughts!
janet

[TsPoet]

On bikejournal, someone would pipe up and suggest a recumbent and I always grumble with disappointment at the bent poster. But, have you considered a recumbent?
I have a friend who's gone bent after surgery removed much of the musculature in her shoulder. She could still ride a DF, but only with pain. I, too, have gone bent. I didn't do it because of pain, but I'm never going back to a DF due to lack of pain.

[Starfish]

I have Shimano brakes, and I have them double shimmed (two sets of shims per brake lever). I have really tiny hands. It really helps.

Also, if you are on a hybrid, does that mean you have flat-bar handle bars? When I first started biking, I had a mountain bike that was never properly fitted to me. I ended up with loads of pain in my wrists and elbows.

Later, I got a road bike (Specialized), and the bars have a wonderful, curvy shape...even more curvy than a lot of other road bikes I've seen. Those bars, including the bar phat gel underneath the tape, have eliminated my elbow and wrist pains. I know you have a pre-existing condition, as you mentioned, but maybe more options on your handlebars would help?

[makbike]

I too suffer from wrist pain when I ride (I have carpal tunnel). I started seeing a chiropractor and it really did help - I'm, for the most part, pain free these days. He gave me a series of exercises to do a couple days each day and they really did help along with his adjustments.

I also purchased a recumbent and though I do not ride it a lot it does give my hands/wrist a much deserved break a couple times a week.

Keep us posted.

[ChickWithBrains]

There are a lot of other questions you need to answer to get a good grip on how to fix the pain. Does it always hurt, or just when you ride? What other activities make it hurt? Does it hurt to flex, or extend? Does it only hurt when you put pressure on your hands? Does it hurt in the drops, on your aero bars, or holding the top of the headset? Do you have pain in the "anatomical snuffbox," the little divot between the base of your thumb and your wrist along the side of your forearm when you extend your thumb out to the side? Did you have an inury where you fell onto an outstretched hand? Do your fingers get numb when you have the pain, but not when you don't?

These help tease apart a bike fit problem vs a "it's your body that needs more time to heal" problem. Good luck!