Sprained my hand, but I still want to ride!!

[CarbonCandy]

A little over a week ago I went OTB while riding my mtb at the local state park. It was one of those slow motion moments where I saw my hand just curl into the ground. It's pretty safe to assume I sprained it, and didn't brake it. I've been wearing a brace since the day after, it looks almost like a wrist guard for going rollerblading Anyways, I went on a mtb group ride the following Saturday, wearing the brace, didn't hurt at all wearing it, but it was terribly awkward! Because the brace has this metal insert on the underside thats removable, when I ride it wants to push out because I of the way I hold the handle bars.

I REALLY want to ride. I've had my bike for not even a month and I crashed on the 3rd ride! Any alternatives for strapping up my wrist? Or more of a sport ready brace? Any help would be appreciated!

[beccaB]

Will wrapping an ace bandage around it help? I know how much that hurts. I tripped and fell when I was buckling some little kids into my van and caught my thumb on a seat. It sprained all the muscles by my thumb and felt like I'd dislocated it. I gave birth to 3 children, and almost nothing has ever hurt that bad. Fortunately it was years before I was biking.

[ridebikeme]

Ahhh I know how you feel.. I broke my hand a couple of weeks ago, and missed riding in a bike tour because of it. But I keep reminding myself that things could have been MUCH worse! And "yes" my hand was injured in a cycling accident.

Here's to healing quickly!

[Flur]

Try wearing the brace with the stabilizer out. The braces tend to still limit movement a bit and provide good compression without the stabilizer. And you can bring the stabilizer along in case you find it hurts without it.

[bmccasland]

I rode a full season on my road bike with a wrist brace that had the metal insert after I pinched a nerve in my hand. There were some hand positions I couldn't do, but it is possible. I managed to perch my brace where it took most of the weight - the handle bar was between the metal stay and my hand. Folks called it my "witch blade". Considering I didn't have any pain - I don't know how that would come into play. One good thing about a pinched nerve, it didn't hurt. Which was also a bad thing, I didn't know I had pinched the nerve until after the ride (45 miles) and I realized that my hand didn't work very well.

Good luck!