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Numbness, pain in hands...

G-Cracker

Monkey
May 2, 2002
528
0
Tucson, beatch!
Hey all...

Recently bought an older Cannondale from a friend and have been enjoying it immensly. Some history:

Last September, I rode the local MS150 (my first big ride) on my double-squishy mountain bike, fitted with road slicks. During that ride, I began to feel some pain and numbness in my hands, mainly around the "meat" of the thumbs. Since I only had the grips and the bar-ends, there wasn't much I could do that wouldn't keep pressure on my hands.

So now that I'm riding the new road bike a bit, I'm worried because I can't ride more than 2 miles before the pain sets in. I switch positions on the road bars to help relieve this pain and I wear decent padded gloves.

I know there is a major nerve that runs through there. Have I damaged it? Are there any remedies for this kind of thing?

Thanks for the advice!
 

LordOpie

MOTHER HEN
Oct 17, 2002
21,022
3
Denver
if you're concerned about having injured your hand/wrist, see a doctor.

Otherwise, here's a little that I learned:

-- overly padded anything can cut off blood supply, pinch nerves. So whether it's a saddle or gloves or shorts, I prefer a bit less padding and I prefer the padding to be in just select spots. I can't speak for your gloves tho, but maybe the padding is too much or in the wrong place for your hand or has broken down (if they're older).

-- I'm guessing here since I'm not that knowledgeable, but perhaps the bike is fit wrong to you. Maybe move the saddle and/or post? Are you over-reaching or feeling cramped?

-- Masturbate more... conditions and strengthens.
 

gorgechris

Monkey
Mar 25, 2003
242
0
Traveling the eastern U.S.
I would recommend getting a bike fit done for you at a shop, if that is at all possible.

If not, here are a couple of things that come to mind:
- Are you bearing the weight of your upper body with your arms? You should have most of your weight on your saddle. There could be a number of reasons why this is happening, if it is. Your saddle might be tilted too far forward, or your bars may be lower than your saddle and your back is not strong enough to support you.
- Do your shoulders get tired, too? Your bar may be too narrow, causing your wrists to be bent in order to hold the bar. Again, a proper bike fit will assess the situation.
 

G-Cracker

Monkey
May 2, 2002
528
0
Tucson, beatch!
It may sound crazy, but I didn't even think of getting it fit to me properly. The buddy that sold me the bike is about an inch shorter than I am and we're built about the same.

I know that road biking posture is way more stretched than mtn, and since I am so new to the road, I have been unsure how "stretched" I need to be. But like I mentioned above, I'm pretty sure I need a shorter stem.

Shoulders don't hurt at all so I think that is okay, and on my ride home tonight, I'll pay attention to how my weight is distributed.

thanks for the advice,:monkey:'s... you all ROCK!
 

LordOpie

MOTHER HEN
Oct 17, 2002
21,022
3
Denver
Originally posted by G-Cracker
It may sound crazy, but I didn't even think of getting it fit to me properly. The buddy that sold me the bike is about an inch shorter than I am and we're built about the same.

I know that road biking posture is way more stretched than mtn...
While I do agree that a professional fit is a good idea, I'd also guess that your "fit" will change significantly as you get used to being on a road bike. I've made changes to my bike as I've gotten more comfortable with the roadie posture. Maybe make your fit less aggressive while you get used to the bike? (Especially if your buddy was an experienced roadie and fit it to him)
 

jaydee

Monkey
Jul 5, 2001
794
0
Victoria BC
The median nerve runs through the carpal tunnel, which is formed by the bones of your wrist just on the palm side of the last crease on your wrist and a taut band running across it. All your finger tendons run through there too. Irritation of the median nerve is "carpal tunnel syndrome" (CTS). It is diagnosed usually with nerve conduction tests (EMG). But if you get tingling in the thumb and first two fingers when you tap over the carpal tunnel or if you hold your wrist bent strongly back for 30 seconds or so, you can bet you've got nerve irritation. Also if you get numbness or pain in those areas and the meat of your thumb (thenar eminence) after riding with pressure in the tunnel area, chances are you have CTS. Ice, ibuprofen, and ultrasound can all help, but you really have to decrease the amount of pressure you put on the area. I get it too; it's a cyclist's nightmare. I just change hand position a lot and try to avoid pressing right on the tunnel. If you have a physiotherapist or chiropractor in your area who is certified in Active Release Techniques, you could try that. When I was a physio, I used these techniques a lot and had decent success with them. The comments about getting less weight on the bars are spot-on too.