Discussion
For some time now I've been getting a numb left hand when out on the bike. On rides of 2-3hrs it's ok, but for longer rides it does get a bit irritating. I've tried adjusting my riding position and moving my hands about as much as I can, also I've tried mitts with and without padding and although there is differences, I still get the numbness.
The day after, my hand does feel weaker than normal as well, so it does have a lingering effect on me. If it was gone 1 hr after a ride I wouldn't give it as much thought.
Do I need to go the way of changing to a set of handlebars with an anatomical bend?
Thanks in advance for any help and advice.
Cheers,
Mike.
The day after, my hand does feel weaker than normal as well, so it does have a lingering effect on me. If it was gone 1 hr after a ride I wouldn't give it as much thought.
Do I need to go the way of changing to a set of handlebars with an anatomical bend?
Thanks in advance for any help and advice.
Cheers,
Mike.
I've just picked up a copy of Cycling Plus - September 2011 and in the Q&A section they had one on Numb Hands. It's quite detailed and i can't find an online link so i've typed it all out below, but it does back up the other response above about the Ulna nerve.
Hope it helps
Q - Numb hands are all too often a cyclist's lot - so what can you do about it?
A - Numbness, pins and needles and weakness of the hands can be a result of cyclist's palsy. This condition, also known as Ulnar neuropathy, is caused by pressure over the Ulna nerve as it enters the hand at the wrist. The nerve has to pass through a narrow space, just at the point where cyclist's tend to rest their hands. It's called the Hypothenar Eminence and is at the base of the palm, opposite the thum. The Ulna nerve provides sensation to the little and ring fingers, so it is those fingers that tend to feel numb. If the feeling in the thumb or other fingers is affected, that would suggest Carpal tunnel syndrome - a condition that can be exacerbated by cycling. Cyclists palsy can also affect the muscles of the hand, with sufferers noticing a loss of grip and difficulty pinching. It can be difficult to hold the little finger tight up to the ring finger, with the affect that it keeps getting caught of the edge of trouser pockets - Wartenberg's sign. Cyclists palsy is generally a reversable condition, taking up to 3 months to resolve, but it means having to take a rest from cycling, so prevention is better than cure. Wear well padded gloves and use thicker bar tape. Try to avoid putting pressure on the inner aspect of the hands when riding and don't extend the wrists too much - just keep them relaxed and straight. Carpel tunnel syndrome can be caused by bending the wrists too far back for long periods. A correctly set up bike should allow you to rest your hands lighly on the bars as you ride. If you can't do this it suggests a seat that is too high, or bars that are too low. Drop bars are better than flats because they allow changing of hand positions during a ride, relieving pressure points. All good advice if you want to be able to keep a good grip on your mid ride cappuccino.
Dr Andy Ward - GP and Cyclist
Hope it helps
Q - Numb hands are all too often a cyclist's lot - so what can you do about it?
A - Numbness, pins and needles and weakness of the hands can be a result of cyclist's palsy. This condition, also known as Ulnar neuropathy, is caused by pressure over the Ulna nerve as it enters the hand at the wrist. The nerve has to pass through a narrow space, just at the point where cyclist's tend to rest their hands. It's called the Hypothenar Eminence and is at the base of the palm, opposite the thum. The Ulna nerve provides sensation to the little and ring fingers, so it is those fingers that tend to feel numb. If the feeling in the thumb or other fingers is affected, that would suggest Carpal tunnel syndrome - a condition that can be exacerbated by cycling. Cyclists palsy can also affect the muscles of the hand, with sufferers noticing a loss of grip and difficulty pinching. It can be difficult to hold the little finger tight up to the ring finger, with the affect that it keeps getting caught of the edge of trouser pockets - Wartenberg's sign. Cyclists palsy is generally a reversable condition, taking up to 3 months to resolve, but it means having to take a rest from cycling, so prevention is better than cure. Wear well padded gloves and use thicker bar tape. Try to avoid putting pressure on the inner aspect of the hands when riding and don't extend the wrists too much - just keep them relaxed and straight. Carpel tunnel syndrome can be caused by bending the wrists too far back for long periods. A correctly set up bike should allow you to rest your hands lighly on the bars as you ride. If you can't do this it suggests a seat that is too high, or bars that are too low. Drop bars are better than flats because they allow changing of hand positions during a ride, relieving pressure points. All good advice if you want to be able to keep a good grip on your mid ride cappuccino.
Dr Andy Ward - GP and Cyclist
At the beginning of Spring I started to do weekly century rides. After the first few I had trouble with my grip. My hands would be weak for a few days afterwards. After about 5 rides in it subsided.
I think it was a mix of stop gripping so tightly on descents, practice builds confidence, and just getting used to going long.
ETA my hands were quite numb as well
I think it was a mix of stop gripping so tightly on descents, practice builds confidence, and just getting used to going long.
ETA my hands were quite numb as well
Thanks for the advice, especially allblackdup for typing out the article. I'll look at adjusting my riding position a bit to see if that has any positive effects. If not, a 2nd layer of tape and different mitts, the tape does look a bit grotty, so a fresh layer won't go amiss.
Cheers.
Cheers.
You shouldn't really be having problems with numb hands. It may be that your position on the bike is not quite right, or that the balance between your contact points is out of kilter. i.e. you are putting too much weight on your hands. Experience, fitness, and a bike fit will all help.
Just a warning on well padded gloves - for me they actually caused the problem. Thought I'd upgrade to something a bit more comfy one day and then spent the next 6 months trying to work out why my hands were going numb... It's all to do with where the pressure is exerted around your wrists. The carpal tunnel is the obvious one to avoid, and usually requires a change of grip.
Apologies for bumping an old thread but I searched PP after suffering myself on occasions (long rides) and reading the terrible news of this poor girl.
http://www.middevongazette.co.uk/Cyclist-died-hand...
Looks like I'll invest in some good gloves which alleviates the condition.
http://www.middevongazette.co.uk/Cyclist-died-hand...
Looks like I'll invest in some good gloves which alleviates the condition.
I did read that article. In the end I had a bike fit which solved my problem with my hand going numb. I had tried adjusting my position a bit, but it was a more stretched out position with a longer stem which what I needed. As well as solving my numb hand the bike fit did make a small but noticeable difference to my efficiency on the bike.
Great topic, suffered with this for years but I think it's since I went through a "pothole" in the Scottish Highlands (although it was more like a crater) as I went through my hand slipped and I hit my left wrist on the handlebar. Ever since then two of my fingers go numb every time I ride!
This is one of those problems where it's very easy to make an awful lot of changes that attempt to treat the symptom, rather than the cause.
This problem is caused by too much weight being on your hands - with me, it was always my left hand, no idea why.
You can try raising your bars, or moving your saddle down slightly, or (and this one is slightly counter-intuitive, to me at least) moving your saddle back on the rails.
Don't, whatever you do, move it forward- this will move your centre of balance forward, which will in turn put more weight on your hands, not less.
In terms of non-bike things you can try, start doing planks to improve core strength, and maybe dead-lifts and goodmornings to improve lumbar strength.
This problem is caused by too much weight being on your hands - with me, it was always my left hand, no idea why.
You can try raising your bars, or moving your saddle down slightly, or (and this one is slightly counter-intuitive, to me at least) moving your saddle back on the rails.
Don't, whatever you do, move it forward- this will move your centre of balance forward, which will in turn put more weight on your hands, not less.
In terms of non-bike things you can try, start doing planks to improve core strength, and maybe dead-lifts and goodmornings to improve lumbar strength.
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