Carpal Tunnel - what to do?

[BMWBen]

Looks like I'm knackering the nerves in my right wrist - I've got three numb fingers on that hand and both hands often go numb when I'm riding from the vibration.

I do a 25 miles round trip commute every day on a hybrid. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I can do to stop this becoming a serious problem?

[Roman]

Try some gel grips first - Massi make good ones. Having your bars too low and your stem too long will increase the load on your wrists as well.

If that doesn't work try larger volume tyres and/or a pair of carbon cross forks:
http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/productdetail.asp?pr...

To dampen vibration further get some BBB fibrelite bars.

Edited by Roman on Tuesday 3rd November 15:18

[BMWBen]

Roman said:

Try some gel grips first - Massi make good ones. Having your bars too low and your stem too long will increase the load on your wrists as well.

If that doesn't work try larger volume tyres and/or a pair of carbon cross forks:
http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/productdetail.asp?pr...

To dampen vibration further get some BBB fibrelite bars.

Edited by Roman on Tuesday 3rd November 15:18

Alrighty, I'll start with the gel grips

[tybalt]

Wear proper biking gloves (if you aren't already).

Get fatter tyres.

Run them at lowish pressures (might help a bit with compliance)?

[Si 330]

My mrs had surgery for this about 5 or 6 weeks ago, do all you can to sort it before surgery as she is still an all sorts of pain and it's looking like the nerve is more damaged now.

[johnny senna]

Is it really carpal tunnel first (that is, squashed median nerve)? If the pins and needles are in the thumb, index and middle finger, then the answer is probably yes. If the pins and needles are in the little and ring fingers, the problem is more likely a squashed ulna nerve. Having said that, if the problem only occurs on your bike (and not at night in bed for example) then you need to try constantly changing grip position of your hands on the bars, grip less tightly, put a little less weight through your hands when riding, gel gloves etc.