Numb hands while riding

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captain peacock
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Re: Numb hands while riding

Postby captain peacock » Fri Oct 24, 2014 10:00 am

wombatK wrote:Try cycling with your hands held about 1 cm above the bars. If you fall forward onto the bars, then you've got too
much weight going forward - and that will give you numb hands. To fix this, you need to move the seat
position away from the handlebars. Best way is to move the seat back on its rails. If it's already at its
backward limit, you could try a longer headstem.
A good quality glove with gel inserts, gel handlebar tape or double-wrapped tape can also help relieve
the pressure on your hands.

Cheers
This!!!!

whenever you lean forward you stick your bum out as a counter-weight (look at golfers), it not you fall forward....in the case of being on a bike, your hands bear the weight.

and my preference is for no gloves.

good luck!

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KGB
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Re: Numb hands while riding

Postby KGB » Sat Oct 25, 2014 9:43 am

As an alternative to gloves, you can try the gel strips that go under the bar tape or just double wrap the top section of the bars.
Double wrapping works well and is easy and cheap - use a crappy old bit of bar tape underneath.
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Shelby35
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Re: Numb hands while riding

Postby Shelby35 » Fri Nov 07, 2014 11:25 pm

Change the stem and turn it around was much better only slight tingling every now and then.

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wombatK
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Re: Numb hands while riding

Postby wombatK » Sat Nov 08, 2014 12:07 am

Shelby35 wrote:Change the stem and turn it around was much better only slight tingling every now and then.
That would have raised the handlebars a little, making your back a little more upright, and transferring some weight from your forearms onto the seat. Did you try moving seat back on rails ? That would move weight back more dramatically.
WombatK

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greyhoundtom
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Re: Numb hands while riding

Postby greyhoundtom » Sat Nov 08, 2014 8:14 pm

I have tried heaps of different ideas because of my age and shoulder problems I have been a chronic sufferer from the numb hands syndrome when riding longer than half an hour.

Anyway I have just about got it as good as I'm ever going to get it by moving my seat back as far as possible, and providing additional comfortable hand positions by installing a handlebar with flat sections, MTB grips with bar tape over the top fitted to the drops section to provide a larger and softer grip.

Last but not least I have placed the brifters at an acute angle to the bars as this allows a straighter hand/wrist position, and it takes away the need to have most of the pressure where my hands touch the bars on my thumbs, and with the bar shape as it is it also allows hand on top of the hoods riding with the wrists resting on the small hollow on top of the bars that mimics to a small extent the time trail hand position.

I know it looks weird but I have found it extremely comfortable.
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harmonix1234
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Re: Numb hands while riding

Postby harmonix1234 » Sat Nov 08, 2014 11:04 pm

Play around, bar tilt / rolling bars back or forward, putting more or even less spacers under your stem, flipping stem, changing hood position (tilting in or out a bit), a different shaped bar, so many things that can have a massive impact with just the smallest of changes.
I know that 2 or 3 degrees roll of the bar and I can tell straight away and becomes uncomfortable very quickly.
But if you do go down this route, just remember it can be never ending, so just make one adjustment / change at a time. Make a note of where your original setting was, and give it at least a few days riding to give your body an opportunity to adjust to the changes.
The smallest of things can have the biggest of affects on a bike, and never underestimate 2 or 3mm difference here or there.

harmonix1234
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Re: Numb hands while riding

Postby harmonix1234 » Sat Nov 08, 2014 11:08 pm

Looks pretty cool greyhoundtom. What bars are they? They have an interesting little dip on the edges just before the hoods. Does this help with comfort?

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greyhoundtom
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Re: Numb hands while riding

Postby greyhoundtom » Sun Nov 09, 2014 2:37 am

The bars are IDIO brand originally purchased from eBay, and yes that flat indentation on the bar at each end is a great spot to rest the wrists on while riding aero, and it provides a larger flatter area to rest the hands on when having the finger tips on the brakes and shifters.

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rodneycc
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Re: Numb hands while riding

Postby rodneycc » Fri Nov 28, 2014 2:45 pm

Started getting this after increasing distance recently (fine up to about 25-30km but starts playing up after about 30km) Only thing that's working for me is jumping out of the saddle and doing a few quick sprints or climbs out of the seat up hills and it goes away for a little while but comes back a few minutes later so I have to repeat the process (can be a little tiring!).

I've got chronic knees so I don't really want to play with the seat much now its kind of right. I thought I had my fit about right but I'm not so sure now with the hands (I bet if I slide the saddle back and I'll start getting knee problems or I buy a longer stem and start getting back/neck problems). Man, I'm just getting old and can't win...
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cage
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Re: Numb hands while riding

Postby cage » Fri Nov 28, 2014 5:19 pm

Shelby35 wrote:I have just started riding again after a number of years.
Cheers
wombatK wrote:Try cycling with your hands held about 1 cm above the bars. If you fall forward onto the bars, then you've got too
much weight going forward - and that will give you numb hands. To fix this, you need to move the seat
position away from the handlebars.
I think the biggest issue here is limited core strength so moving the seat back will put more pressure on his hands. If he cant hold his hands up without falling forward now, then making him lean even more forward isn't going to help.

Without sufficient core strength, everything else is just a band aid solution. More riding will help but regular core exercises at home is the key.
If drivers and riders spent more time worrying about their responsibilities than their rights then roads would be far safer.

Shelby35
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Re: Numb hands while riding

Postby Shelby35 » Sun Nov 30, 2014 10:20 pm

cage wrote:
Shelby35 wrote:I have just started riding again after a number of years.
Cheers
wombatK wrote:Try cycling with your hands held about 1 cm above the bars. If you fall forward onto the bars, then you've got too
much weight going forward - and that will give you numb hands. To fix this, you need to move the seat
position away from the handlebars.
I think the biggest issue here is limited core strength so moving the seat back will put more pressure on his hands. If he cant hold his hands up without falling forward now, then making him lean even more forward isn't going to help.

Without sufficient core strength, everything else is just a band aid solution. More riding will help but regular core exercises at home is the key.
So what you saying is more crunches. Anyway i have now done 1000 klm since i got my bike it took 8 weeks for the firtst 500 ks and 4 weeks for the second 500. Currently doing 30 klms each day. Hands still getting a little numb have found it varies with the road surface. Usually starts after 10 minutes. Taking the bike in for a service and will look at fitment again. Over all i am happy with the way i am going considering i had a hip replacement in may at the tender age of 42.

Shelby35
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Re: Numb hands while riding

Postby Shelby35 » Sun Feb 01, 2015 11:12 pm

Well the numb hands have now turned into buring hands mostly the right one. Feels like i have deep heat on it. Any suggestions? Thanks

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3DKiwi
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Re: Numb hands while riding

Postby 3DKiwi » Mon Feb 02, 2015 5:45 am

I get a numb right hand from time to time. It's a lot better now than it was. For me I tracked it down to the amount of time I spent on my computer and using a mouse. I now use a wrist support under my right wrist and this has greatly improved things out on the bike.

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greyhoundtom
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Re: Numb hands while riding

Postby greyhoundtom » Mon Feb 02, 2015 6:57 am

Shelby35 wrote:Well the numb hands have now turned into buring hands mostly the right one. Feels like i have deep heat on it. Any suggestions? Thanks
There are several aspects to those issues, and it's not always about your position on the bike that is causing this. Pre existing muscle spasms in the base of the neck and top of shoulders impacting upon the nerve supply to the hands is often the underlying cause and no amount of bike adjustments is going solve that.

Two things: One - organise a weekly massage to the lower neck and shoulders for at least a couple of weeks by someone that knows what they are doing. Two - make a contious effort when riding to relax your grip on the handle bars to the extent that most of the time they are resting on the bars with just one or two fingers lightly curled around the bars just in case you hit a rough patch on the road, and change the position of your hands as often as circumstances allow.

captain peacock
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Re: Numb hands while riding

Postby captain peacock » Sat Feb 07, 2015 9:23 pm

I think the biggest issue here is limited core strength so moving the seat back will put more pressure on his hands. If he cant hold his hands up without falling forward now, then making him lean even more forward isn't going to help.

Sorry, but i have to disagree with this....pushing the saddle back places more weight backwards and acts as a counterbalance and reduces weight on the hands....think of your fit like a see-saw, more weigth back and the other side un-weighs itself.

OP, i would try moving the saddle back just a bit, even just 2-3mm and drop the saddle 1mm and go from there.

also experiment with riding no gloves, i found those gel gloves to make numbness much worse.

one last thing, less tyre pressure will make the ride smoother....hope u don't pump up to the max like some people do!!

cage
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Re: Numb hands while riding

Postby cage » Sun Feb 08, 2015 12:43 am

captain peacock wrote: Sorry, but i have to disagree with this....pushing the saddle back places more weight backwards and acts as a counterbalance and reduces weight on the hands....think of your fit like a see-saw, more weigth back and the other side un-weighs itself.
There is no counter balance. To counter balance would mean the seat is the pivot point & that would require a part of your body to be hanging of the back of the seat...that just doesn't happen, your legs aren't hanging of the back.
Pushing the seat back means you have to lean forward more to reach the bars. Your upper body weight is supported by one of two ways, core strength & holding yourself up with your hands the bars.

Do this test. Set the bike up so its supported with you on it or get someone to hold it up while your on it. Set your self up in the drops, get comfortable & then take your hands away without raising back up. Lets see how long you hold that position. What you'll find is after a short while you'll start to feel it in your lower core.
If there was any counter balance, you would be able to stay like that for hours.
Shelby35 wrote:
cage wrote:
Shelby35 wrote:I have just started riding again after a number of years.
Cheers
wombatK wrote:Try cycling with your hands held about 1 cm above the bars. If you fall forward onto the bars, then you've got too
much weight going forward - and that will give you numb hands. To fix this, you need to move the seat
position away from the handlebars.
I think the biggest issue here is limited core strength so moving the seat back will put more pressure on his hands. If he cant hold his hands up without falling forward now, then making him lean even more forward isn't going to help.

Without sufficient core strength, everything else is just a band aid solution. More riding will help but regular core exercises at home is the key.
So what you saying is more crunches.
Crunches, yes but just as important, if not more, are lower back exercises. Talk to a body builder & they will tell you your back supports your body's frame. Think of you back the same as the foundations of a house. Without solid foundations the house will shift & develop cracks in the brick walls.
If drivers and riders spent more time worrying about their responsibilities than their rights then roads would be far safer.

Shelby35
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Re: Numb hands while riding

Postby Shelby35 » Sun Feb 08, 2015 9:23 am

Thanks for everyones input yes i do lack core strength this is something i am working on. Had the LBS look at my bike fit he said that i am a but lop sided on the bike with the right hand holder lower than the left. He suggested it could have something to do with my hip replacement. So i am going to see my Physo and see if he can help. Thanks Byron

kenwstr
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Re: Numb hands while riding

Postby kenwstr » Sun Mar 01, 2015 3:56 pm

Numb hands can also indicate Carpel tunnel. Google it and look at other symptoms. There are exercises if the condition has not progressed too far.

Ken

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Duck!
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Re: Numb hands while riding

Postby Duck! » Sun Mar 01, 2015 5:19 pm

kenwstr wrote:Numb hands can also indicate Carpel tunnel. Google it and look at other symptoms. There are exercises if the condition has not progressed too far.
A major pointer to Carpal Tunnel syndrome is numbness only occurring in certain fingers - those being thumb, index & middle, as these are the ones controlled by the median nerve, which passes through the carpal tunnel. If numbness also affects the ring & little fingers 9controlled by the ulnar nerve) then other causes are at play.
I had a thought, but it got run over as it crossed my mind.

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Re: Numb hands while riding

Postby Illuminate » Tue Mar 03, 2015 9:53 pm

Hi, I used to experience something quite similar. The problem was just down to too much weight going through too little a surface area. I have big hands and am heavy.

Problem completely resolved by:

Changing over to flat top bars (ended up with these cheapies http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-t ... talhbas130" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;). This spreads the down force out over a larger area.

Placing some of this under the bar tape (http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-t ... 2000000000" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) . Along with providing some cushioning, this also increases the diameter of the hand grip which is helpful for man-sized mits.

Please let us know how you get on. All the best!

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Tim
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Re: Numb hands while riding

Postby Tim » Mon Mar 09, 2015 8:16 am

I've had recurring Carpal Tunnel Syndrome for about 25 years. Waking in the middle of the night with numb, throbbing hands and lower arms is the worst part of it when it's bad.
Things that trigger it include power tool use, digging with a shovel, swinging a hammer and cycling.
Work caused it and cycling causes it to flare up from time to time.
The only real remedy is surgery. I'm reluctant to follow that course. Statistics probably show otherwise but most physical workers I've known such as shearers, carpenters and fishermen haven't had good results from the surgery. The problem returns or doesn't improve much at all.
I just live with it and try not to over-do it.

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Re: Numb hands while riding

Postby kenwstr » Mon Mar 09, 2015 6:32 pm

I have been doing Carpal Tunnel exercises I found online. I am not certain my condition is carpal, hasn't been diagnosed and is relatively mild. I do drop things from time to time, have lost grip strength and get tingling but not necessarily restricted to the carpal nerve as above. It may be more related to RSI. However, the carpal tunnel exercises do seem to be helping slowly as long as I do them several times a day.

Ken

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Re: Numb hands while riding

Postby CKinnard » Mon Mar 09, 2015 7:42 pm

Surgeons will tell you if you get carpal tunnel syndrome persistently, you need to get surgery before you get muscle wasting in the thumb muscles at the base of the palm. If you let it go too long, you will get permanent damage to the median nerve and risk losing all thumb and index finger strength and sensation. It isn't something you want to muck around with.

As for conservative therapies, I've seen a dozen CTS operations and it's quite obvious there's a lot of fat impregnated collagen that builds up in the tunnel and this puts pressure on the median nerve. This material can be reabsorbed if you get on a diet and lose weight. The catabolic process will break down this material. I've only know 4 patients to actually follow through with this though, and it worked. Two of them were moderate to heavy drinkers though and regained the weight within a year, and the symptoms came back.

Other stuff that can work is thermal therapeutic ultrasound to heat this tissue, then very firm massage in and around the palmar aponeurosis (covering over carpal tunnel) to soften the tissue. However, this has had variable results, and most people are sooks these days so don't like it.

As for what to do on the bike, raise your bars, shorter stem, and leave your saddle where it is best relative to the pedals.
Off the bike, get into neck stretches, push ups, and pull ups using good form for all.

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Re: Numb hands while riding

Postby casual_cyclist » Tue Mar 10, 2015 6:47 pm

Tim wrote:I've had recurring Carpal Tunnel Syndrome for about 25 years. Waking in the middle of the night with numb, throbbing hands and lower arms is the worst part of it when it's bad.
I had it. My hands were so sore I could not type, I couldn't lift anything heavy and in the night I woke up with my hands locked in a pushed back position. Nasty stuff. Initial treatment included NSAIDs, sleeping with a wrist splint to keep my hands from pushing back and CTS exercises. The CTS exercises were excrutiating at first but after about the first week became manageable. It was a couple of weeks until I was completely out of pain and I have never had a severe reoccurance. I periodically do the exercises and it keeps me out of pain. I lost some grip strength but I'm sure I could get some back if I did specific exercises. I have never tried though.
Tim wrote:The only real remedy is surgery. I'm reluctant to follow that course.
One study indicates that surgery is only 50/50. There is no way I am going to let anyone cut me for this. That said, it is something you want to get onto. As CKinnard points out above, you can get permanent damage to the median nerve if you leave it untreated.

http://www.carpal-tunnel.net/treatments/sprognosis" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Tim
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Re: Numb hands while riding

Postby Tim » Tue Mar 10, 2015 9:36 pm

I don't do anywhere near the amount of physical or manual work nowadays as a few years back. Consequently it's been years since CPS has caused any night time problems.
Rather than having lost hand muscle or strength I have definitely lost some degree of fine dexterity and feeling in the right hand. Things like threading a small nut to a bolt, doing up small buttons, threading a sewing needle and fine little stitches (weird eh? I mend my own clothes), delicate little jobs require much more concentration and controlled effort.
If I were to quantify the loss it would be in the order of 10-20%, at a guess. It's not getting noticeably worse as long as I take it easy.
Cycling is the main worry. Hands go numb frequently. Good gloves, thick, padded bar tape, changing bar position every few minutes, lifting hands off the bars and "pumping" life back into them, riding one handed (when safe to do so), good fit etc. etc. all help somewhat, but rest works best of all. I rack up 8-12 hours a week on the bikes and my hands give me much less (if any) trouble after a day or two off.
The exercises sound interesting. I might do a little research.
I can't lose too much more weight CKinnard, I'm down to 61Kg's, never been over 64 in my 52 years of life.

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