Numbness in Hands

[bearrodwell]

I'm fairly new to this forum and havereally enjoyed looking at all of the bikes. Some are quite stunning. Anyway, when riding my current bike a C'dale Caad 8, I'm experiencing numbness in my hands. I've read up on what to do, move hands around, gloves, etc to no avail. I normally ride 2 to 3 hours at a time. Any suggestions. Thanks.

By the way I'm looking at getting either a Concurs or Fierte IT.

[dbrk]

Frame's likely too small---too much weight forward and pressing the nerve. But what do I know? It's all about points of contact, balance, and possible overall solutions---it's all experience rather than magic, numbers, or claims of "perfect" fits.

dbrk

[pdxmech13]

I d post this in teh fitting sec.

[Louis]

I have no clue if this is in the least bit applicable to your problem, but the only times I've had hand numbness problems have been when I run too much pressure in the front tire of my non-suspended MTB and ride on a gravel rail-to-trail path.

As others have said, you may want to have a fit expert take a look at your position on the bike.

Good Luck.

[tachyon]

It sounds weird, but if I do some old style calisthenics like windmills and chopping blocks, my hand pain and numbness goes away after a few days. Possible my back isn't strong enough to keep my weight distributed properly and that helps the back strength.

Tom

[seanw]

what gloves did you try? how much weight is on your hands versus your rear end? how much saddle to bar drop are you running? where do you spend most of your time on the bar? if more weight is on your hands, try reducing this by raising handlebar height with stem angle.
and if you have not tried specialized's body geometry gloves (the comp or gel model) try those. i find that their pad placement help alleviate the issue youre having.

sean

[R2D2]

Frame's likely too small---too much weight forward and pressing the nerve. But what do I know? It's all about points of contact, balance, and possible overall solutions---it's all experience rather than magic, numbers, or claims of "perfect" fits.

dbrk

I agree with DBRK. I'd check weight distribution first. Peter White has some good pointers and ideas on the subject. A simple test is to see if you can ride
relaxed and comfortably with only one hand on a hood with the other hand
free. This will quickly tell you how much weight your trying to support in the front. I may not know much but my hands don't go numb.

[1centaur]

To the one hand thing I'd add the Hinault-ascribed comment about riding as if your hands were playing the piano. Getting to that point is not instantaneous, but if you understand the goal it becomes easier to work on the intermediate steps, most notably including fitting/weight balance, stronger stomach muscles (do crunches every night for a year and then tell us if your hands are numb), putting more "weight" in the pedal stroke so that your pedaling essentially holds you up much of the time, and hip rotation - finding the point where you are stable through the stroke rather than teetering back and forth or constantly propped on your hands.

My hands became numb early in my re-birth as a cyclist even though I had a jerk-approved fitting and my bike was sized right, including the saddle to bar drop. I believe sitting better (including getting the right saddle) and stronger stomach muscles have made that issue a distant memory. Being more relaxed on the bike, which is partly a flexibility issue (more stretching has an effect over weeks and months), also helped.

[PeterW]

As a desk jockey, I've tried different fits and larger bikes to have happier hands, but it never worked.

The cause of the problem was sitting down all day and then expecting the bike to magically feel good.

My solution: losing weight, getting fitter, and lots of back, core, and stomach exercises. I'm up to 300K in one day with no gloves and no hand problems at all.

My bike fit is classic. Bars a couple of inches below the saddle, a little less on my distance bike. dbrk is right (of course) that a bigger bike can help, but you gotta do a little work to, especially if, like me, you spend all day sitting around.

[dbrk]

snip...My solution: losing weight, getting fitter, and lots of back, core, and stomach exercises. I'm up to 300K in one day with no gloves and no hand problems at all.

This is so, so right...the more fit you are, the more fun and less stressful the bike is. My pal Mike Barry has shown me this time and again. Mike is 70 years old and can routinely take _any_ of us to school, especially on climbs and long, long rides. The guy is nothing short of amazing (and I feel privileged to have seen amazing...so it's no exaggeration): Mike runs in the winter when it's too cold even for him and he rides and rides and is fit as a fiddle. Fitness makes a huge difference even though I prefer a French fit over a racing style (all too in consideration of the bikes design).

dbrk

[Ahneida Ride]

Try some pads or comfort stuff under the wrap.
My LBS guru routinely installs this stuff.
Try Assos golves ! They cost plenty of frns but are so comfortable ...

I had this exact problem on my old bike. It was way too small.
Could I suggest a Ti frame .... ????

[Andreas]

Frame's likely too small---too much weight forward and pressing the nerve. But what do I know? It's all about points of contact, balance, and possible overall solutions---it's all experience rather than magic, numbers, or claims of "perfect" fits.

dbrk

+1

Root cause analysis:
Too much weight on the front end

Solution"
Get the handlebars up.
Push the saddle back.
Both will help with changing weight distribution.
The above will help a lot more than not changing a thing but the padding (tape, gloves, etc.). Your body is telling you something and it won't be fixed with a pair of mittens. :D


Andreas

[mike p]

My solution: losing weight, getting fitter, and lots of back, core, and stomach exercises. [/QUOTE]

+2 Also shove saddle back on rails.

Mike

[swoop]

don't move the saddle to deal with numb hands. it can be a zillion little things and most of them take about five seconds of looking at you on the bike to figure out.

the numbness is a nerve being compressed. gotta look and see where the compression is and see you on the bike. it isn't hard to figure out if you have someone just take a qiuck looksy. and yes it could be too small a bike, or too long a reach, are a tilted saddle or any number of lil thangs (including the shape of your bars).

[Serotta_Andrew]

1centaur made some good points and so did Swoop. don't move anything yet on your bike until you have someone look at you on the bike as well as how your body wants to be on the bike. I would first measure everything on the bike right now. That way if you choose to change you have a record of where you started.

Take a look at how you are sitting on the bike... are your elbows locked out? are they bent? do they have a bend but the bend is pointing outward causing your shoulders to hunch up which could cause your over all reach to shorten... all this before you even change out the stem!!

as swoop said.. it could be any number of things!!

[Kahuna]

I remember Tom K. once telling me that many times it's caused by a compressed nerve in the elbow and as such, having a proper fit can do a lot to help or eliminate the problem. In my case I'm having carpel tunnel symptoms in one hand. That problem is in the wrist and I'm afraid the only cure for that is to STOP working entirely.

Now I just gotta figure out a way to break the news to my boss! :)


-K

[terrytnt]

This is a very informative post, because I think many of us at one time or another have some hand numbness. For instance, after just had a few minor sizing adjustments when I purchased my new shoes this season I noticed more numbness than usually... plus I'm sliding forward a little on the saddle. Clearly need to make a few minor tweaks.

But this is what's really baffles me. After a really good riding week (150+ miles) I noticed some unusual discomfort in my navel region... that's right, it's like my belly-button got infected. It is sensitive to touch around the bell-button area like there's an infection, but little to no reddness. My wife thinks it could be abdomenal muscles... possibly strained after so much riding.

Any one experienced such a symptom? After 20 years of riding this has never happened before???

[dbrk]

...snip... In my case I'm having carpel tunnel symptoms in one hand. That problem is in the wrist and I'm afraid the only cure for that is to working entirely....snipeNow I just gotta figure out a way to break the news to my boss! :)
-K

I am wishing you alllll sorts of success breaking that one to your boss, Kpal!!

This is no consolation but I have had a consistent and incurable carpel tunnel problem for years. I expect that one day my right hand will be close to unuseable. Only then will I be able to afford retirement, I figure, so long as I can get another, say, two decades out of this injury! The only remedy would be to stop working completely and since most of my work is on this computer (or would involve a pen in my hand) there is no real hope. I can say, however, that cycling hasn't made this worse while writing a book has. Of course, if I wrote less here that might help too! Then you might miss me, ;-). I figure: life hurts. The Buddha nailed that one (though I am skeptical of his cure), so I get with that program, and read plenty of Zeno when I need to grin and bear it. Perhaps I will join Bong Hits 4 Jesus when the day comes. Oh, never mind, there's no more First Amendment!
Forgot that. 'Brain's going too...


dbrk

[Mud]

have worked well for me. My problems came because the the change from Campy to Shimano. It just hit a nerve differently. The gloves really helped with the period of adjustment and I use them now because I have them. Other comments seem to be very appropriate, but I don't know anything anyway. :banana:

[gt6267a]

per the carpel t problems. i know surgery is a last resort, but as i understand it, someone who knows more please set me right, the surgery for ct can be very successful. have any of you researched / considered getting a little help?

[justinf]

I've had problems with hand numbness this year too, and specifically only in the exterior fingers of my left hand. With the help of my wife the yogi, I've found that the root of the problem is stiffness in the shoulders while riding. I have been stretching more before rides and consciously relaxing my shoulders and back, especially under effort. It has helped quite a bit.

[R2D2]

per the carpel t problems. i know surgery is a last resort, but as i understand it, someone who knows more please set me right, the surgery for ct can be very successful. have any of you researched / considered getting a little help?

Surgery worked for my wife.............

[bearrodwell]

I'd like to thank all of you for your helpful bits of information(I use the term bits loosely) :) . I really appreciate it.

Just so you know I'm a big man ex-football/rugby player 6'2' 245 lbs with an approximate 12% body fat. I use to do powerlifting. When I was younger I use to ride a lot. I rode until I was about 24 then started again approximately 8 years ago trying to recover from the cancer treatment I had gone through. When you're 43 and told you might not see your next birthday, well you get the picture. I'm extremely active. I'm both a college football and lacrosse official. Keeps me active 11 months a year. I usually try to get in at least 3,500 miles/yr. Two years ago I got in 6,000. Best I felt in years and I'm trying to emulate that. That being said I'm trying to drop at least 20 more lbs so I'll be at my playing weight.

I've been working on my core strength. Bicycling magagzine had an article about that earlier this year. I've incorporated some of the exercises in a routine I do 3x a week.

I'm taking the advice of several of the people who've posted and get looked at by the guy who fitted me. I did do a 55-miler this weekend and did two things which really minimized the pain. Sat a little further back in the saddle, didn't wear gloves, and didn't try to strangle the handlebar. Also, the more I think about it the elbows were relaxed too.

Thanks again. I've been monitoring this board for a while and all of you are what I like to call geniune people.

Take care,

Mark a/k/a beardog (my yellow lab)