Numbness in hands

[Andy in Germany]

After a ride this weekend I had a numb area on the side of my right hand running from wrist to the tip of my little finger. It took until the next day for the finger to be vaguely normal again.

I suspect this is simply from riding, as this was by far the longest I've cycled, but has anyone a suggestion how to avoid it repeating?

 

[MichaelW2]

Adjust your grip to suit your hands.
Position the bars so your wrist has a neutral bend. Ensure that your elbows are flexed and your shoulders relaxed
Pad the bars so the grip fills your palm so there is less pressure on the outside.

Gloves are often suggested as a solution. You should wear them anyway but address the grip shape and location as well.

 

[Sharky]

Dropped or straight bars?

Other than vary hand positions on the bars frequently and give them a shake now and again, it's probably your body just getting used to the longer ride.
Just monitor over the next few rides. If it doesn't improve, you can look deeper into causes/solutions.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Thanks for the thoughts...

Position the bars so your wrist has a neutral bend. Ensure that your elbows are flexed and your shoulders relaxed...


...Gloves are often suggested as a solution. You should wear them anyway but address the grip shape and location as well.

Hmm... This wasn't an issue on shorter rides but now you mention it, maybe a shorter reach would be good.

I keep forgetting to get gloves, but I see the point...

Dropped or straight bars?

These. Not a problem in 20 years, but then, I haven't cycled for long hours...

 

[MichaelW2]

I switch my MTB style flat bars for the On One Mary with a swept back grip angle and fitted Ergon grips.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

A bit like a saddle, sometimes a very small adjustment of, for example, your bar ends, can have a big impact. Same goes for handlebar height/angle.
It may be a longer ride than usual, or it may be a more stressful ride than usual! I can ride hours without a problem and have hand issues on an hour commute. I've found if I'm rushing or otherwise stressed I grip tighter leading to discomfort.

I've also taped my bar ends - one of my better ideas!

 

[Milkfloat]

I used to suffer from cyclists palsy and found that after I really worked on my core (which I needed to for my back issues) it went away. Now I only suffer if I forget my gloves and it is a long ride.

 

[Crackle]

Might be a small adjustment in height or angle that needs making. Sometimes it's just adaptation if it's a longer ride and sometimes it's because you've just not moved your hands around for a bit of variety, vibration, core strength, many things can cause it. I still get slight tingling sometimes on rides, more so with flat bars than drops. Got it yesterday after spending a few miles on the drops into a headwind and I'm sure that's purely because I don't ride that much on the drops.

 

[Racing roadkill]

Work on your grip technique. For the most part, on a normal type of road ride, you really don’t need to be giving the hoods / bar, the Vulcan death grip. Try to relax your grip as often as you can, particularly going up hill. Shifting your hand position around the bars will also help.

 

[Cycleops]

For the most part, on a normal type of road ride, you really don’t need to be giving the hoods / bar, the Vulcan death grip.

The trouble is he keeps looking at his handlebars and seeing Boris Johnson.

 

[CXRAndy]

Try shaking hands out with a technique akin to flinging bird shoot or something disgusting stuck to your fingers.

Hand numbness can be attributed to all sorts of position issues or not enough saddle time to build up ride endurance

 

[Nebulous]

Moving, changing position, wearing gloves, relaxing more, less aggressive position, less rigid bike material and fatter softer tyres all make a difference, but sometimes you are just going to pick up some nerve damage anyway.

A lot of people who did LEL were still suffering nerve problems months later. I seem to remember there was a surgeon on one of them who couldn't operate for months.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

It's compression of the Ulnar nerve. Review your bike setup as well as move your hands around on long rides.

 

[Racing roadkill]

I’ve got permanent nerve damage in my left hand, caused by too much riding, I’ve recently burned my wrist because I couldn’t feel the hot surface I was resting on. It’s just one of those things.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

I was on a long ride about 5 weeks ago. (508km/316miles) My pinky and ring finger on my left hand are still numb. I think it’s just a bruised nerve. Believe you me I did swap positions a lot, but with over 24hours actually riding I think some things just don’t go as planned.

I have had white finger (also nerve damage) in the past from work and that took at least six months to heal. Grim.

I hope you heal.