Numb hand?

Has this happened to anyone after long rides? On Friday my left hand didn't seem to fully "wake up" after falling asleep while on my ride. My pinkie and the general area beneath it remained slightly numb for the whole weekend, felt like it was only 85% recovered from falling asleep. Even now it still feels a little off. I was using the drop bar for a 30 mile ride along the LFP and was probably leaning on my hands more than I should've. Any ideas/experience with this? Thanks

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Permalink Reply by Mark Fisher on August 26, 2013 at 2:49am

Definitely not uncommon.  First, try to move your hands around a bit more on the bars and try to not put weight in the crease in your hand perpendicular to the middle of your wrist (where the two halves of your palm come together....ulnar nerve is there).  Second, raise the bar as much as you can.  This will do the most good.    If your saddle is tilted forward, try tilting it back a little (this can bive you other issues, though).  Gloves can help, but bad gloves make it worse if they put pressure on the ulnar nerve.  Handlebar shape can help if they position your hands better, but that is a bit more of a personal thing and costs money.

Permalink Reply by David Barish on August 26, 2013 at 3:05am

Is your seat level? If its sightly down you can increase pressure on your hands and arms. If you cannot shake it out or make it go away by modifying your hand position its worth getting it checked. 

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on August 26, 2013 at 3:31am

It's been a few days and it's still numb? You should go see a doctor.

Permalink Reply by grayn8 on August 26, 2013 at 5:48am
Ulnar nerve compression. Pinkie and ring. Middle affected?

I use butterfly handlebars so I have lots of options. Shake your hands out on rides and shift positions. I also get lots of issues. I used to ride with a backpack and that caused weight compression issues. Riding with panniers can save the neck and hands.

This became a serious issue for me during winter time commutes. The gloving and cold left me gripping Kung fu action figure style. No bueno.
Permalink Reply by Kevin Mulcky on August 26, 2013 at 6:03am
Your elbows should be bent and relaxed to absorb shock and vibrations, and your bars should be high enough that you can use the drops comfortably.
Permalink Reply by T.K. 3.5 mi on August 26, 2013 at 6:34am

2nd to this. I had the same issue on a long ride so I moved my seat up as much as I could (maybe only an inch or so), and haven't had the same numbness since.

Your arms should never be fully extended in any of your riding positions. 

Kelvin Mulcky said:

Your elbows should be bent and relaxed to absorb shock and vibrations, and your bars should be high enough that you can use the drops comfortably.
Permalink Reply by David P. on August 26, 2013 at 7:12am

Another thing that helps wit hand and upper-body comfort on long rides is to pay attention to your core strength and posture. So far I have found that, more than paying attention to the abdominal muscles, paying attention to my lower back and hip rotation (rotate hips forward) makes a very obvious difference in comfort in my upper body and arms.

Permalink Reply by David Barish on August 26, 2013 at 7:29am

Normally, we associate ulnar nerve compression (4th and 5th fingers) with cubital tunnel syndrome, a compression at the elbow.  The nerve is somewhat unprotected as it tracks through the groove. However, with cycling there can be ulnar nerve compression at the wrist. The vernacular is cyclist's palsy. http://highperformancesports.blogspot.com/2006/03/cyclists-palsy-cy...

Its similar to carpal tunnel syndrome but a different nerve is being compressed. This condition is also called Guyon's Tunnel Syndrome.  The area where the compression in the wrist occurs is called the Guyon's Tunnel or Canal. I have attached a study that was done on some local riders in RAGBRAI. Its dry and  academc but does show you hand positions that were considered by the researchers.

Attachments:
Permalink Reply by Mark Fisher on August 26, 2013 at 10:43am
David Barish - thanks for the link. Knowing where the nerve runs will make a difference for me....sorry for getting that wrong!
Permalink Reply by John C. Wilson on August 26, 2013 at 11:02am

Simply riding on the hoods was enough to help? Having drop bars creates no obligation to ride all the way down in the drops. The drops are for sprinting, some people like the security of being in there for descents, many people are unable to brake from above the hoods and so stay in the drop to be near the braking action. No one has to be all the way down all the time. Myself I am down there possibly 1% of the time. If there's some reason you end up in the drops a large part of your riding time move the bars in closer - higher up so you lean over less or shorter extension on the stem to bring the bars to you.

The Gadget said:

No middle, just pinkie and a little less so ring finger. It's feeling more normal today but still only back to about 95%...I figured it was just some kind of nerve irritation caused by bad posture.

This is the first year I've ever used the drop bar while on my road or cross bike, and I've definitely leaned forward too much while in the drop position...even before this I remember thinking to myself that my posture didn't "feel" right. Should've trusted my instincts. I took Sat/Sun off and stayed on the hoods this morning, conscious about trying not to put too much weight on my hands. 

Thanks a ton for all the good info...thanks to everyone else as well!


grayn8 (5.3 - 36) said:

Ulnar nerve compression. Pinkie and ring. Middle affected?

I use butterfly handlebars so I have lots of options. Shake your hands out on rides and shift positions. I also get lots of issues. I used to ride with a backpack and that caused weight compression issues. Riding with panniers can save the neck and hands.

This became a serious issue for me during winter time commutes. The gloving and cold left me gripping Kung fu action figure style. No bueno.
Permalink Reply by Michael A on August 26, 2013 at 11:36am

Drops are more then just for sprinting, being in the drops helps you hide from the wind. If you cannot brake and shift (with modern brake/shift levers) from both the drops and the hoods you need to have your fit adjusted. One tip I can pass on is to tap out a beat or rhythm with your fingers while riding, also try changing your position as often as possible including getting up out of the saddle every 10-15 minutes or so. A properly fitted bicycle can make all the difference in the world, well worth the cost of having it done professionally.

Permalink Reply by johnnysporto on August 26, 2013 at 1:33pm

Yes. And it near stopped from being able to ride anymore. Until I discovered winged grips such as those from Ergon. Literally night and day, but they also mean no more drop bars as they are grips that clamp on to the handlebars.

I now only ride on straight, short flats with the Ergon grips and I can ride for days. This offers a riding posture similar to riding on top of the drops. This style grip lends greater support to your palms so as to totally remove pressure on the the nerves in the core of your hands.

For me, the transformation was instantaneous. Prior to these, my hands, elbows, shoulders and ultimately upper back was suffering from numbing, bad circulation, and aching due to the pressure on my hands. 6 years later, nothing, ever.

But, the other advice about adjusting your riding position should all come first as posture trumps all else. I like my seat as high as I can go without having to actually extend my toes during the down-swing. From there I adjust my handlebars by starting with them high and gradually lowering until my upper body weight feels like it just shifts fully onto my saddle. It should almost feel like your using no effort at all to hold yourself up. They can also get too low. Keep taking them down until noticeably uncomfortable, then start raising up again until find your comfort spot. Finally adjust the seat forward or backward to finish off the fit, again aiming for that sweet spot were you feel your upper body weight almost centered over the seat post. This adjustment may also require a saddle angle adjustment to keep your weight fully supported on your sit bones - not too far back so your sitting on the fleshy part (definitely don't want to pinch that nerve!), just far enough forward til you just don't feel like you are sliding forward.

These adjustments work for me every time, but you should definitely solicit advice from your local bike shop folks if you're having a hard time dialing it all in.

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