Any Help for Numbness in Hands?

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I change positions, use one hand, then the other, padded gloves, etc., but I'm wondering if very heavy padding on the handlebars would help. The fact that I don't see in cycling catalogs leads me to think it doesn't help. Every year I get over the saddle-soreness but not the numb hands and I'm a little afraid of nerve damage.

Dee

I had the same problem, after about 1.5-2 hours, my hands were going numb.

It appears my problem was very stiff wheels (Rolf Vector Pro) and very stiff handlebars (Cinelli Integralter). I have since acquired a set of Campy Zonda wheels, which ride smoother and don't seem to give me numb hands nearly as quickly.

You might look into a softer riding wheelset, something with a 2 or 3 cross spoke pattern.

Have the same problem, on my MTB as well as on my roadbike. However, the problem differs with the gloves I wear. The least nubness I feel is with Specialized Body Geometry gloves. I use the Enduro longfinger model.
I think that if you are sensitive to this numbness, nothing will make it go away completely. Al you can do is try a different set of gloves, and change your handposition as much as possible during riding.

Greetings,
Marcel

gel gloves combined with cork tape has seemed to help the numbness i get. i also find saddle and handlebar positions can make a big difference by transfering how much weight your hands have to bear. raising the bars, shortening the stem, moving the saddle forward or changing the tilt can all have a drastic effect. if you are not into racing, or are not actually racing at the moment, you dont need the perfect areo position. try a more upright posture that would shift more weight onto your butt instead of having your hands carry so much weight. i find even from season to season, my body seems to change, and my bike's set-up does along with it. try a small change and ride, see if it helps and mark your old placement so you can go back if it doesnt work out. keep playing with it until you fine tune it to your taste.

You might try taking the bike to the local bike store and having them check your fit. If you are leaning too far over on the handlebars, it would force your hands to support more of your weight.

I had this problem and the LBS told me to move the seat further forward which took weight off the hands and helped my wrist pain.

Originally posted by Dee
I change positions, use one hand, then the other, padded gloves, etc., but I'm wondering if very heavy padding on the handlebars would help. The fact that I don't see in cycling catalogs leads me to think it doesn't help. Every year I get over the saddle-soreness but not the numb hands and I'm a little afraid of nerve damage.

Dee

I have the same problem. Ensure your bike fit is correct. I have also double wrapped my bar with Cinelli cork tape which has helped alot. I also upgraded to a carbon fiber Easton bar which has limited road vibration. Good luck.

Thanks for all the suggestions. The problem turns out to be that my seat was too far back. Having to lean over that far not only hurts the hands and wrists, but puts a lot of pressure on soft-tissue spots which is a royal pain, if any other women on this forum catch my drift!

Be carefull when using seat adjustment to correct this fault, the fore/aft adjustment of the saddle should be used to correctly positition the rider over the pedals, the problem your discribing could be caused by an over long stem, but most riders correct this fault by moving the saddle as there is no apparent cost implications (you could end up paying for it with knee trouble later in life). Hope this helps

I don't know if this will help, but I saw a lot you folks with numbness in the hands. I had the same problem, and went to a really good chiropractor. Within 2 weeks of adjustments, it started going away. On the chart I was given, there are symptoms for each vertebra that isn't getting proper circulation. I had about 6 vertebras listed. Of course the neck area and center to upper back due to cycling. One of the vertebra's symptoms was hand numbness.

I later moved to another town, and quit going to the chiro for about 10 months. What motivated me to find a new chiro, was hand numbness on the bike, but I also was waking up in the middle of nite numb in one hand. I went to the chiro for about 3 weeks or so, and went away.

I personally see a chiro once a week with all the cycling I do, and more if I crash.

Hope this helps......

Although cycling-related hand numbness can come from the neck/back, it is much more likely to come from pressure on peripheral nerves just beyond the wrist where you lean on the handlebars.

Most common is pressure on the ulnar nerve which causes numbness of the little finger and the adjacent half of the ring finger and corresponding part of the palm. Some people get 2.5 rather than 1.5 fingers numb.

Second most common is the median nerve which leads to numbness of the thumb, index, middle and adjacent half of the ring finger plus the corresponding area of the palm. Again, some people get 2.5 numb digits rather than 3.5.

These problems of pressure on the nerves leading to numbess is best avoided by the methods already described:
-Frequent change of hand position
-Good gloves (eg Assos, Tuff)
-Gel or Cork bar tape
-Proper positioning & fit on the bike

At the neck level, there are THREE different nerve roots that supply the hand so I am not quite sure what kkees' chiro is saying.
C6 - thumb & index finger plus adjacent palm.
C7 - middle finger
C8 - little & ring finger plus adjacent palm.

There is overlap in the area supplied by different nerves so you may not find the numb area exactly corresponds to the areas described.

[i][b]Most common is pressure on the ulnar nerve which causes numbness of the little finger and the adjacent half of the ring finger and corresponding part of the palm. Some people get 2.5 rather than 1.5 fingers numb.

Bingo. My stem needs to be about half it's 140mm length, I think.

Originally posted by Dee
I change positions, use one hand, then the other, padded gloves, etc., but I'm wondering if very heavy padding on the handlebars would help. The fact that I don't see in cycling catalogs leads me to think it doesn't help. Every year I get over the saddle-soreness but not the numb hands and I'm a little afraid of nerve damage.

Dee

your handlebars may be too low (relative to your seat height) , your stem or top tube too long. get your bike properly setup, you need to get the deat position right first, then the handlebars. I tried different gloves and then extra cork on the handlebars but nothing put a smile on my face like getting it set up properlyjavascript:smilie(':)')

I have since learned that while riding the bike in a normal position, the handlebars should be directly over the fork. If the rider can see the fork, the position is wrong. My fork was visible several inches behind my handlebars, which resulted in my having to lean too far forward, thus putting too much pressure on my hands (not to mention soft tissues). Since the stem was not only long, but extra-long, I needed a much shorter stem. What would be fine for a 6'2" person is not fine for a 5'7" person. I did my normal 60-mile route yesterday without a bit of problem; what a relief!

Just to clarify so this isn't confusing for others. Once you have your saddle correct for height and fore/aft positioning, sitting in a neutral (middle) position on the saddle with your hands on the drops, when looking down at your handle bar the hub on your front wheel should be obscured by the handle bar.

Originally posted by davidbod
Just to clarify so this isn't confusing for others. Once you have your saddle correct for height and fore/aft positioning, sitting in a neutral (middle) position on the saddle with your hands on the drops, when looking down at your handle bar the hub on your front wheel should be obscured by the handle bar.

Yeah, that's what I shoulda said. Thanks. :)

Originally posted by davidbod
Just to clarify so this isn't confusing for others. Once you have your saddle correct for height and fore/aft positioning, sitting in a neutral (middle) position on the saddle with your hands on the drops, when looking down at your handle bar the hub on your front wheel should be obscured by the handle bar.

It also depends on individual variability kile your hip and upper back flexibility, as well as things like trunk length etc. My setup has changed since I started yoga and improved my flexibility.

"I did my normal 60-mile
route yesterday without a bit of problem; what a relief!"

Aewesome. It`s wonderful what a well fit bike will do in terms of ride comfort and enjoyment.
Enjoy.

Originally posted by Dee
Yeah, that's what I shoulda said. Thanks. :)
Better read on peter white cycles website.He and a few of the other 100's of fit guides are a bit different.I kinda like his.

Originally posted by Dee
I change positions, use one hand, then the other, padded gloves, etc., but I'm wondering if very heavy padding on the handlebars would help. The fact that I don't see in cycling catalogs leads me to think it doesn't help. Every year I get over the saddle-soreness but not the numb hands and I'm a little afraid of nerve damage.

Dee

I see that you have solved your problem, but for others with numb hand problems, before doing anything radical with position or equipment, diet, medical intervention or psychic help network, try one thing: loosen the wrist straps on your gloves. I and any number of friends who have developed temporary numbness discovered that tight straps caused our problem.

If that doesn't do it, of course, then move on to more serious measures.

Originally posted by Look381i
I see that you have solved your problem, but for others with numb hand problems, before doing anything radical with position or equipment, diet, medical intervention or psychic help network, try one thing: loosen the wrist straps on your gloves. I and any number of friends who have developed temporary numbness discovered that tight straps caused our problem.

If that doesn't do it, of course, then move on to more serious measures.
Never have heard of that before.