Sore back and numb hands

secretsam

OK, have just come back from a ride and at the end I had a sore lower back (not unusual, I have a chronic back condition) but my hands were so numb I could barely use the brake levers...

I ride a Cannondale CAAD8 2010, 54cm, and I think it's a bit of a stretch, am thinking of trying a shorter stem - think saddle position is OK (I'm a weird shape - very short legs and average body, mahoosive head...)

I wear mits and padded shorts, etc.

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance

Wirral_paul

Sounds like you're on the right track. Numb hands often means you're too stretched out which can put a lot of weight on your hands. Often it means pains in the shoulders and neck also.

If you're going to experiment with stem length rather than a professional fitting then could be worth buying cheap 2nd hand one off ebay etc until you find the right length. Sell them on afterwards

Forests of BC

Hey, Sam. I've had the same problems as you and found the most important thing was to make sure my wrists are straight when in the hoods (I assume you spend most of your time there ?). For me, this meant setting my Ultegra levers a bit lower on the bars. It feels a little odd right when I get on the bike, but pays off as the hours roll by.
And while you may be too stretched out right now, you won't want to bring the bars too close either since this will place even more upper body weight on the hands. Maybe try a 1cm. shorter stem for a start and/or raising the bars. Oh, and how is your saddle tilted ?

tipped

Does anyone know of any core exercises or stretches that can be done to improve back strength that would be helpful?

After a few hours on the bike I get a little back pain (like everyone else, I assume) and it's nothing to really worry about, but is there anything I can be doing to reduce it?

Forests of BC

tipped wrote:

Does anyone know of any core exercises or stretches that can be done to improve back strength that would be helpful?

Youtube is gold, my friend. 8)

gazman1

Sorry to hijack the thread, I have noticed when i go out on mountain bike or road bike i get back pain but more so pain in the back of my legs/buttocks as if my muscles have tightened has anyone got any ideas about this? thanks and sorry again for hijack, Gaz

tipped

Forests of BC wrote:

tipped wrote:

Does anyone know of any core exercises or stretches that can be done to improve back strength that would be helpful?

Youtube is gold, my friend. 8)

Any exercises in particular I should be looking for?

Forests of BC

tipped wrote:

Forests of BC wrote:

tipped wrote:

Does anyone know of any core exercises or stretches that can be done to improve back strength that would be helpful?

Youtube is gold, my friend. 8)

Any exercises in particular I should be looking for?

I would search 'cycling stretching' and 'cycling core' and see what comes up.

anto164

tipped wrote:

Forests of BC wrote:

tipped wrote:

Does anyone know of any core exercises or stretches that can be done to improve back strength that would be helpful?

Youtube is gold, my friend. 8)

Any exercises in particular I should be looking for?

bridge exercises, plank exercises, all 4s keeping the abs tight and lifting leg and opposite arm.

They're about all you need. Apart from lots of stretches.

lef

I'm no vegan but check out vibrant vegan core workout on you tube, there's a few different vids which show a great range of core exercises.

liquor box

I get a numb left hand when I wear a certain jersey. My Euskaltel jersey has slightly shorter sleeves and they seem a little tighter on my arm than my newer Europcar jersey, its sleeves are about 4-5cm longer and a fraction looser.

I think that a tighter shirt may compress on an artery in your arm and cause the numbness, I cant explain why it only affects one om my hands though.

As for the back injury, my best recomendation is to stretch your hamstrings as far as you can, and then go further. If you get chance to get a physio to help you stretch you will be shocked how far you can actually stretch, it is an eye opener!

Monty Dog

Tension in the hamstrings and lower back (sacrum) could be symptomatic of hyper-extension i.e. saddle too high. Any problems with the shoulder, neck, arms etc will typically due to reach i.e. distance from the saddle to the bars. Only make small adjustements at a time and give your body some time to adapt - if problems persist, consulting a bike fit specialist may help, particularly if you have existing injury or mobility issues.