Wrist Support

teeoffchris

Just started to get into off roading again after many years away from it and have discovered that my wrist is not as strong as it use to be and is often very sore a few hours after a ride. Can anyone recommend a good wrist support that might help this situation?

Cheers all in advance

Long_Time_Lurker

Is it just one wrist or both? Do you have an issue with one of your wrists (broken in the past etc)?
Just asking, as it may be as simple as bad posture - putting too much weight on hands as the bike isn't set up quite right.

Btw - my mate uses an AVS wrist brace. Seems fairly robust and comfortable. Gets decent reviews too.

teeoffchris

Well part of my recent mid life crisis resulted in me going on a lads snowboarding week last November and while having a few lessons on the dry slope before going ( not wanting to spend most of my time on my bum while others zoom past me) I took a fairly big tumble where I bent my wrist too far back and it has not been the same since. However I only get pain when I try to lift myself up of the floor on it and after I go for a ride. I play a lot of golf and have no problems doing that.

Long_Time_Lurker

Ahh! the good old snowboard injury.
Broke my right wrist on my very first snowboard holiday, so I know what you are talking about.

It may only be a small bit of bruising. Your arms and shoulders get used a lot more than you would imagine on a mountain bike. A bit of rest may help. As would loosening your grip on the bars. (I used to ride with white-knuckles as if my life depended on it.)
I would also take a look at your seat and bar positioning relative to each other, and the position of your brakes and gear levers. If the seat is too low/bar too high your wrists may be at an angle, putting pressure on them. And the longer you ride, the more uncomfortable they will be.
There are plenty of guides online. There's a very basic one on here: http://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/article/beginner-technique-how-to-set-up-your-mountain-bike-22707/, but tthere are more detailed one's about. It may only need a small tweak on one of them to make things easier.

clamps81

Bust my wrist in december and first few rides back I used a 661 wrist wrap. Seemed to do the job nicely, minimised unwanted movement and supported things quite nicely and fairly comfortable even over long rides, plus it was cheap. Deffo check the angle of your brakes and shifters, you can put a lot of unwanted pressure on your wrists by having them rotated too far one way or t'other.

teeoffchris

Long Time Lurker wrote:

Ahh! the good old snowboard injury.
Broke my right wrist on my very first snowboard holiday, so I know what you are talking about.

It may only be a small bit of bruising. Your arms and shoulders get used a lot more than you would imagine on a mountain bike. A bit of rest may help. As would loosening your grip on the bars. (I used to ride with white-knuckles as if my life depended on it.)
I would also take a look at your seat and bar positioning relative to each other, and the position of your brakes and gear levers. If the seat is too low/bar too high your wrists may be at an angle, putting pressure on them. And the longer you ride, the more uncomfortable they will be.
There are plenty of guides online. There's a very basic one on here: http://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/article/beginner-technique-how-to-set-up-your-mountain-bike-22707/, but tthere are more detailed one's about. It may only need a small tweak on one of them to make things easier.

Thanks for the advice, having read the link I would say that yes I have the bike set up which is no suprise to me as my Dad who is at the ripe old age of 82 years young and still getting out on his bike 3 times a week as he has done since he was a kid help me set things up and he knows a thing or two about bikes shall we say. Although I will try the plumb line off the front of my knee as I dont remember us doing that when we set it up but then he probably did this by good old fashion eye !

Planning on getting a new bike soon so will revisit setup then.

Long_Time_Lurker

In that case, the AVS or 661 wrist supports may be your best bet.

scarbs85

+1 for the 661 strap. Bust my right wrist twice (by the time I was 18) and I don't fancy doing it again. The 661 was cheap, offers good support, has plastic inserts to stiffen it up, and isn't overly bulky.

Deputy Dawg

Ergon grips might also help. Think superstar do a version too.

sofaboy73

having broken and damage ligaments in wrists beofre, i find cohesive banadage (self gripping, kind of rubberised bandage) is the best thing to provide support when the wrists are playing up. you can wrap it as tight / thick as you need for exactly right level of support and able to wear it under gloves unlike wirst braces. cheap as well

anj132

teeoffchris wrote:

Well part of my recent mid life crisis resulted in me going on a lads snowboarding week last November and while having a few lessons on the dry slope before going ( not wanting to spend most of my time on my bum while others zoom past me) I took a fairly big tumble where I bent my wrist too far back and it has not been the same since. However I only get pain when I try to lift myself up of the floor on it and after I go for a ride. I play a lot of golf and have no problems doing that.

Did you get an x-ray done on it? Worth checking something isn't broken. I put off a sprain which turned out to be a fracture that didn't set properly. Op this Thursday to reset it all.

Giraffoto

sofaboy73 wrote:

. . . able to wear it under gloves unlike wrist braces. . . l

The point about wearing them with gloves is well made, but the 661 braces fit quite well over your gloves

sofaboy73

Giraffoto wrote:

sofaboy73 wrote:

. . . able to wear it under gloves unlike wrist braces. . . l

The point about wearing them with gloves is well made, but the 661 braces fit quite well over your gloves

the 661 braces work well (I used them before switching to cohesive bandage) and are obviously designed to go over the glove, but as most of them have a thumb loop, i found it a pain to have to take the brace off to take the glove off (ie for fiddly mechanicals, doing fastners etc)

one thing i did find about the 661 braces (and it might just be the older ones) that the plastic stiffeners wore thore the material of the barces pretty quickly, particularly the one that runs onto the palm

Chunkers1980

I suggest walking to help strengthen it up, should be less need for support.

scarbs85

Yup, a stroll in the park will have it strengthened up in no time

http://www.visualphotos.com/photo/2x463 ... 040708.jpg

.blitz

Can anyone recommend a good wrist support that might help this situation?

Have broken both wrists in the past and find a grip strength device helps more than a support. Developing the hands lets you have an iron grip instead of a death grip - the strength and support is in your hands and your arms stay relaxed.

Polf

Have the 661 support as have previously broken my wrist. Works well and gived goid support. No pain at the end of a long day. Be warned that they are no good if you have fat wrists.