Numbness...

j_mcd

Anybody had a problem with getting numb forearms at all?

Over the last couple of weeks I've been getting numb forearms and hands which lasts throughout the day. Went to the docs today who said it could be tendon irritation or general inflamation pressing on nerves, and cycling quite a bit might be a cause.

Funnily enough, it has got a lot worse since I've switched from the carbon bike to the ali one but it could also be a change in posture, bar alignment etc I suppose.

cyclingprop

Probably fit related. Bit hard to diagnose without more details though.

meanredspider

Clearly a need for a new carbon bike! And a Ti one. And a steel one just to be sure....!

Ali isn't great for vibration.

elbowloh

Thicker bar tape might help? As might gloves with bigger gel pads.

vermin

Could be handlebar palsy which, I believe, is caused by a changed (usually increased) pressure on the ulnar nerve. Try raising your bars to take the pressure off your wrists for a while, until it clears up. Or go and see someone who knows more about it.

Link: http://www.sportsinjurybulletin.com/arc ... ries.html#

daddy0

I used to get a bit of numbness.

Check your bike fit. Watch some youtube clips and read some articles on bike fit and check you're not doing it wrong.

I did this and also changed bar tape to Lizard Skins DSP a couple of years ago and have not suffered since.

Also, check your posture at work if you use a PC. Don't rest your wrists on anything when you type or use a mouse.

leeefm

Does it manifest itself in your hands at all?

leeefm

Right, just re-read your original post. So my question changes to this: does your thumb and first two fingers feel numb or your subsequent fingers in your hand?

If it is your thumb, first finger side of the hand, it could be related to the median nerve which runs through the front of your shoulder. If you hunch on your bike, try just opening the shoulders from time to time.

if it is on the little finger side, it will probably be ulnar nerve related, as stated above.

EKE_38BPM

leeefm wrote:

Right, just re-read your original post. So my question changes to this: does your thumb and first two fingers feel numb or your subsequent fingers in your hand?

If it is your thumb, first finger side of the hand, it could be related to the median nerve which runs through the front of your shoulder. If you hunch on your bike, try just opening the shoulders from time to time.

if it is on the little finger side, it will probably be ulnar nerve related, as stated above.

If it is your ulnar nerve, search on youtube for "ulnar nerve flossing". Worked a treat for me.

Wheelspinner

Numb bits in forearms and hands is my lot these days too. You need to be quiet specific about where the numbness is, because different parts of the forearm and different fingers get affected depending on which nerve is being aggravated.

Here's a starting chart...



My pinkie and fourth finger are the ones that go numb, along with a pain down the back of my arm. That's the C8 dermatome for me, and I also get some occasional pain along the top of the forearm which is from C6. Both are the result of a fractured C7 vertebra...

Riding a bike with neck extended (i.e. tilted back so I can where I am going) is what does it big time, although it's fairly bad most days without doing much either. That's getting old for you!

leeefm

Wheelspinner wrote:

Riding a bike with neck extended (i.e. tilted back so I can where I am going) is what does it big time, although it's fairly bad most days without doing much either. That's getting old for you!

Oh man... Makes you wonder if riding the bike is worthwhile. I've got piriformis syndrome at the moment, so the right side of my arse and right leg aren't good on the bike

First.Aspect

If you aren't mountain biking and you have ulnar nerve issues, you need to strengthen your core so that you aren't supporting your upper body through your arms. If you are leaning on your hands, there is something wrong. All things being equal, your arms are for steering and pulling (when climbing). IMO raising the bar is working around the problem.

j_mcd

I suspect, if it is bike related then it's probably due to me changing the bars on my +1 to tri bars and then putting on too long a stem. That'll be pushing my whole body forward and down which could be causing the issues (possibly exacerbated by some proper digging and turf shifting in the garden).

I'll give the bike a miss this week and hopefully the road bike will be back in action with it's shiny new frame by the the weekend and I'll see how it goes next week. Had to come in the Jubilee Line today. It did not make me happy.

EKE_38BPM

Identify what nerve you're having problems with and then learn how to floss it. It takes less then five minutes snd may fix the problem permanently.

My hand hurt for weeks, I did some research and found out how to floss it, did the exercise ONCE and the pain has gone.
To compare, it was like doing one sit-up and getting a six-pack from it. It was that effective.

greg66_tri_v2.0

J_MCD wrote:

That'll be pushing my whole body forward and down which could be causing the issues

I would put money on the numbness being referred from upper spinal nerve compression- as per the v helpful nerve routing diagram above. As your body goes forward and down, your chin has to come up to enable you to see. That putts more pressure on the back of your neck, compressing the C-vertebrae. One or more them is likely bulging slightly, and putting pressure on your nerves, leading to the numbness.

itboffin

brilliant diagram i only wish i'd seen one a few years ago, as GT said blah blah blah (reading between the lines) go and see a specialist ASAP if its nothing great if not you might catch a disc issue early and in time to let it self heal.

unlike me, trust me go and make yourself a PITA at your local GP or private health centre

utgaardaolle

Go recumbent. No more pain anywhere.