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I appear to be compressing a nerve in my hand on the road bike. On longer rides (80km+), I can start to get what can only be described as 'electric shocks' in my right hand. It appears to be the fleshy part at the base of the thumb that is causing the issue - just in line with the outside of my wrist. Placing my hand back on to the tops can trigger it, or oddly, reaching back into a jersey pocket. It shoots up my forearm, and can make me jump and wave my hand around like I have just placed my hand on a hotplate instead of the handlebars.
I have positioned the hoods and the handlebars to a postion where I don't put pressure on that part of my hand, the bars have Fizik microfibre tape on with Gel pads (BikeRibbon firm flavour) underneath on the tops. Castelli Rosso Corsa gloves also seem to be helping. I did 130km yesterday, with it only happening a couple of times towards the end of the ride. My hand does feel a bit tender in that area today though (so does the left a bit, but I don't get the shocks in that one). Bike is a circa 2008 Cannondale Synapse, and have 25mm tyres. I do try and vary my hand position as much as I can.
I'm not sure what to do next. It's improved, but I would like to stop it all together.
Learn to love it. Or do yoga and weights to improve shoulder posture and core strength. It's most likely compressed nerves around your shoulders - I get similar in my ulnar (heal of hand) after a hundred miles or so.
Shoulder stretches whilst riding help.
Also, check saddle height... I blindly followed the advice of a bike fit for years and suffered all sorts of hand, elbow, shoulder and neck pain. I settled on a position 25mm lower and it's fixed it.
I'm also more powerful and don't suffer saddle rub any more.
I don't think I'll ever be able to love it.
Will work on the stretching more, and I do need to get some sort of upper body exercise back into the routine.
Thanks.
Median nerve compression. I think you are putting too much weight on your hands. Move the bars closer and higher (moving the saddle forward a cm will also help if you are too far set back). Take more weight through your core. You shouldn't have to learn to love it, just adjust your position until the problem disappears.
You shouldn't have to learn to love it
We're not designed to sit in the same position for 4hrs+. Even professional riders suffer from this sort of thing - that's why you often see them wresting on their wrists or forearms toward the end of races. It's part and parcel of perching ourselves on bikes for hours on end!
You can minimise it, and lengthen the time before it starts. It won't kill you though! 😀
Check out this youtube vid - helps me.
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"that's why you often see them wresting on their wrists or forearms toward the end of races."
Not really, this position get them more aero to save 30 watts. It's outlawed in BC events as unsafe in bunch riding. Do really think pros could ride 40,000km a year with nerve compression?
Not really, this position get them more aero to save 30 watts.
30 watts? Trust me, we do it to give our hands and wrists a rest, not for the aero benefits.
After 4 or 5 hours in the saddle, core muscles start to slump - no matter how strong you are - and more weight is transferred to the hands. Twinges, numbness and "electric shocks" are perfectly normal and pretty unavoidable if you spend long hours in the saddle.
Trust me, we do it to give our hands and wrists a rest, not for the aero benefits.
Well, you might, but David Millar doesn't. Not sure one way or the other re 30Watts difference but I can't say I've ever road raced myself or know of any others that adopt that position for reasons of wrist pain relief - normally do it to adopt a pseudo tt position.
[url= http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/technique-david-millar-on-turning-on-the-gas-1067/ ]Millar Article[/url]
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Learning to mix it up - Lots of riders only have one basic position when they are full throttle, but I have three - depending on what the situation is.[b] If it's a long effort at high speed on the flat then I will get aero and rest on the tops of the handlebars with my arms[/b] - but this can be very precarious so I cannot recommend it in most situations. [b]But at 50kph the aero benefits of having your elbows tucked in and your body streamlined can be significant.[/b]
I had similar shocks in my hand/ arm for a while - they just went away after a while.
Must be your position 😉 four-five hours in the saddle does not leave me numb with tingling fingers. I do, however ride a "comfort" carbon Defy with carbon bars and an ISP that absorbs road shock. I also wear no or unpadded gloves and use 2mm thick bar tape. I have very little weight on my hands, most is taken through the core and legs. Pushing on the pedals provides the support.