cycling - General running - Runner's World

Hildegard

17/08/2002 at 17:21

Hello,

As it's so hot today, I thought I'd go for a 45 minute cycle instead of a run. I cycle every day, but generally only for getting around town purposes. So now, after finishing my cycle, my hands feel strange and tingly, like when you've been holding a hair drier for too long. Anyone know what this is, and how to avoid it in future?

Thanks,
Hild

Ultracat

17/08/2002 at 17:32

Hi there Hild, not really sure but sounds as though you may have been gripping the handle bars too tightly and this has affected the cirulation in your hands.

Dangly Spice

17/08/2002 at 18:25

It's most likely nerve damage Caused by vibration on the hands. Should pass off after a half hour to one hour, depending on how long you were on the bike. Do you wear gloves? I know it's hot, but try proper padded cycling gloves. Made a big difference to me. Were you out longer than usual, on a road that was a bit rougher than usual causing more vibration through the hands? CHanging the angle of the seat to handlebars can also help so more of your weight is on the seat rather than going down your arms to your hands.
(I have a keen cyclist for a hubby who does miles and miles for FUN!!)

running muppet

17/08/2002 at 19:10

It could possibly also have been due to dehydration?

Nic

18/08/2002 at 00:13

Are you sure your handlebars are not to low and u are leaning on ur hands too much...

Nic

WildWill..... pirate

pirate

18/08/2002 at 10:44

This is quite often caused by the pressure applied to the handlebars through the soft tissue part of your hand, under your thumb.

To lessen the effects wear good cycling gloves that provide adequate padding in this area

Will

WildWill..... pirate

pirate

18/08/2002 at 10:45

Doh

Sorry Dangly - I did not see that you had already said that :0|

Will

Hildegard

18/08/2002 at 12:48

Hmm, thanks for the ideas. No, I wasn't wearing gloves, and I was out for a much longer period of time than usual. The tingling went away after a half hour or so, and today it's like nothing happened. So I guess it's a pair of gloves for me then.

Cheers,
Hild

george

18/08/2002 at 22:45

Is your bike the right size for you ? If its bigger than it should be ( the bike ), then you tend to stretch more and subsequently put more pressure on the shoulders which also reduces circulation to the hands - hence pins and needles. Also check your saddle height. Too high will also have the same effect and reduce your pedal efficiency too.

millipede

19/08/2002 at 09:19

Just want to add another vote to the "wear gloves" camp. If I cycle for any length of time without good padded gloves then I suffer badly from numb and tingling hands. Padded cycling mits sort this out completely for me.

Millipede

Chaos

19/08/2002 at 10:55

If your bike has suspension forks, then you may also be able to tune the "preload" so that it is a bit spongier and absorbs shocks more readily.

Dustin

19/08/2002 at 10:58

Whats this got to do with running ?

(Sorry couldn't resist - thought I'd beat the forum purists to it !!!)

Hildegard

19/08/2002 at 11:56

Dustin - obviously, cycling has absolutely nothing to do with running, even in a cross-training capacity. Yes, it's all part of my evil plan to torture my fellow forumites with completely irrelevent nonsense, ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!! And considering that people have actually responded, they have taken the bait...

Dustin

19/08/2002 at 12:01

Actually I did put up a cycling question on this forum (duathlons) and was pleased to get some informative replies.
Indeed this thread has made me aware of gloves - something I've never bothered with before when cycling......

Hildegard

19/08/2002 at 14:34

Perhaps not everyone needs gloves? When I rode my bicycle again, I paid attention to how I was gripping the handlebars, and I certainly seemed to be gripping them way to hard.

Mowgli

19/08/2002 at 21:12

Well, just to add a bit more, the person who pointed out earlier that it may be to do with pressure on a nerve is right! If you get the tingling in the palm (particularly on the little finger side), the little finger and the ring finger, it will be caused by pressure on the ulnar nerve as it passes over the carpal bones.

The gloves are a good idea, but if you don't like the terrible tan lines you'll get, try holding the bars differently - actually grip them further down in the palm, without just leaning on your wrists. If you do tend to lean on your wrists, try leaning more on the thumb side!

Hildegard

19/08/2002 at 21:38

Thanks Mowgli, I shall try the new hand positioning too. As I work at my computer a lot, this has also affected my hands/wrists (sometimes they ache!), so I'm sure that this, in turn, showed up when I cycled. Ho-hum.

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