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There are several hand and upper extremity injury syndromes associated with cycling.
ULNAR NERVE NEUROPATHY (little finger and ring finger)
Numbness of the small and ring finger is the result of irritation of the Ulnar nerve. After leaving
the side of the neck, the ulnar nerve then travels through the arm pit, down the arm to the hand
and fingers. As it crosses the wrist, the ulnar nerve and artery run through the tunnel known as
Guyon's canal. The cause of Gunyon's Canal Syndrome includes trauma to the area, fractures of
the bones that form the floor of the tunnel, and small, benign tumors of the nerve or surrounding
tissues of the tunnel. Another common cause of this syndrome is from pressure of bicycle
handlebars seen with avid cyclists. In that case it is overuse of the wrist, especially bending the
wrist down (flexing) and out, or putting constant pressure on the palm. Road vibration
transmitted through the handlebars may be the cause in some cases as well.
The symptoms begin with a feeling of pins and needles in the ring and little finger, starting in the
early morning before waking. This can progresses to a burning pain of the wrist and hand,
followed by decreased sensation and eventually clumsiness in the hand as the ulnar nerve also
supplies many of the small muscles of the hand.
The diagnosis of Guyon’s canal syndrome begins with a careful history and physical
examination by your doctor. Compression can occur at several areas along the ulnar nerve, and
your doctor will want to find exactly where the nerve is being affected. Electrical studies such as
Nerve Conduction (which measures how fast nerve impulses travel along the nerve) may help to
pin point your problem.
Treatment involves taking frequent breaks or limiting the amount of time you are performing
tasks that require flexing and turning out the wrist, or place constant pressure on the palm. You
will need to evaluate how you are gripping the handlebars, particularly how you are holding your
hand in relation to your forearm, and consider a change in your riding/gripping style on the
handlebars or hoods. Lowering your seat to take pressure off your palm or wrist may be of help.
Also consider increasing the padding in your gloves or other measures to decrease the
transmission of road vibration. A wrist splint may be worn at night to decrease aggravating the
condition. Anti-inflammatory medications(such as ibuprofen or aspirin) may be helpful. And in
extreme cases surgery may be necessary to cut the ligament that forms the roof of Guyon’s canal
to relieve the pressure on the nerve. The ligament will eventually heal back, but the canal will be
larger than before thus providing more leeway in how you position your wrist.
MEDIAN NERVE NEUROPATHY (carpal tunnel syndrome; thumb and ring finger)
The most common surgical neuropathy is the compressive neuropathy of the Median Nerve as it
passes through the Carpal Tunnel in the wrist Irritation at this level in the course of the median
nerve causes numbness of the thumb and index fingers. As with Ulnar neuropathy, it can be
aggravated by wrist position and road vibration, and the approaches to treatment are similar
including changing the aggravating motion/position, anti-inflammatories, and ultimately surgery
if all else fails.
Common fixes for both
• Ice and NSAIDs (motrin, ibuprofen) acutely
• Use a firm but relaxed grip on the bar
• Change hand positions frequently
• Try padded gloves or cushy handlebar tape
• Concentrate on keeping your wrists straight (bar ends on mountain bikes and aero bars on
a road bike keep the wrists in a more neutral position)
• Alter your position on the bike to stay more upright (a higher stem or more spacers in the
headset)
SHOULDER PAIN
Developing shoulder pain is a common complaint, especially on long rides. A common question
I receive is similar to the following:
Q. We take a group of teens on a 400 mile bicycle trip every summer through our church. One of
the teens has complained extensively about shoulder discomfort. What do you advise?
In this situation, shoulder pain on longer (than training) rides, the problem is generally due to
placing too much weight on the hands and riding with straight elbows (rather than keeping them
slightly flexed) which transmits more road shock to the arms and upper body. Solutions include:
• a more upright posture on the bike with less weight on outstretched arms
○ a higher stem
○ perhaps tilt the seat back a little (just a single click or it may put excessive
pressure on the perineum)
• concentrating on keeping the elbows bent while riding
• longer training rides - closer to the length of your long day on your next adventure