Severe hand pain when cycling

[guyofthetiger]

Sorry for not replying sooner (didn't realise there was a second page)
My saddle is at the correct height, with only a sleight bend in my knee on the down stroke.
The pain is isolated to my hands and fingers only, I have no pains whatsoever anywhere else.
I the natural position I fall into, is to rest the majority of my weight on my hands (this could be down to poor technique)
In response to oldbobcat, my arms are about 8cm longer than they 'should be' relative to my height ( 191cm arm span)

 

[oldbobcat]

Originally Posted by guyofthetiger .

Sorry for not replying sooner (didn't realise there was a second page)
My saddle is at the correct height, with only a sleight bend in my knee on the down stroke.
The pain is isolated to my hands and fingers only, I have no pains whatsoever anywhere else.
I the natural position I fall into, is to rest the majority of my weight on my hands (this could be down to poor technique)
In response to oldbobcat, my arms are about 8cm longer than they 'should be' relative to my height ( 191cm arm span)

Thought so, regarding the arm length. With so much length you could easily drop the bar and still be comfortable, after getting the other stuff sorted out.

Well, now's the time to practice holding the torso up with back and abdominal muscles, and if the leverage is wrong for doing that comfortably, slide the saddle back a bit. Also, follow your mother's advice and don't slouch. Reach the bar by bending from the hips, not curling the back. Extend the spine and and reach forward with your head, embracing, not fighting the athletic-ready posture. The extension will raise the shoulders and shift them forward a bit, reducing the angle from the spinal column to the upper arm and its tendency to cause tightness. Also practice some shoulder, back, and hamstring stretches.

The upper body isn't to be flopped over the bike, or to form an arch bridge between the saddle and the handlebar. Rather, it's supported by the core, alert, balanced, and in control of the bike.

 

[guyofthetiger]

Thank you for your advice, I think that the leverage is just about right for holding my torso up (may need to play about with the fore/aft adjustment to get it perfect)
I think that I have just become lazy with my posture and I'm sure that practicing stretches will remedy this bad habit that I have fallen into.

 

[OTownRaider]

What's odd is that your position doesn't look like it should be causing you pain. It looks pretty balanced to me. If I were you, I would go to your local bike shop and get properly fitted. You may need an appointment, but a pro can make sure that your geometry is correct. Good luck, dude. You can lick this problem for sure.

 

[oldbobcat]

Originally Posted by guyofthetiger .

Thank you for your advice, I think that the leverage is just about right for holding my torso up (may need to play about with the fore/aft adjustment to get it perfect)
I think that I have just become lazy with my posture and I'm sure that practicing stretches will remedy this bad habit that I have fallen into.

There you go. Try this for a while and tell us how it works. Good luck.

 

[guyofthetiger]

Hello again, sorry for the late reply (my laptop has been breaking down lately) I have taken you're advice, and have tried, simply to support my weight with my lower back/core.
This has completely solved the problem of the hand pain, it seems that the issue was in my posture after all, not the bike fit.
So again, thank you very much for everyone's support, my rides seem a lot more pleasant now.

 

[davereo]

ou may want to try using a different riding Kit. May I suggest froma red. The best kit you will never get to wear.

 

[davereo]

Hey OP good folks around here. To bad the site itself cant follow through on its give aways.

 

[alienator]

ou may want to try using a different riding Kit. May I suggest froma red. The best kit you will never get to wear.

Ow! I didn't know the kit was Forma Red. I have a couple of pairs of Forma Red bib shorts, and I actually prefer them to my Assos bibs.

 

[oldbobcat]

Originally Posted by guyofthetiger .

Hello again, sorry for the late reply (my laptop has been breaking down lately) I have taken you're advice, and have tried, simply to support my weight with my lower back/core.
This has completely solved the problem of the hand pain, it seems that the issue was in my posture after all, not the bike fit.
So again, thank you very much for everyone's support, my rides seem a lot more pleasant now.

Good work, Guy. Glad you got to the bottom of it.

Happy trails.

 

[Pat Stowe]

Make sure the saddle is level or even a bit "nose up" so you won't be sliding forward, forcing you to push back with you arms to stay in place, Learn to hold yourself "up" with your "core" not your arms and ride so only the weight of your arms is on the bars and always, always keep your arms bent. Try to find someone to help you fit the bike "hands on". To my "eye" your position appears to be good, keep in mind it is impossible to make a decent judgement without being there. It may be a good idea to see a doctor as you may have an underlying undiagnosed nerve or bone issue.