Shooulder and hand issue.
07-05-20, 01:12 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Shooulder and hand issue.
I’m having a problem with my bike. Or, more precisely, it is having a problem with me. When I go for a ride, somewhere around the 12 mile mark, I notice my left shoulder starts to hurt. Not muscular, but more in the bone. Or at least that’s how it feels to me.
Around the same time, I notice that my right hand begins to go numb, and I have to take it off the bar to let it become un-numb.
Is this a fitting issue? Am I sitting funny? Has anyone else had this peculiar pair of problems?
Around the same time, I notice that my right hand begins to go numb, and I have to take it off the bar to let it become un-numb.
Is this a fitting issue? Am I sitting funny? Has anyone else had this peculiar pair of problems?
07-05-20, 01:39 PM
#2
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I get that all the time. In my case spinal stenosis, just some nerve endings getting pinched in the upper part of my spine. It isn't really anything to worry about. I try to stretch a lot, chiropractors help, as does ibuprofen. But for the most part just live with it.
I bought a recumbent less than a year ago. this cleared up my neck issues like nothing else ever has. But now I'm going back to normal bikes again so imagine the numbness may return.
The cause of your numbness could be something else, just telling you what mine is from
Bet you $100 someone comes in and says you NEED a professional bike fit.
I bought a recumbent less than a year ago. this cleared up my neck issues like nothing else ever has. But now I'm going back to normal bikes again so imagine the numbness may return.
The cause of your numbness could be something else, just telling you what mine is from
Bet you $100 someone comes in and says you NEED a professional bike fit.
07-05-20, 02:02 PM
#4
Senior Member
Thread Starter
07-05-20, 02:04 PM
#5
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I get that all the time. In my case spinal stenosis, just some nerve endings getting pinched in the upper part of my spine. It isn't really anything to worry about. I try to stretch a lot, chiropractors help, as does ibuprofen. But for the most part just live with it.
I bought a recumbent less than a year ago. this cleared up my neck issues like nothing else ever has. But now I'm going back to normal bikes again so imagine the numbness may return.
The cause of your numbness could be something else, just telling you what mine is from
Bet you $100 someone comes in and says you NEED a professional bike fit.
I bought a recumbent less than a year ago. this cleared up my neck issues like nothing else ever has. But now I'm going back to normal bikes again so imagine the numbness may return.
The cause of your numbness could be something else, just telling you what mine is from
Bet you $100 someone comes in and says you NEED a professional bike fit.
I'm going back to Tai Chi for the flexibility. Maybe that will help.
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07-05-20, 02:35 PM
#6
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I get that all the time. In my case spinal stenosis, just some nerve endings getting pinched in the upper part of my spine. It isn't really anything to worry about. I try to stretch a lot, chiropractors help, as does ibuprofen. But for the most part just live with it.
I bought a recumbent less than a year ago. this cleared up my neck issues like nothing else ever has. But now I'm going back to normal bikes again so imagine the numbness may return.
The cause of your numbness could be something else, just telling you what mine is from
Bet you $100 someone comes in and says you NEED a professional bike fit.
I bought a recumbent less than a year ago. this cleared up my neck issues like nothing else ever has. But now I'm going back to normal bikes again so imagine the numbness may return.
The cause of your numbness could be something else, just telling you what mine is from
Bet you $100 someone comes in and says you NEED a professional bike fit.
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07-05-20, 07:50 PM
#7
Senior Member
If you are riding at less than about 18 MPH or you are feeling body weight on your hands rather than pulling up on the bars then you are likely putting too much unnatural pressure on your hands (particularly your ulnar nerve), shoulders, spine and pudendal nerve. You'd likely be much happier on an upright Dutch bike.
More: City Bikes | LocalMile
There's a reason that outside of the U.S. these are overwhelmingly the most popular bikes and why the only people you see riding w/ drop bars are competitive racers. Drop bar geometry works great if you are expending enough energy to be pulling up on the bars (or at least be balanced w/ little to no weight on your hands), otherwise you are wasting energy and causing yourself unnecessary joint pain.
More: City Bikes | LocalMile
There's a reason that outside of the U.S. these are overwhelmingly the most popular bikes and why the only people you see riding w/ drop bars are competitive racers. Drop bar geometry works great if you are expending enough energy to be pulling up on the bars (or at least be balanced w/ little to no weight on your hands), otherwise you are wasting energy and causing yourself unnecessary joint pain.
07-06-20, 09:22 AM
#9
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I couldn't give you a time answer, but it seems frequent as I search for a more comfortable position.
Really, the odd thing is why my left hand gives me no problem, and why my right shoulder gives me no problem. If both hands, or both shoulders were problems, it would be easier to figure out.
Really, the odd thing is why my left hand gives me no problem, and why my right shoulder gives me no problem. If both hands, or both shoulders were problems, it would be easier to figure out.
07-06-20, 09:24 AM
#10
Senior Member
Thread Starter
If you are riding at less than about 18 MPH or you are feeling body weight on your hands rather than pulling up on the bars then you are likely putting too much unnatural pressure on your hands (particularly your ulnar nerve), shoulders, spine and pudendal nerve. You'd likely be much happier on an upright Dutch bike.
More: City Bikes | LocalMile
There's a reason that outside of the U.S. these are overwhelmingly the most popular bikes and why the only people you see riding w/ drop bars are competitive racers. Drop bar geometry works great if you are expending enough energy to be pulling up on the bars (or at least be balanced w/ little to no weight on your hands), otherwise you are wasting energy and causing yourself unnecessary joint pain.
More: City Bikes | LocalMile
There's a reason that outside of the U.S. these are overwhelmingly the most popular bikes and why the only people you see riding w/ drop bars are competitive racers. Drop bar geometry works great if you are expending enough energy to be pulling up on the bars (or at least be balanced w/ little to no weight on your hands), otherwise you are wasting energy and causing yourself unnecessary joint pain.
07-06-20, 09:39 AM
#11
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As noted in a prior post, do you feel you are bearing significant weight in your hands? What is the height of your handlebar stem clamp relative to the height of where you ride on the saddle? Having the bars level or slightly above the saddle tends to shift weight from handlebars to saddle.
Otto
Otto
07-06-20, 09:41 AM
#12
Senior Member
It could be that for whatever anatomical reason your shoulder does not like to hold weight at that angle.
One way to try a different angle would be to get a different stem. Going shorter and higher is usually the first thing fitters try when there is hand or arm numbness.
You could also try handlebars of a different width, but that's less likely to make a difference and more expensive to switch.
If you have the chance to ride a different bike that fits you, but with different geometry, for 12+ miles, that might lend some insights and not require buying parts to experiment with.
One way to try a different angle would be to get a different stem. Going shorter and higher is usually the first thing fitters try when there is hand or arm numbness.
You could also try handlebars of a different width, but that's less likely to make a difference and more expensive to switch.
If you have the chance to ride a different bike that fits you, but with different geometry, for 12+ miles, that might lend some insights and not require buying parts to experiment with.
07-06-20, 10:51 AM
#13
Senior Member
Even on flat bars it will always be better to be pulling on the bars.
Dead weight parked on the hands, weight in compression, will always cause problems if the ride is long enough. Weight in compression meets a bump and there’s a problem. Keep it all in tension and the load imposed by that bump just spreads around thru the whole system.
Keeping it all in tension works better when young. Gets harder when old. The injuries get worse when old too. Try pulling on the bars from time to time, even a few minutes a ride. Pretend for a few minutes you are a young guy on a bike and good things will happen
Dead weight parked on the hands, weight in compression, will always cause problems if the ride is long enough. Weight in compression meets a bump and there’s a problem. Keep it all in tension and the load imposed by that bump just spreads around thru the whole system.
Keeping it all in tension works better when young. Gets harder when old. The injuries get worse when old too. Try pulling on the bars from time to time, even a few minutes a ride. Pretend for a few minutes you are a young guy on a bike and good things will happen
07-07-20, 05:18 AM
#15
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Even on flat bars it will always be better to be pulling on the bars.
Dead weight parked on the hands, weight in compression, will always cause problems if the ride is long enough. Weight in compression meets a bump and there’s a problem. Keep it all in tension and the load imposed by that bump just spreads around thru the whole system.
Keeping it all in tension works better when young. Gets harder when old. The injuries get worse when old too. Try pulling on the bars from time to time, even a few minutes a ride. Pretend for a few minutes you are a young guy on a bike and good things will happen
Dead weight parked on the hands, weight in compression, will always cause problems if the ride is long enough. Weight in compression meets a bump and there’s a problem. Keep it all in tension and the load imposed by that bump just spreads around thru the whole system.
Keeping it all in tension works better when young. Gets harder when old. The injuries get worse when old too. Try pulling on the bars from time to time, even a few minutes a ride. Pretend for a few minutes you are a young guy on a bike and good things will happen
07-07-20, 05:19 AM
#16
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Even on flat bars it will always be better to be pulling on the bars.
Dead weight parked on the hands, weight in compression, will always cause problems if the ride is long enough. Weight in compression meets a bump and there’s a problem. Keep it all in tension and the load imposed by that bump just spreads around thru the whole system.
Keeping it all in tension works better when young. Gets harder when old. The injuries get worse when old too. Try pulling on the bars from time to time, even a few minutes a ride. Pretend for a few minutes you are a young guy on a bike and good things will happen
Dead weight parked on the hands, weight in compression, will always cause problems if the ride is long enough. Weight in compression meets a bump and there’s a problem. Keep it all in tension and the load imposed by that bump just spreads around thru the whole system.
Keeping it all in tension works better when young. Gets harder when old. The injuries get worse when old too. Try pulling on the bars from time to time, even a few minutes a ride. Pretend for a few minutes you are a young guy on a bike and good things will happen
07-07-20, 05:22 AM
#17
Senior Member
Thread Starter
As noted in a prior post, do you feel you are bearing significant weight in your hands? What is the height of your handlebar stem clamp relative to the height of where you ride on the saddle? Having the bars level or slightly above the saddle tends to shift weight from handlebars to saddle.
Otto
Otto
07-07-20, 06:32 AM
#18
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The problem is not your bars, or in your hands. The more likely cause is in your spine, at the origins of your brachial nerves. This is somewhere between C5 and T1. Of course, you could also have tensing of muscles in your upper back that constrict the nerves as they make their way downward toward the arm. Look at these two first.
08-07-20, 05:05 PM
#19
Senior Member
A true dutch bike (Workcycles, Azor, Batavus, etc) aligns your rump, spine and neck the way they were designed to naturally function. Stresses are in the right places and not the wrong places. Energy is used more efficiently rather than wasted.
08-09-20, 04:32 PM
#20
Senior Member
Carpal tunnel syndrome? Holding your arm too straight?
Sorry you're experiencing this pain. I recommend including consulting with an MD or DO in your problem-solving plan.
Sorry you're experiencing this pain. I recommend including consulting with an MD or DO in your problem-solving plan.
