Nick <[email hidden]>typed
Quoted message said:Helen Deborah Vecht wrote:
Quoted message said:Quoted message said:
IMO the problem is due to compression of the nerve and its bloood
vessels, not to vibration. You should take _all_ pressure off the heel
of the hand as frequently as possible when cycling. Padded gloves and
bars help diffuse the pressure but do not remove it. (I speculate that
they may cause more trouble in the long term for this reason; you'd take
your hands off the bars if you had pain, but if you have no pain, you
might continue until you have truly mashed the nerve.) The same may
apply to other contact area problems, like saddles/shorts.
Quoted message said:I think bars do make a genuine difference. My wrist position for drop
bars is totally different than it is for flat bars. Wrist straight, arms
bent very little pressure/compression. My symptoms are different to
yours in that I experience numbness not motor problems but for me the
symptoms really do disappear totally with drop bars and this is based on
years of experience.
In 1988, I was riding a flat-barred mountain bike. I wore gloves but
hadn't yet acquired the Speco gel gloves I used for Audax rides.
I had well-padded drops for Audax.
Quoted message said:Unfortunately I've never managed to totally solve the saddle/short problem.
For me the key was getting my bum off the seat and allowing as much air
as possible to cool my shorts. I reserved padding for trips >100 miles.
('Airing my grievances' took on a new meaning...)
Quoted message said:Quoted message said:I first mashed my left ulnar nerve when I cycled to the Arctic Circle in
1988. By the time I realised I had a problem, I was 10 days into a
three-week trip, cycle-camping solo. There was no pain or numbness. I
changed my cycling style but still returned home with little motor
function. My subsequent Audax exploits caused the problem to recur; I
have permanent damage...
[1] Ulnar nerve palsy is a medical exam 'classic'. If you have any
friends taking exams, show them your hand as a revision challenge.
Quoted message said:Given that it is an exam classic it is a shame doctors seem unable to
remember it in the surgery. :o(
It is a favourite for MRCP, a test rarely taken by GPs...
The ulnar nerve features in a large number of glove adverts on the
wiggle website ;-)
Quick guide to nerves in the hand:
1) Radial nerve: winds round the back of the radius as it broadens just
above the wrist. Supplies sensation only to a small triangular patch at
the back of the base of the thumb. Unlikely to be troublesome in
cyclists who neither wear HYOOGE watches or get into trouble with the
Polis [1]
2) Median nerve arrives in the hand in a tight fibrous tunnel, the
carpal tunnel, in the middle of the wrist (under the base of the 'Life
Line'😉. Supplies sensation to most of the fingers, except usually half
the ring finger and little finger. Supplies muscle at base of thumb. [2]
3) Ulnar nerve as discussed above. Has separate motor and sensory
branches. Supplies sensation to the little finger and usually half the
ring finger. Motor branch supplies almost ALL small muscles of the hand.
These are the ones that allow you to spread straight fingers apart and
bring them together (interossei). They also allow you to fully
straighten the fingers (lumbricals).[3]
[1] Resisting tight handcuffs classically causes numbness discovered
after a weekend's revelling; challenging sufferers about Polis
encounters can be 'interesting'...
[2] Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by compression of the median nerve,
usually in condition where a degree of swelling increases tension in a
tight place. Pregnancy, rheumatoid arthritis etc can be examples. A
minor operation to decompress the tunnel may be recommended.
[3] The curved appearance of the OP's little finger is termed 'ulnar clawing'.
--
Helen D. Vecht: [email hidden]
Edgware.
