My First Solo Road Bike Ride 37 miles – Wrist pain cycling

Epic fail! Following a cycle route on google maps isn’t always the wisest on a road bike not designed for uneven terrain. You’ll end up stopping and recalculating routes multiple times. On the plus you’re likely to discover beautiful scenery you otherwise wouldn’t and if the weathers good like it was for me, you’ll enjoyed the glorious May sunshine.

Lesson one – Plan a safe route appropriate for your tyres

As I rattled down the bumpy tow-path I was soon aware of wrist pain and the impending wrist problems which would occur.

The wrist is a delicate area. When not in its strongest position – ‘neutral,’ a lot of pressure can be places on the nerves, vessels and muscles passing through it. This can lead to tingling, numbness, weakness in grip and wrist pain cycling. Wrist position and minimising the shock transferred from road to wrist is important. There are many adjustments you can make to your bike to optimise position and many accessories to improve the comfort of your ride especially important on rougher terrain.

Lesson two:-

Good bar tape
Gel gloves
Get a proper bike fit – Bike handle bar position and angle, set height and position…..and so much more
Avoid off roading on a road bike!

KH-Chiropractic—Cycling-spotty-gel-bar-tape-and-gel-cycling-gloves,-stopping-wrist-pain-cycling

Carpel Tunnel syndrome

The ‘Carpal tunnel’ is the area of the wrist the median nerve and some tendons pass through, therefore the wrist needs to remain in its optimal position as much as possible for good, comfortable hand function. Carpel Tunnel Syndrome is one common nerve entrapment syndrome causing wrist pain.

Here’s a little on what it is and what symptoms it can cause:-

There are two ways the median nerve may be entrapped. Pressure may be exerted on the nerve due to reduced capacity of the tunnel, as with swelling or a lesion of the surrounding tissues. Alternatively there may be an increase in volume of the contents of the tunnel, such as a thickening of a tendon. It usually occurs in people whose occupation involves substantial use of their hands, or in this case, lots of regular cycling!