Numb hands may ruin your cycling career. Because of the numbness, the bicycle will lack control during the cycling process, causing unexpected danger.

A common type of hand numbness is cyclist palsy, which is what we usually call grip numbness. It is caused by compression of the ulnar nerve or the median nerve of the hand.

Knowing the reason, let’s set out to solve the grip palsy.



1. Where is the handheld on the handlebar

The ulnar nerve enters the palm from the wrist and is located near the little finger and ring finger. When held in the upper position, it will be placed on the ulnar nerve. If enough pressure is applied to the nerve, it will make your ring finger and little finger numb. The median nerve that enters the hand passes through the wrist from the ulnar nerve and the root of the thumb. With too much pressure you will feel numbness in your index and middle fingers, which may be accompanied by numbness in the ulna.

​2. Resolve numbness of the grip

Make sure your hands are natural when touching the handlebars. Any movement of over-extension of the wrist will directly compress the hand nerves and cause numbness. Pay attention to properly relaxing your hands on the handlebars, and keep your nerves as open as possible.

Change the position of your hands on the handlebars during cycling. On a road bike with a handlebar, if you feel your hands are numb, changing the position will reduce the pressure on the base of your palm. Because of the position of the handlebar, it may be a little difficult to do this on a flat handlebar. If you have been cycling a flat-handle bike, you will often have symptoms of hand numbness. It is recommended that you add a pair of vices.

Remember the correct grip position. It is not correct to hold it perpendicular to the ground. You should face the direction of the bicycle and relax your wrists naturally.

Wearing gloves can also help relieve the symptoms of hand paralysis, or you can wrap the strap a few more times. It is best to use gloves with gel pads. Try putting on gloves first to make sure it is the right size. Too loose gloves will cause blisters, while too tight gloves will aggravate the symptoms of numbness, some oversized pads will also focus on the palm of the hand, causing numbness

Moving the seat down and back can also reduce the pressure on the hand. (Imagine the position of the seat of a lady’s bicycle. It is theoretically feasible.) If you really want to do this, be aware that changes in the height of the seat will change the cycling posture, which will lead to changes in other parts of the body. Therefore, if you want to use this method to relieve hand numbness, you must proceed step by step.

If the above solutions do not work, you should find a professional technician to do bike fitting to adjust your position. In addition, you may want to find a professional neurologist to help you see what is causing your paralysis. They can help you stay away from the numbness.



3.nervous system

Understand that the nervous system will cause numbness in the handgrip, so you can prescribe the right medicine and adjust your posture in a targeted manner. These simple corrections are very effective and simple. If the problem cannot be cured, it is recommended to do a comprehensive professional inspection, so that you can truly control your cycling and stay away from paralysis.

Reminder: Try to put the weight on the periphery of the palm instead of the center of the palm.