Overview
Bicycling is, for many people, an enjoyable way to increase fitness and build aerobic capacity. It’s low-impact, isn’t associated with joint and bone injuries that can plague runners and can be performed at different intensities depending upon your fitness goals. Because many cyclists spend a long time in one position—specifically a position that puts weight on a flexed wrist—some riders experience acute or chronic wrist pain during or after their rides. Thankfully, a few adjustments to your bike, your position and your riding style can help alleviate discomfort.
Types
Wrist pain can come about for different reasons. According to Sheldon Brown, a cyclist who maintains an Internet site about bicycling injuries and issues, poor posture in the upper body can result in wrist pain and aching. Essentially, too much pressure on dorsiflexed (bent toward the back of the hand) wrists causes stress and pain over time. Numbness in the fingers combined with pain in the outer wrist, on the other hand, could be a sign of a compressed nerve, according to Mark Decker, a staff writer at the CARE Exchange, which provides information for charity cyclists.
Saddle Position
Brown suggests that wrist pain “can be caused by having the saddle angle too low in front; this tends to make you slide forward as you ride, and you wind up using your hands to push yourself back into position.” He recommends adjusting the nose of the saddle upward somewhat if you’re having consistent wrist pain to see if that alleviates the problem. Cycling Sisters, an organization dedicated to informing women about bicycles, suggests that moving the saddle slightly forward or back relative to the handlebars can also help take stress off wrists and reduce pain.
Hand Position
Decker recommends switching hand positions frequently to avoid pain. On a road bike, riders can move hands between the drops and the top of the handlebars every few minutes. Fewer positions are available on mountain and comfort bikes, but Decker suggests adding bar ends to straight bars to gain another possible hand position. Cycling Sisters recommends adjusting the handlebar angle to see if this decreases pain. After loosening the bolt holding the handlebars in place, they suggest tilting the bars either forward or backward to maximize comfort and then tightening the bolt to hold the bars in place.
Gloves and Tape
The American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPMR) says, “Padding is key. Padded gloves and handlebars cut back on stress and possible injuries.” Cycling Sisters echoes this sentiment, suggesting that new bar tape can help pad handlebars and that cycling gloves “add extra padding, relieving some pressure on the hands.”
Physical Health
“Rest periods while biking long distances and between bike trips are recommended,” the AAPMR says. Cycling Sisters suggests that the key to healthy wrists might be in the abdominal region. “Do crunches to strengthen the abdominal area so it will bear the weight instead of your arms,” suggests the organization. CARE Exchange also recommends keeping your handlebar grip light, as “loose hands, arms and shoulders make you a better shock absorber and reduce neck fatigue.” For those concerned about control of the bike, they add, “You actually have better steering control with a relaxed grip than a tight one.”
About this Author
Kirstin Hendrickson is a writer, teacher, coach and athlete. She’s been teaching, coaching, and writing about health, wellness and nutrition for more than 10 years. She has a B.S. in zoology, a B.S. in psychology, an M.S. in chemistry, and a Ph.D. in bioorganic chemistry.
