As Katherine is already well aware, the positioning of your hands during long-distance cycling is extremely important. Keeping your hands in one position for an extended period of time -- greater than three to five minutes -- can cause several problems, especially if the cyclist has pre-existing conditions such as osteoarthritis, tenosynovitis, and / or carpal tunnel syndrome. Keeping your hands in the same position over an extended period of time can compromise circulation, cause nerve stretching or compression, cause joint compression and cause undue stress on tendons and ligaments. All this can lead to inflammation and nerve compression, causing pain and numbness in the hands.
The key to minimizing the risk of any hand condition while cycling is movement, movement, movement. Maintaining proper posture, using proper gear, changing your hand positions regularly, and performing hand stretches before you ride and during water breaks are essential to having healthy, happy hands.
What's the best way to do that if you have flat (hybrid) handlebars?
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