Jerry Out“spoke”n: Hip to Your Grip

Before we start to look at hand positioning for road bikes, let's talk about bike gloves. Gloves designed to absorb compression to the hand and wrist much like shocks on your car. And they are imperative for safe riding!

Now, about those positions. Ideally, as we have already discussed, your wrists should be kept neutral -- or, in line with your forearm (see pictures C, D and E, below). 

If the wrist is put in maximal extension (picture F, below) it will put undue pressure on the nerves and vessels that travel through the wrist, potentially causing numbness and diminished circulation.   

Another way to take pressure off your hands and wrists is to install aerobars (pictures A and B, below).   

Not only do you have the added benefit of improving your speed with these bars, as they make the rider more aerodynamic, but you are offered an option to take the weight off of your hands.  These bars have been a lifesaver for my own wrist and hands.

Picture A

Picture B

Picture C

Picture D

Picture E

Picture F

I hope you've enjoyed my posts, exploring how attention to stretching, posture and hand positioning can help you hit the road and exercise pain-free!

Jerry Out“spoke”n: Hey, There! Watch Your Posture!

Achieving the proper fit with your bike is imperative for good riding posture. If the handlebars (stem height) are too low, the rider must lean forward and increase compression due to body weight. The saddle (seat) angle should not be too low in the front, or the rider will slide forward, increasing compression forces to the shoulders. It’s wise to have your local bicycle dealer assess your bike fit prior to taking long journeys!

While cycling, your back should be slightly arched outward to minimize stress on the spine. Your shoulders should be kept in line with your body, so the chest muscles carry most of the weight of your upper body. And your elbows should be slightly bent and not locked in extension.  A locked posture will cause undue stress to the elbow joint and strain to the triceps.  The wrist should be kept in a neutral position or in line with your forearm. 

For additional information, I like Sheldon Brown’s explanation of the “Two Bump Problem,” as well as this Cycling for Fun YouTube video, which demonstrates correct cycling posture. 

Jerry Out“spoke”n: A Good Stretch is Worth Miles

Whether you’re hoping to emulate Katherine’s cross-country efforts, or just want to get more comfortable on your own bicycle, here are a couple of good, quick stretches you can do to counteract the force and tension placed on your hands and arms while cycling over long distances.

(source)

If you make these a habit every time you stop to rest, you’ll maintain the health of your hands for years of cycling. Perform each of these about five times, holding the stretch for five to ten seconds:

1. Wrist extension stretch to counteract gripping handlebars for hours

2. Wrist flexion stretch to counteract long-term wrist extension 

3. Overhead arm stretch to counteract forward-sitting posture for hours

4. Shoulder stretch to counteract back and elbow tightness

 

Note: All stretch pictures from

http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?_adv_prop=image&va=arm+stretches

Jerry Out“spoke”n: Healthy Hands = Happy Hands

 (source)

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.

Jerry Out“spoke”n: Hands Together for Katherine

Katherine, WOCN members and Cycling for Scholarships blog readers: I am Jerry Coverdale, the current President of the American Society of Hand Therapist (ASHT), a non-profit organization dedicated to serving occupational and physical therapists who treat patients with hand and upper extremity injuries. 

As a fellow biker,  I applaud (pun intended) Katherine's efforts, and admire her stamina in this fundraising endeavor. I’m a Ft. Lauderdale, Florida-based occupational therapist with 22 years of experience  specializing in hand and upper extremity rehabilitation. I have been a Certified Hand Therapist since 1993.  I’ve ridden The Smart Ride, a 167-mile ride from Miami to Key West, FL, several times to raise funds for HIV support. I acknowledge, however, these efforts are a drop in the bucket compared to Katherine's ride, but I hope my small adventure makes a dent in the overall scheme of things.

Over the next few weeks, I'll be contributing to this blog with advice, based on my experience and expertise, on ways to protect your hands while riding long distances. I hope to educate, inform and inspire anyone interested in long-distance cycling -- particularly if you're planning on following in Katherine's footsteps (tire tracks?) and riding for a charitable cause.