Pins and Needles (numbness)

dennistheclown · Post by **dennistheclown** » 25 Nov 2007, 11:52am

Hi,

Can anyone help, I suffer numbness and pins and needles in my left hand and foot when I've been riding for about 1 hour. I ride an 18" Aluminium frame MTB, with slicks and riser bars which feels comfortable, and I'm 5ft 10" with a 30" inside leg. Should I think about upgrading to a proper tourer?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

byegad · Post by **byegad** » 25 Nov 2007, 12:43pm

Assuming you have ruled out any medical causes, I'm thinking trapped nerves, poor circulation etc. Then it maybe your positioning on the bike, I suggest trying different hand positions and changing position before you sense the numbness/pins and needles.
I gave up riding drop bars some years ago due to loss of feeling in my hands, for a while a more upright position and flat bars plus bar ends let me ride with few problems. Unfortunately I've recently been as bad as when I abandoned drops so I've gone recumbent. Once again I'm comfortable as I ride.

Auchmill · Post by **Auchmill** » 25 Nov 2007, 3:04pm

Frequent changing of positions is good advice. It may be pressure on that nerve, forget what it's called, which goes through a small opening in a bone in your wrist. I had the same thing and tried Ergon bar grips. They're not cheap but a great improvement over ordinary ones, though I find I still have to change position from time to time.

byegad · Post by **byegad** » 26 Nov 2007, 12:20pm

Carpal Tunnel, is the thing your thinking of Auchmill. I understand that it can be VERY painful. I'm not sure that Carpal Tunnel problems explain all numbness, I lose the feeling in my little finger and thumb on an upright very quickly, 4 or 5 miles is enough, and the feeling comes back in a minute or two of lifting my hand off the bar. I tend to ride one handed a lot of the time!

cricklewood_graeme · Post by **cricklewood_graeme** » 8 Dec 2007, 4:36pm

I suffer from both numbness in left hand (ring finger and little finger only) plus in the past numbness and tingling in both little toes. Its over 3 weeks now since I did a 3 day ride causing numbness in my fingers and the feeling is only just now returning. I was on someone else's hybrid bike with quite comfortable tyres (700 X 35) and I did wear padded cycling gloves. I am going to see how I go on my own newly acquired Raleigh Royal which I have fitted high density sponge rubber handle bar covers.

As regards the feet Chris Juden (CTC) recommended I change shoes to ensure that the problem was not caused by undue pressure on soles of feet. I went for the Exustar Stelvios after reading his review. Actually it made no difference until I changed from toeclips to SPDs . Like wise when I was cycling last month on the borrowed hybrid I was wearing ordinary trainers on basic nylon pedals with no toeclips and had no problems which makes me think that the straps on the toeclips were causing the problem rather than pressure on soles of feet.

PW · Post by PW » 8 Dec 2007, 4:57pm

I used to get numb little toes with toestraps unless I loosened them every 1/2 hour or so, I don't get the problem with Time ATACs and only a small hotspot with SPDs. So I use ATACs for long rides.
The only time I had something like carpal tunnel problems was the first time I set up a hack MTB with bar ends - it turned out to be the ends were pointing too far skywards and the problem disappeared when they were lowered to point forwards. As a precaution I also covered them with old inner tube and wound the bars and ends with roadie cork tape. No more bother.

Fonant · Post by **Fonant** » 8 Dec 2007, 10:47pm

I get pins and needles in feet and hands if I get dehydrated when riding. A quick drink from my water bottle and it goes away. Don't know if that would help in your case though.