Any recommendation for gloves to combat carpel tunnel syndrome

Allabaah

I suffer from carpel tunnel syndrome even before I get on the road bike. Therefore would anyone with experience of this recommend a brand/type of glove as starting into training for 100Km ride? Or indeed anything else?

ford2600

Allabaah wrote: »

I suffer from carpel tunnel syndrome even before I get on the road bike. Therefore would anyone with experience of this recommend a brand/type of glove as starting into training for 100Km ride? Or indeed anything else?

Not in any order.
wider front tyre, see if 28mm will fit, can run at much lower pressure, less vibration
Good comfy bar tape
good fit on bike, good weight distribution, level saddle etc
alternate different hand positions on bars
no idea on good gloves
stay warm, cold weather will likely affect circulation to extremities

Allabaah

Thanks Ford2600

wider front tyre, see if 28mm will fit, can run at much lower pressure, less vibration - Good call

Good comfy bar tape - Have that already but will change regularly

good fit on bike, good weight distribution, level saddle etc - Being refitted again on a new bike as a bit uncomfortable now

alternate different hand positions on bars - Trying to force myself to do it!!

no idea on good gloves - OK

stay warm, cold weather will likely affect circulation to extremities - as always!

Bequick

I suggest you buy a pair of specialised BG Gel gloves.
http://www.specialized.com/us/en/ftr/gloves/short-finger-road-gloves/body-geometry-gel

You could also get gel bar tape which will help.

Allabaah

Thanks for the recommendation. Evans have them for €36.50 but will search locally.

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/body-geometry-gel-mitt-ec043367

TheDocMan

Gel padding under bar tape - Fizik do a good thick set as do many others.

Costlier but assists over longer spins are lightweight Carbon bars as opposed to Aluminium. Absorb and dampend road vibration.
Oh for same reason, a Carbon bike as opposed to an aluminium one!! Novel upgrade excuse.

C3PO

Allabaah wrote: »

Thanks for the recommendation. Evans have them for €36.50 but will search locally.

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/body-geometry-gel-mitt-ec043367

In my experience Evan's and most other UK Specialized dealers won't ship to Ireland!

I've found gel cushions under the bar tape to really help! A bit awkward to fit and can make the bars look a bit bulky but really comfortable!

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/cinelli-gel-bar-cushion/rp-prod36292

Lumen

Getting weight off your hands will make a huge difference. This tends to happen naturally with better fitness, but bike fit is a major factor - the further back your arse is, the less weight will be on your hands.

smacl

For me, moving around the bars is key for a long spin, and I actually tend to spend more time in the drops and tops rather than the hoods. I also wrap the bars with pads under the tape in my favourite hand positions. Keeping elbows bent at all times means that road noise coming through the front wheel is dissipated to a large extent. On crappy roads, I also tend to put most of my weight on my feet, lifting my ass off the saddle slightly, which further damps the road noise.

I've bbb and altura gloves, but I've no idea how much or little they contribute.

Joff

Lumen wrote: »

Getting weight off your hands will make a huge difference. This tends to happen naturally with better fitness, but bike fit is a major factor - the further back your arse is, the less weight will be on your hands.

Agree with this.

Two lots of bar tape will also help, especially if one is gel type. This obviously makes the bars thicker to hold thus spreading the contact area. You could also try raising the bars, either by moving spacers from above to below the bars, assuming you have a spacer above at the moment. Alternatively turning the stem upside down (most stems are designed to be either horizontal or to give a slight raise) will have the same effect. The downside is less aero position and weght transfered more to saddle but if it alleviates the trouble probably worth it.

Good luck, hope you find a solution.

quozl

Check out this post - http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/543092-Thumbs-going-dead-on-embarrassingly-short-rides/page2?p=8950502&viewfull=1#post8950502

I also have RSI from working with computers and where you place the weight on your hands is crucial. I'm actually OK with 4 hour bike rides so hopefully you'll be fine too.

I got 'specialized bar phat' which are gel pads that you put under your bar tape. I like them.

Also careful not to get gloves that are too padded. You want the weight on the [edit wrong word]Heel[/edit] of your hand (see that link above) and if gloves are too padded they will squash into the little valley in the middle of your wrist where the nerves run.

I also make sure that my hoods are positioned pointing slightly inwards so that my wrist is straighter than it would be if the hoods were in a perfectly straight line with the drop-bars.

Allabaah

TheDocMan wrote: »

Gel padding under bar tape - Fizik do a good thick set as do many others.

Costlier but assists over longer spins are lightweight Carbon bars as opposed to Aluminium. Absorb and dampend road vibration.
Oh for same reason, a Carbon bike as opposed to an aluminium one!! Novel upgrade excuse.

As I went for a Giant Defy 3 Composite (good LBS had a great deal) I can't just yet push out the boat for the carbon bars. I'll see how I go on this.

Allabaah

Lumen wrote: »

Getting weight off your hands will make a huge difference. This tends to happen naturally with better fitness, but bike fit is a major factor - the further back your arse is, the less weight will be on your hands.

As a newbie I'm trying to improve my technique. Thanks for the tip as Carpel Tunnel is a nightmare if it strikes en route!

Allabaah

smacl wrote: »

For me, moving around the bars is key for a long spin, and I actually tend to spend more time in the drops and tops rather than the hoods. I also wrap the bars with pads under the tape in my favourite hand positions. Keeping elbows bent at all times means that road noise coming through the front wheel is dissipated to a large extent. On crappy roads, I also tend to put most of my weight on my feet, lifting my ass off the saddle slightly, which further damps the road noise.

I've bbb and altura gloves, but I've no idea how much or little they contribute.

Thanks for the tips. Trying to improve my technique so time will tell. I will return to these posts to remind myself. I just need to get out and find the right balance on the bike.

Allabaah

quozl wrote: »

Check out this post - http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/543092-Thumbs-going-dead-on-embarrassingly-short-rides/page2?p=8950502&viewfull=1#post8950502

I also have RSI from working with computers and where you place the weight on your hands is crucial. I'm actually OK with 4 hour bike rides so hopefully you'll be fine too.

I got 'specialized bar phat' which are gel pads that you put under your bar tape. I like them.

Also careful not to get gloves that are too padded. You want the weight on the palm of your hand (see that link above) and if gloves are too padded they will squash into the little valley in the middle of your wrist where the nerves run.

I also make sure that my hoods are positioned pointing slightly inwards so that my wrist is straighter than it would be if the hoods were in a perfectly straight line with the drop-bars.

Thanks for tip on gloves. Was wondering what would be the effect of too much padding. CPS is a killer when it hits so a balancing act here. I have no ide when it comes so I just has to bear with it and minimise any thing that possibly aggravates it. This is a mystery sometimes!

Allabaah

C3PO wrote: »

In my experience Evan's and most other UK Specialized dealers won't ship to Ireland!

I've found gel cushions under the bar tape to really help! A bit awkward to fit and can make the bars look a bit bulky but really comfortable!

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/cinelli-gel-bar-cushion/rp-prod36292

Just looked at Evans for European pricing. For a low enough priced item I will shop in a LBS where I got the bike in the first place. Good outfit but a bit pricey sometimes even though I got a great deal on the bike.

Rabid50

In Australia they are actually using splints to support the tendons now. I got tenosenovitis wherein I suffered intermittent paralysis of both hands. I spent 4 years on Unemployment Benefits with this. It was cured totally (after the pain went right up my arm to my neck then into the palms of my hands) with Orudis. It is predominantly for arthritis but also for other conditiions as directed by the Doctor. It cures tenesenovitis. 3 capsules a day 200ml for 3 weeks. That was in 1994 and it has not come back. Good Luck!

Allabaah

Rabid50 wrote: »

In Australia they are actually using splints to support the tendons now. I got tenosenovitis wherein I suffered intermittent paralysis of both hands. I spent 4 years on Unemployment Benefits with this. It was cured totally (after the pain went right up my arm to my neck then into the palms of my hands) with Orudis. It is predominantly for arthritis but also for other conditiions as directed by the Doctor. It cures tenesenovitis. 3 capsules a day 200ml for 3 weeks. That was in 1994 and it has not come back. Good Luck!

Wow! Hopefully won't get that bad! Thanks for the tips and I'll look into the splints. CTS doen't really affect my work other then typing and cycling these days for me is a leisure activity.

petethedrummer

Bequick wrote: »

I suggest you buy a pair of specialised BG Gel gloves.
http://www.specialized.com/us/en/ftr/gloves/short-finger-road-gloves/body-geometry-gel

Just to add a contrary view. I tried those gloves and got pins & needles, I think from how the padding is arranged. Gave them away after two spins.

Allabaah

petethedrummer wrote: »

Just to add a contrary view. I tried those gloves and got pins & needles, I think from how the padding is arranged. Gave them away after two spins.

Oh dear! haven't bought them yet as no time to get to an LBS to try on. I will buy these or others locally in a shop as I will need to fit them on.

Thanks for the insights

Invincible

Allabaah wrote: »

Oh dear! haven't bought them yet as no time to get to an LBS to try on. I will buy these or others locally in a shop as I will need to fit them on.

Thanks for the insights

PM sent.

petethedrummer

Allabaah wrote: »

Oh dear! haven't bought them yet as no time to get to an LBS to try on. I will buy these or others locally in a shop as I will need to fit them on.

ah I'm just warning against a magic bullet. They might work, they might not. I hope they work.

Allabaah

Invincible wrote: »

PM sent.

Thanks

Pinch Flat

I got "handlebar palsy" on a flat bar a few years ago. recommendation fro ma physio was to keep wrists straight (neutral position) - avoids stress on nerves. After a bit of treatment, it never returned. Padding isn't going to help if you're stressing / stretching the nerves.

Allabaah

Pinch Flat wrote: »

I got "handlebar palsy" on a flat bar a few years ago. recommendation fro ma physio was to keep wrists straight (neutral position) - avoids stress on nerves. After a bit of treatment, it never returned. Padding isn't going to help if you're stressing / stretching the nerves.

Was out last night and tried to keep varying the positions on the bars as well as not trying to grip too hard. Time will tell I think!