Throughout your cycling journey, you may experience wrist pain. However, you should know that while cycling wrist pain is common, it's not normal. In fact, pain, tightness or tingling in your fingers, arms or wrists during cycling is a sign you are placing too much pressure on the ulnar and median nerve and are at risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome. Don't worry though! The good news is that in almost all cases cycling wrist pain can be resolved. Try the following adjustments to set yourself up in the safest position while cycling and to reduce pressure through your wrists so you can cycle pain-free!
1. Set Up The Bike Properly
From here, sit all the way back on your seat, practicing good posture throughout your ride. It's important that you have your seat set high enough, with a slight bend in the knee at the bottom of each pedal rotation. From here, sit all the way back on your seat, following these steps to make sure you're properly situated on your bike.
2. Straighten The Wrists, Don'T Flex Them
Once you get these two things right, you can now focus on your wrist positioning. Your wrist should be straight when gripping the handlebar, meaning from a side view, there should be a straight line from your knuckles to your elbow. They should not be flexed or bent as this could place extra pressure on the wrists.
3. Bend in Elbows Slightly
Remember to keep your elbows slightly bent when cycling or you could invite added pressure into your shoulder and neck area. This can increase pressure in the wrists, forcing you to bend or compensate to position your hands on the handlebars.
4. Loose & Relaxed Grip
When you're going uphill or working out with heavy resistance, it's easy to feel tense and stressed out, but a death grip on the handlebars will only lead to pain and tightness later. Engage your core, letting your abdominal muscles support your upper body instead of the handlebars while pushing with power through each pedal stroke. The handlebars are just there for balance, and if you have pain or numbness in your hands or wrists while cycling, odds are your grip is too tight, and you need to widen your stance by rolling back onto your heels so that you can push from your core rather than the neck and shoulders.
5. Mix Up Your Grip as Needed
Finally, the ergonomic grips are there for your benefit. Feel free to switch up your grip on the Pulse Grips to alleviate that pressure on the wrists. Grab the pulse grips or come down to your elbows for a quick break. Mixing up your grip can help get you through when the going gets tough, and it's a quick way to gain relief in the middle of an intense workout!
We hope these tips help if you experience wrist pain while cycling. If you've tried these tips and are still experiencing pain, always be sure to consult a professional on your bike fit and visit your doctor if wrist pain persists.