Any tips to alleviate pins and needles in pinky and ring fingers?

[GaryvdM]

I went for a long ride last week. Needless to say I have pins and needles in pinky and ring fingers now. This is getting old fast. Does any one have any tips to alleviate this?

[EmJayZA]

It sounds cliched, but it is the best option. Get a fit done. I had very bad pain (which would start as numbness) in my left hand. It used to get so bad, it took two days for my hand to feel normal again. Check that your saddle is not tilted downwards too much, as that will put a lot of pressure on your hands. Also try to move your hands around a lot more. I change my hand positioning every 10 minutes as a nerve in my left hand connects directly beneath where I hold my bars on the hoods.  

[Robbie Stewart]

I will be following this closely...

Nothing I tried thus far works, including breaking my arm. Pins and needles persist.

[Patchelicious]

Sounds like it could be some ulnar nerve issues.

 

I have had it too. Quite badly, where my pinkie actually locks up.

 

Bought some Spez "Ulnar" gloves, it helped. Now I can ride bare handed again.

 

[Brick_Top]

I went for a long ride last week. Needless to say I have pins and needles in pinky and ring fingers now. This is getting old fast. Does any one have any tips to alleviate this?

[s14phoenix]

Sounds like you have it permanently now? Or is it only when riding? If its permanent you may need to see a neurologist.

 

Good luck!

[Butterbean]

Additionally, double wrap them bars... World of difference

[Patchelicious]

Additionally, double wrap them bars... World of difference

Only if the bars are really ugly.

[GaryvdM]

Just to be clear this was a fairly long ride. 1200km over 6 days, including 400km gravel. And it's only been 5 days since the ride finished.

 

I did take a lot of steps to avoid this. 47mm wide tires, Redshift suspension stem, good gloves. (I didn't double wrap the bars.) 

 

Saddle position set using this method:

I don't have this issue on normal training rides, just long rides. Ride is over now, so I'm really looking for is to get the symptoms to go away faster.

[lechatnoir]

Bike fit. Do you wear gloves? If yes, try riding without - i find that the wrist fasteners on gloves play havoc with my hands

 

You don't say if you're on a road bike or MTB. If road, try riding on the tops more or change your hand position often if the above fails. If MTB... a Farr Bar thingy? - more hand position options. If it's a trail bike, then I've got nothing other than bike fit...

 

I used to battle with this too and it was partly owing to a slipped disc in my neck (C5/6).

 

Bike fit raised my head up by shortening my stem and getting a bike with a shorter reach and taller stack (fit and new bike were separate events)

[Robbie Stewart]

I am not so sure it's dependent on which type of bike you ride. I ride only MTB, and get this when I am on long stints out. 

The reason I say I am not so sure, is that my p&n only manifest when I am out riding on the road, i.e. not bombing down some single track. This is usually a gripe when I am seated for 2, 3 hours at a time.

 

I am inclined to agree with EmJayZa re having a proper fit, as this could be my issue. It gets so bad sometimes that I can't change gears because my whole hand feels numb.

[GaryvdM]

I am not so sure it's dependent on which type of bike you ride. I ride only MTB, and get this when I am on long stints out.

 

Gravel bike with drop bars.

[Patchelicious]

Gravel bike with drop bars.

And sometimes no helmet. 

[GaryvdM]

Do you wear gloves? If yes, try riding without - i find that the wrist fasteners on gloves play havoc with my hands

 

I was riding with a summer glove like this: https://www.specialized.com/us/en/sl-pro-long-cuff/p/107005?color=198064-107005 and then a winter glove over that. Neither had straps.

[Patchelicious]

I was riding with a summer glove like this: https://www.specialized.com/us/en/sl-pro-long-cuff/p/107005?color=198064-107005 and then a winter glove over that. Neither had straps.

Try their Ridge Gloves. Designed exactly for this issue.

[thisismyotherbike]

Just to be clear this was a fairly long ride. 1200km over 6 days, including 400km gravel. And it's only been 5 days since the ride finished.

 

I did take a lot of steps to avoid this. 47mm wide tires, Redshift suspension stem, good gloves. (I didn't double wrap the bars.) 

 

Saddle position set using this method:

 

I don't have this issue on normal training rides, just long rides. Ride is over now, so I'm really looking for is to get the symptoms to go away faster.

 

What position did you spend most time in?  Drops/hoods/tops?