You might have suffered bodily pains if you are a regular electric bike rider. Among them, wrist pain is something familiar experienced by many riders. So you must know the reasons for this pain and its cures. Otherwise, when these pains last for a long time, they will bring irreparable damage to your body. In this article, we hope to guide you through this matter.
The reasons for the wrist pain of electric bike riders include the following.
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Ulnar neuropathy
- Tendonitis
And the most popular reason is positioning bikes incorrectly. So your posture might not be appropriate to the bike’s height or style.
There can be various reasons for this problem. And also, there are methods to prevent it.
What Does Wrist Pain Mean for Riders?
If you are an electric bike rider with wrist pain, it is time to pay attention to this issue. If the symptoms of wrist pain happen fast, you need to perform a significant modification. For example, fixing the position of the saddle is one thing. However, consider changing your hand position if the wrist pain doesn’t occur so fast.
Painful Wrists and Hands, What Are The Reasons?
Painful wrists and hands may come because of many reasons. However, first, you must get an idea about the body’s structure in this part.
So the ulnar nerve is the nerve important in the movements of one’s hands. And it runs from your wrist to your shoulder. Accordingly, this nerve gets affected when cycling or electric bike riding. Moreover, the pain caused to this nerve is one of the common issues faced by e-bike riders. And this happens due to overuse and straightforward pressure that comes to the hands.
Besides, if you keep your hands in the same place throughout a ride, you’ll feel this pain. Moreover, road vibrations might also be a reason. As you keep riding the electric bike, these pressures and vibrations are sent to your wrists and hands. Accordingly, the pain type we are discussing ultimately results in numbness in your hands. Moreover, it could also be tingling.
Reasons
So it depends on the way you position the weight while riding. And it would help if you thought about how the electric bike is adjusted to suit your body position. For example, your weight goes forward if the bike’s saddle is in a higher place. As a result, extra pressure comes to your hands and wrists. Indeed, many electric bike riders have noticed that they get wrist pain after leaning too much forward while riding. Moreover, they have noticed that when the handlebar is extremely low, they have to rest their body too much on their hands. And this again results in wrist pain.
Another reason is when the electric bike is too big to suit your size. And the pain comes from that reason increases if the bike frame’s top tube is too long. As a result, you have to stretch the body too much. And this results in wrist pain.
Besides, if you are an eager e-bike rider, you might have constant pains in your wrist or hand. But this is not a normal thing that comes as a result of biking. Moreover, if you have these symptoms seldomly, it can be expected. However, the thing is, if there is prolonged pain, it indicates that the way you position your e-bike isn’t correct. Moreover, there could be other underlying problems too.
Accordingly, if you have experienced these symptoms for a long time, it is time to consider them. So it would help if you stopped them from increasing further. Accordingly, several regular stretching activities might help you to reduce the pain. But that is not enough. You have to practice how to position yourself on the electric bike. As a result, your body weight won’t fall on your wrists or hands.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
The Carpal tunnel is a channel that the median nerve goes through. It is in your wrist. When extra pressure comes, you will feel numb in your hands. Moreover, you might feel a burning or tingling too. And if this is the case you experience, this is the most common uncomfortable thing faced by e-bike riders. Moreover, there is no one cause for this.
Ulnar Tunnel Syndrome
This ulnar nerve locates in your hands. And it passes through Guyon’s Guyon’s canal in your wrist. Moreover, this nerve controls the sensations of the edge parts of your hands and the wrist. So when additional pressure is put on this nerve, you will experience numbness.
Rough terrain
Rough terrain, though talked of less, is a significant reason for wrist pains. And this occurs due to the vibrations coming from the uneven earth. As a result, it causes extra pressure on the rider’s wrist.
To avoid this effect or to minimize it, you can do as follows. For example, if you notice that your body is tight on this land, try to reduce the tension. As a result, the pressure won’t go to your muscles and joints.
However, there is a problem if your daily riding terrain is like this. But don’t worry, as we have a solution. To this end, try lowering your tires’ PSI a bit. Moreover, investing in gear like gel pads is also a perfect solution.
Seeking Professional Help
So this option is for riders who cannot understand the cause of the wrist pain. Or you might know the reason but can’t solve it. Then you can seek professional help. Here what we are talking about is e-bike professionals. And we’ll talk about medical professionals later. So, to find out whether there is any defect in your bike, take the e-bike to the professionals. Moreover, consult them for suitable e-bike gear that minimizes or prevents wrist pain. Accordingly, the staff will give you a practical solution.
And if your pain doesn’t decrease after riding and it doesn’t go away when you engage in other tasks, it is time to seek medical help. The reason is that extended pain can cause permanent damage to your body. Even though you assume it to be a result of e-bike riding, it could be something else. Therefore, meet your doctor and seek help.
What Can You Do To Prevent The Wrist Pain?
Adjusting Yourself on Electric Bike
You can take off the body weight that falls on your hands. To that end, there is e-bike gear. They are specifically created for this purpose.
One of them is e-biking gloves. However, don’t buy ordinary gloves. Buy the ones with gel padding. In that way, your ulnar muscle will get protection from road vibrations. When you wear gloves, the impact coming from road vibrations decreases. The reason is that the handlebars absorb the shocks. Moreover, these gloves help maintain a perfect grip on the handles. As a result, you don’t need to tighten your pressure while riding.
Another option is handlebar tapes that are padded. And electric bike riders can apply the foam on the handlebars’ top. This will cushion the place where your hands and wrists stay. As told above, one of the leading causes of this wrist pain is leaning too much forward. As a result, your body weight falls on your hands. So you must check how you have positioned yourself on the e-bike. You don’t have to do this if you place your body lightly.
How to Position Yourself Correctly
Accordingly, you must ensure that your body weight is distributed smoothly while riding. So it would help if you didn’t lean highly forward. Instead, it would help if you positioned yourself straight-backed. Accordingly, none of your body parts will get an extra burden. As a result, you can get rid of unnecessary pains in your wrists.
Moreover, holding the bike’s handlebars also tells whether your position is OK. To that end, keep all the parts of your hands relaxed. And avoid having electric bike handles tightly. This behavior is a common occurrence among electric bike riders. And if you don’t do so, pressure will come to your muscles. Moreover, as your wrists are where this pressure is felt most, your wrists get the pain.
Moreover, if you are suffering from these symptoms, do some stretches. And even if you don’t have the pain and symptoms, it is still better to do stretches.
Some of the exercises that electric bike riders can perform are as follows. You can do the praying position, arms stretch, and activities of clenched fists. Moreover, all these exercises are easy to do.
Shape and Position of the Handlebar
When you position your hands on the handlebars, see whether the hands are wider when compared to your shoulders. If yes, it will cause the wrists to shrink outwards. As a result, your ulnar nerve compresses. Moreover, if you need to bring your hand forward near the brake and gear lever, that would also cause pain. However, an excellent reach to the handlebars will give you a pain-free ride.
So the main issue that derives from improper handlebars is numbness in your wrists. Accordingly, if your handlebars are correctly set, you can reach the brakes without effort. We have seen that a number of riders set their handlebars to a higher position. As a result, you will get more pressure on your back. And lowering it too much is also not good. The reason is that you might get back pains.
Raising your handlebars might help you to enjoy long distances. Moreover, there isn’t a fixed height to position the handlebars. Therefore, you have to find which height level suits you the best. To that end, you need to do experiments with different height levels.
Fitting the Electric Bike Accordingly
Next, you should consider positioning the saddle and the bike’s handlebars. So this adjustment includes lifting or lowering the bike’s saddle to suit the height of the grips of the handlebars. And remember that your electric bike’s handlebars shouldn’t be too low. As a result, you don’t have to lean forward.
So after you make these adjustments, your body will stay straight while riding. Moreover, angled handlebars have become an assistance for riders to minimize these pains. Also, check your gear to ensure it won’t slip while riding the bike. The reason is that slipping causes odd angles in your wrists. Moreover, gips on your electric bike handlebar are worth examining. So when you grip it, it should keep your wrists and hands at a comfortable angle.
After assuring that your electric bike adjustments are all in place, you’ve got another thing to do. Accordingly, you must ensure you often switch hand positions while riding the bike. You can do this by changing between tops and hoods and moving between drops. Doing so increases your blood flow. As a result, the possibility of getting wrist pains decreases.
You might have heard about “pins and needles.” This statement means that when you sit or stand for a more extended period, you feel numb in your body parts. Wrists aren’t an exception. So we have got a suggestion for you. Accordingly, you can buy anatomic handlebars. And this gives you different hand positions.
Consider About Your Tires
Tires are also crucial in making a comfortable ride without wrist pain. The reason is that the type of tires in your e-bike affects your riding experience. And the manufacturers design electric bike tires for a particular kind of terrain. Moreover, tires come for different riding styles as well. Therefore, before you buy an electric type, consider the riding you engage in. The width and size of tires may vary.
Accordingly, low-pressure tires are more suitable for riding on off-road trails. In contrast, road riders should look for high-pressure tires.
Moreover, don’t inflate tires beyond the level of pressure endorsed by your manufacturer. If you do so, the tire’s rubber won’t be able to resist the irregularities on the road. As a result, significant pressure might come on you.
Consider About the Saddle
If your saddle is too high or too low, this can cause more than wrist pain. So the pain might look small in the beginning, but it can lead to a significant issue. To avoid this problem, remember to adjust the saddle.
So sit on your saddle and keep your foot on the e-bike’s pedal. Lower your saddle if you find out that the current saddle level isn’t enough to reach the pedal. Do this until you can keep your foot on the pedal. Moreover, don’t lower the saddle until you have to maintain a too-bent leg.
Besides, you can find different electric bike seats for men and women. And before buying an e-bike, check properly to find the best fit. Typically, a suitable saddle is more crucial than padding.
Size and Shape of the Frame
The bike’s frame is essential when looking for a comfortable ride. The reason is that the electric bike’s frame decides the rider’s position. Moreover, many e-bikes come to the market for different riding experiences. Therefore, consider the riding you do before choosing the frame. In that way, you won’t have to experience any discomfort.
Conclusion
Thus, wrist pain is a common issue experienced by electric bike riders. And it mainly occurs due to incorrect positions of the riders. If your handlebars aren’t at the right height, too much pressure comes to your hand. Besides, the saddle of an e-bike is also essential. If it isn’t in the correct position, that can cause pain to your hands.
Moreover, if you ride on rough terrains, that also could be a reason. Hence, before you purchase a bike, choose the type of e-bike that suits you the most. For example, the bike type a hunter buys should differ from that of a regular commuter.