Beta Riders Club Discussion Forum

Anyone have or know someone who has gone through the carpal tunnel surgery to overcome hand numbness (while riding)? Did it work? Recovery time??

I've tried just about everything to overcome this. No arm pump, just numb fingers (all) and hands. It hit me good 3 weeks ago with a whiskey throttle off a mountain trail at race pace. Lucky no serious injuries or bike damage. This past week I had no use of the front brake and little control of the clutch for 3 laps of a 4 lap race. Oddly, sensation mostly comes back late in a 2hr race or completely if I stop and shake it off. Body and arm position help, but don't solve it. Going to get tested for carpal tunnel again and may consider the surgery as I've read it only gets worse if you don't do something about it.

Just wondering if anyone else has had to deal with and/or has overcome this.

i've got mine back under control. doc said two months of not riding if i'd gone the surgery. the effects can fade away after a year or two apparently.

it took ages, but these were the steps that curbed it bit by bit.

stretching exercises for the hands http://www.healthline.com/health/carpal-tunnel-wrist-exercises#4
avoiding the death grip on the bars as much as possible
grip the bike with my legs
getting the front suspension nice and plush
proper positioning of my levers
steg pegz (http://www.stegzmoto.com.au/STEG-PEGZ.html) to take pressure off your arms
flexx bars (http://www.fasstco.com/product/flexx-handlebars-atv) to reduce jarring through the arms
clake ONE light clutch (https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=5gQGY2quL8k)

the steg pegz were the one huge factor for me in reducing the carpal tunnel. the flexx bars and clake ONE are expensive so i've included them last... these was the last steps i took and the last few symptoms of carpal tunnel pretty much disappeared after that. not sure what would work for you, i'm sure it's different for everyone.

i'd wake up during the night with numb hands, getting those cheap wrist braces on ebay fixed that up quickly too.

I've had CT surgery on one wrist, and it was not an instant fix.

Even after that my wrists will still go numb if I ride someone else's bike with full length moto bars, if your bars are to long for your body, your wrists are at an angle that pinches the nerves.

Measure the out side to out side of your wrists where you can do comfortable push-ups, that is how long your bars should be, even a 1/2" off each side makes a huge difference.

Another thing that will still make my wrists go numb are those really think grips, I prefer the Spider Grips SLX, there slim, sticky and wear like iron.

I have the same thing going on, but it can be sitting at the computer, driving the truck, or in the middle of the night. I've learned to judge my braking by whether or not the trees are slowing down.

When riding waggling fingers on clutch and throttle side seems to help, setting your suspension up right, not revving the engine to the max, Flexxbars, gloves with less restrictive fingers, etc ... and then it doesn't happen every ride, and may actually wear off during the ride and all feeling will return.

I had the carpal tunnel release done while having rotator cuff surgery. I had put up with many years of painful carpal tunnel as a carpenter. And when I started trail riding it became very painful. It's was about a ten minute procedure and I think the recovery was around 5 weeks? I only wish I had had it done years earlier. It was a miracle for me.

I had a friend in Houston that had it done, both hands. He had it done traditional method, not arthroscopic. Helped, but then his back got the best of him and he had to give up the sport anyway. Steve's symptoms sound like classic CT. Regular training helps in general too, as well as some pre race/ride excercises. Vibration level or lack of for sure, and Flexxbars are a big plus. The older we get the more gym time is needed to keep the demons away!

i was hesitant to give the flexx bars too much of a plug as it would be a pity to fork out all that cash and not find it made a difference... but i suspect it would in many cases as they reduce the jarring so well over rough ground. a mate of mine has carpal tunnel too, he rode my bike through a rocky creek bed and like the flexx bars so much he wants to buy them off me. if he does i'll replace them with the twisted engineering composi-flex bars and report back on how well they work.

I had my hands done in 1986 it was a game changer for me back then it was traditional surgery ,I switched to twisted engineering bars . So far they really help the shoulders , wrist ,forarms and hands . I would say get it done .

I have had finger numbness on and off over the years. Driving and Jet skiing both used to bring it on.

I no longer have it after using Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar in my morning juice smoothy.

It can be caused by clogged arteries, numbness is lack of blood flow in almost all cases.

I recommend spend $4.oo and using something non invasive 1st before surgery unless you have forearms that look like Popeye.

It might just fix something far more important than your ability to ride fast..

In over 20 years, I have only had 2 patients "need" CT surgery. Quite simply, we continuously use our "flexors" and rarely stretch them out sufficiently. Proven solution is to stretch the flexors and strengthen the extensors of the forearm. Regular and consistent deep tissue massage in the flexors is paramount. It takes time and dedication. But, compared to surgery, worth it.

Or you could just make someone another Beemer payment.