-
I'd completely forgotten I'd posted about all this!
TLDR: it got a lot worse but it's somewhat better although not resolved.
About six months after I posted about my carpal tunnel issues, I had a bike crash that resulted in neurapraxia (ie I damaged my ulnar nerve and completely paralysed my arm for a few weeks). At the time the doctors said they didn't know if it would get better and they'd only be able to tell when either it did or didn't (which was fun...). Thankfully I started getting movement back in my arm after a couple of weeks and after a few months my arm was 90% normal - I had to wear a splint at night for a long time and had lots of physiotherapy (I also tore some of the ligaments in my hand).
A decade on I have to be quite careful, I try to be mindful not to fold my hand up (it will naturally go into a claw if I'm very tired) and I am meant to wear an arm splint at night to keep my arm straight (but as you can imagine it's really uncomfortable and hot so I hate wearing it). I have a bunch of stretches that I have to do that do help to keep everything in alignment and it definitely improves when I am stronger so I know I need to get back to the gym. I go to physio every now and then to try to keep everything working ok (last did a block of six sessions in late 2021).
Since the accident, I've had a lot more trouble with my ulnar nerve than my carpal nerve - maybe damaging the ulnar nerve gave my carpal nerve the chance to recover? Or maybe my ulnar nerve is just more fucko than the carpal nerve so I don't notice it as much? I also don't ride bikes so much. I can't open jars :(
I would really recommend physio, it's the one thing (plus rest - and the stupid splints... ok that's more than one thing) that's made a huge difference to me. And then do the exercises that they assign you and make it a non-negotiable part of your day rather than forgetting like me and then kicking yourself that it's got bad again.
hats-
Oh mate, sounds like you've really had it rough with this! Right now I don't think I have noticed any loss of grip strength but I'm worried that if I don't get it seen to asap then I'm at risk of things like that developing.
I get the pain when I'm riding a drop bar bike. But oddly when I'm on the mountain bike it doesn't get anywhere near as painful(almost not at all) compared to being on the road bike. I'm guessing its because more weight and pressure is on the outside of my hand at the Ulnar nerve which, thankfully, I've never had any problems with.I broke a bone in my hand when I was 19 and stupidly didn't get it seen properly, my hand was swollen af and I just let it be. Now my ring finger is set in position pointing at 2 o'clock. I can't fully open my right hand, its always slightly concave compared to my left hand which can be opened to completely flat, even slightly convex.
I don't know if any of that has anything to do with the pain I'm getting bellow my thumb and wrist though.@M_V has kindly put me in touch with a physio who is a cyclist themselves and I'm hopeful I can get it sorted to a point that it's at least manageable.
@psb Those videos are excellent thanks. They are honestly exactly the sort of thing I've been looking for. I have been doing the prayer stretch each day. I notice that when I do that stretch, it almost immediately alleviates the pain I get in the fleshy part below the thumb. The pain dissipates but then slowly starts to come back after a few minutes.
Really appreciate everyones input here thanks!
TotalShanner
A truly Jurassic dredge here but I'm wondering how your CT is 10 years later? Has it resolved completely or have you developed ways to manage it?
Over the past couple of years I've started to get pain in the fleshy part of my palm just below the thumb, it starts to ache within half an hour of riding and by the end of the ride my wrist feels like it's burning. My Index and middle finger also start to swell up a little.
Stretching out my fingers and thumb causes pain at the affected point, so I'm not really sure if stretching it is a good or bad idea...
I'm really annoyed at my self for waiting this long before actually doing anything about it but I have an appointment with my GP coming up to discuss it.
I'm not even sure that it certainly is CTS since I don't get any tingling or pins and needles but it seems like its very likely something to do with the Median nerve at least.
Feeling pretty bummed to have another ache/issue with a contact point on the bike after dealing with mortons nueroma in my foot which is finally starting to feel like its improving only to now struggle with my hand!
Just thought I'd see how you are with it now??