Wrist injuries are common occurrences among all cyclists but especially mountain bikers. According to Jim Bledsoe of the Sports Injury Bulletin, "In cycling, there are about twice as many upper-limb injuries, compared with lower-limb ones." The tight overhand grip used on the handlebars of a mountain bike needed for control over uneven surfaces contributes to the large number of wrist, hand and forearm conditions associated with mountain bike riding.
Exercise
Riding a mountain bike is a functional, challenging source of exercise. Mountain biking is a getaway, outdoor activity that develops cardiovascular fitness, leg strength and upper body strength, endurance and stability. Many athletic injuries occur from performing "Too much, too soon." Always begin at your appropriate level and gradually increase distance, speed and course difficulty. This allows your body to adapt to the rigors of mountain biking without putting excessive stress on the joints and muscles of the wrist that leads to injury and pain.
Nerve Impingement
Upper extremity nerve impingement from mountain biking causes symptoms in the forearm, wrist, hand and fingers. The two most common are carpal tunnel syndrome and handlebar palsy. Carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common upper extremity nerve entrapment. Pressure on the median nerve as it travels through the carpal tunnel in the wrist elicits numbness, tingling and weakness in the thumb, index finger, middle finger and side of the ring finger near the middle finger. Handlebar palsy or ulnar neuropathy is the most common nerve entrapment syndrome in mountain bikers. Pressure on the ulnar nerve or "Funny bone nerve" causes numbness, tingling and pain located on the pinkie side of the forearm, wrist and hand and the pinkie and side of the ring finger near the fifth finger.
Sprain/Strain
Sprains of the ligaments and strains of the muscles in the forearms, wrists and hands result from the repetitive impact on bumpy roads. Mountain bikers exert a tremendous amount of energy and absorb a large amount of shock while controlling the bike as they pedal up and down uneven trails. Wrist pain and injury are a consequence of the constant contraction of the upper extremity muscles combined with the continual jarring of the joints.
On the Bike
Perform a thorough warm-up before riding. Focus on your entire arm-trunk mechanism by executing static stretches and dynamic range of motion exercises for the neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hands and fingers. This will pump blood into the muscles, release tension in the joints and prepare the body for the jolting of mountain biking. Wear padded gloves and pad your handlebars to lessen the shock on the wrist joints. Attempt to slightly alter your hand positioning whenever you can. When possible sit more upright on the bike, this reduces the amount of body weight supported by the wrists. Have your bike fitted by a professional to ensure the seat and handle bars are at any appropriate height.
Off the Bike
Stretching and strengthening the gripping muscles will help prevent wrist pain. Exercises such as hammer curls, wrist curls, reverse wrist curls, grip ball squeezes and hand gripper work will develop endurance and power in the wrists thus providing better control of the bike. Strengthening the core muscles goes a long way in biking. When the abs and lower back are fatigued greater stress is placed on the extremities for balance and stability. Gymball and ab wheel exercises will build strength, endurance and stability in the core muscles.
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