Ulnar Neuropathy in Bicyclists

Abstract

In brief: A common overuse injury associated with bicycling is ulnar neuropathy (handlebar palsy). The cyclist will notice the onset of numbness, weakness, and loss of coordination in one or both hands, usually after several days of cycling. Several corrective measures are suggested, including well-padded bicycling gloves, padded handlebars, correct frame size, correct distance from seat to stem, and frequent changing of hand position on the handlebars. If the pain cannot be alleviated by these measures, the cyclist should stop until improvement occurs.