Steamboat Therapist Says Cyclists Stop Treating Wrist Pain as Normal

Steamboat Springs —Megan Beckett has a simple diagnosis for the cyclists of Steamboat Springs: stop treating wrist pain as part of the ride. It isn’t.

Beckett, a certified hand therapist with UCHealth SportsMed Clinic, says the pain stems from compressed nerves. The median and ulnar nerves run through your wrist. They provide sensation and movement. Leaning forward on the handlebars compresses them. Blood flow drops. The result is numbness. Tingling. Pain.

“It’s good to get out and bike, but the length of time you spend in that position may irritate the nerves that go through your wrists,” Beckett wrote in a column for the Craig Daily Press.

She uses a garden hose to explain it. Pinch the hose, and water flow drops. Same with your hand.

The symptoms depend on which nerve takes the hit. Compress the ulnar nerve, and you feel it in the pinky and half of the ring finger. Compress the median nerve, and the pain hits the palm, thumb, index, and middle fingers.

Most locals ignore it. They assume they just need to get used to the handlebars. Beckett disagrees. If symptoms persist after the ride, or if they make sleeping difficult, you need to act. Without intervention, muscle atrophy sets in.

The fix starts with a proper bike fit. Leaning too far forward puts excess weight on your hands. A neutral hand position reduces the pressure.

“People don’t always realize how connected the whole body is,” Beckett said. “Go to the gym and stay active at home to build good back strength, core strength and shoulder strength. Those things go a long way.”

Stronger shoulders and backs mean less weight on your hands. It’s that simple geometry.

You can also change how you hold the bars. Use padded gloves. Thicken your handlebars for a softer platform. Shift positions during the ride. But mostly, loosen your grip.

“It’s like driving a car – if you’re going through an intense situation and grip hard, your hands may hurt after the ride,” Beckett said.

Cyclists often tighten up when they’re tired or pushing hard. That tension travels from the shoulders down to the fingers. It restricts blood flow. It irritates the nerves.

If these adjustments don’t work, see a specialist. Working with a certified hand therapist helps. Massage and stretching free up tissue around the affected nerves. Nerve gliding exercises restore function.

The short version: Don’t just push through the pain. Fix the fit. Strengthen the core. Loosen the grip.

Beckett’s advice is practical. It doesn’t require new gear or a complete overhaul of your routine. It requires attention to detail.

The Craig Daily Press published the column as content provided by UCHealth. The clinic is in Steamboat Springs, but the advice applies to anyone riding the Western Slope.

Read that again. “A lot of cyclists say wrist pain is just part of the ride, that you need to get used to it, but it’s not,” Beckett said.

If your pinky goes numb on the next ride, don’t ignore it. Adjust your position. Check your grip. See a therapist if the tingling doesn’t stop.

The nerves are there. They’re just waiting for you to stop crushing them.