Fingers Tingly And Somewhat Numb

[[old] edollar]

I have been rowing more lately....Holiday Challenge being part of it and the more I row the more I notice during the day my fingers, thumbs and part of my hand feels partly asleep...tingly...it is particularly bad early in the morning while still in bed...if I didn't know better I would think I had been laying on my hands... The more I have rowed the day before the worse it is. I do use varied hand positions...sometimes hanging fingers only .... sometimes more of a full hand grip... <br /><br />As far as I can tell, I am keeping my hands in the proper position horizontally as I pull back. Every now and then for short times I do grab the ends of the handle so my hands are in a more vertical position but don't do this long enough that I think it is the problem. I have blisters and hot spots so I do change hand positions so I don't get too sore in one place. I just hope I'm not causing some kind of nerve damage or carpal tunnel.... Am not terribly worried...just a bit concerned since I don't want to have to cut down on my rowing. I've got goals in my head that won't be reached if I lay off....also I tend to lose my focus when there is some reason to lay off... <br /><br />Just wondered if this is fairly common to have hands feel like this or am I strange?<br /><br />Ellen

[[old] John Rupp]

Hi Ellen,<br /><br />I think this is a common occurance.<br /><br />My right hand has been doing this the last few days, or perhaps months. Maybe I didn't pay much attention to it. I notice it mostly during rowing but sometimes, like this morning, I noticed it when I woke up from sleeping and am sure (?) that I haven't been laying on it. However that might be a possibility.<br /><br />During rowing I sometimes take my hand off during recovery and move it around a bit.<br /><br />Solutions might be to do more exercises for the hands, soak the hands in cold water and ice cubes a few times a day, and do some hand and arm stretching before, during, and after rowing.

[[old] johnnybike]

Glad you brought the subject up. I have had just that problem for about 2 months and I did associate it with a trapped nerve (very minor) but also at the back of my mind I did find it quite unnnerving (pardon the intentional pun).<br /><br />However your post has made me realise that it has gone away recently. Which makes me even more certain that it was trapped nerve or minor pulled mucle<br /><br />John

[[old] FlyingMoose]

I believe this may be an early symptom of Carpel Tunnel Syndrome, or at least irritation of said structure.

[[old] John Rupp]

Last night I noticed I've been sleeping with my right arm bent all the way at my elbow and my hand up close to my head, which felt like it was reducing the circulation at my elbow. I stopped keeping it bent that way and my hand was better today rowing.

[[old] FlyingMoose]

I've had problems with my wrists, so when I get my machine, I'll probly wear some kind of wrist support. I was thinking it might also be good to have some kind of wrist strap like archers use, so you don't have to use your fingers as much to hold onto the handle. It would have to be somewhat different to avoid off-angle pulling, but it seems like it would be possible. It would also help with blisters.

[[old] John Rupp]

I appreciate Ellen bringing this up and have been looking into it more.<br /><br />For awhile I have been noticing that the bottoms of my wrists have been uncomfortable while typing on computer. I had put a long narrow pad under them, where the keyboard had gradually worked forward and the pad ended up being under my wrists instead of under the heels of my hands. I feel this was not a good thing as it gradually cut off some of the circulation in my wrists, there being a lot of vessels close to the surface on the underside of the wrists.<br /><br />Yesterday I moved the keyboard back next to the narrow pad and am drilling two screws in the table behind it to keep it there and from moving. Although the pad being under my wrists didn't bother me a lot and was more annoying than anything, my wrists are feeling better already with it gone.<br /><br />Before using any kind of pad I used to type quite a lot and also played the piano and never had any problems with my wrists. Thus I think in general it is not a problem of using the hands on a keyboard, but rather of setting the wrists on something that reduces circulation. When typing or playing the piano the wrists are free and not set on anything.

[[old] John Rupp]

I've been more observant of the handle vibration recently, and feel this is the primarly cause of the tingling.<br /><br />I had previously attached rubber dampers to the chain a few inches from the handle. I think they did reduce the vibration a little. The nylon sock wraps give me a great grip but don't reduce the vibration much at all. Notice the extension pieces on the foot plates for my toes. The rope is for a bar I was using to experiment with some stretches.<br /><br /><img src='http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y41/jo ... andle1.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' /><br /><br />A few days ago I got some "Off The Front" baseball bat grip and wrapped the handle with that. Being frugal, I used 1/2 of the $3 tape for each side. Using a full length for each side would have been better, as otherwise the tape doesn't hold very well. To remedy this, I first wrapped the handle with duct tape, sticky side out. It sticks to itself. Then I wrapped on the OTF tape over that. <br /><br /><img src='http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y41/jo ... andle2.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' /><br /><br />This held much better but the ends kept coming slightly loose. Also the surface of the tape was beginning to wear in just a few days. So this morning I taped the ends with duct tape and wrapped the nylon socks over the top. Now the handle looks like picture #1 again, but with the OTF tape underneath.<br /><br />The OTF tape is rather thick and is a *major* improvement to reducing the vibration. Amazingly though, I still feel a lot of vibration through the tape, more on the right side, however this is much better and much less than it was. <br /><br />Other ways to reduce the vibration might be:<br /><br />Keep the chain well oiled. <br />The oil helps to reduce the vibration from the sprockets.<br /><br />Use the longer Off The Front bicycle handlebar wrap.<br /><br />Possibly a different kind of handle would help too.

[[old] John Rupp]

The nylon was slipping a little today so I rewrapped it on the handle again, this time with method #2, stated previously on a different thread. The handle was already wrapped with the OTF tape as above.<br /><br />1) Slide a clean nylon sock over one end of the handle to the middle. Pull it tight so the end of the sock is snug to the end. Tape completely around the first layer of the sock at the closest part of the handle to the middle;<br /><br />2) Fold the sock back to the outside, pull it relatively snug and tape completely around the second layer of the sock at the end. Take a 6 inch length of shoe lace or string and double knot around the second layer of the sock that is going past the end of the handle;<br /><br />3) Fold the third layer over and tape it completely around closest to the center part of the handle. Double fold the remaining length of the sock. Repeat on the other side of the handle. This gives a nice even surface all the way.<br /><br /><img src='http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y41/jo ... andle4.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

[[old] slo_boat]

I know the feeling. <br /><br />Don't assume that the problem is in your wrists. The nerves exit your spinal column between your thoracic vertebrae. They travel through quite a bit of muscle and other soft tissue to reach your hands and fingers. <br /><br />Be sure that you are not raising your shoulders when you row and that your shoulders are square. Don’t exaggerate at the finish. <br /><br />Remember that rowing works a lot of upper back and shoulders, but it neglects your chest and front delts. (There are also rotator cuff muscles to exercise, but that is another story.) Check your posture in the mirror. Better yet, have someone else take a look at you and tell you if your shoulders are square, rolled forward or pulled back or raised. Even if your posture looks ok, unless you do some other exercise regularly, you may find some relief if you do some sort of other chest and shoulder exercises such as push ups, presses, side raises, etc.<br /><br />If you see a doctor, in addition to the work up for carpal tunnel (which was very popular for a while, but for some reason is not nearly as fashionable a diagnosis these days), be certain to be evaluated for spinal stenosis or spurs. A spur could indicate degenerative disc disease. It sounds horrible, but it is very common, and the treatment in either case is likely to be basic exercise to improve your posture.<br /><br />Good luck.<br />

[[old] slo_boat]

<!--QuoteBegin-FlyingMoose+Dec 27 2005, 11:25 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(FlyingMoose @ Dec 27 2005, 11:25 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I've had problems with my wrists, so when I get my machine, I'll probly wear some kind of wrist support.  I was thinking it might also be good to have some kind of wrist strap like archers use, so you don't have to use your fingers as much to hold onto the handle. It would have to be somewhat different to avoid off-angle pulling, but it seems like it would be possible.  It would also help with blisters. <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />You might be better off doing exercises to strengthen your wrists and hands. If the problem is related to some sort of inability to handle the work load, then you will ultimately make the problem worse if you use additional aids or supports.

[[old] John Rupp]

I have usually oiled the chain once a month or so<br /><br />Yesterday I oiled the chain well, and this helped to additionally cut down the vibration significantly.<br /><br />From now on, I think it's a good plan to keep the chain oiled all the time, i.e. at least once a week.<br /><br />In my case, to the extent the vibration has been reduced has also reduced the tingling in my wrist. Now I feel the vibration while rowing, but not after that.

[[old] John Rupp]

There is still considerable vibration in the handle, even with the thick tape and having the chain well oiled.<br /><br />I would like to eliminate the vibration to a greater extent.<br /><br />Possible ways to do this are:<br /><br />1) A vibration dampening U bolt;<br /><br />2) Reducing the vibration through the chain;<br /><br />3) A handle that dampens the vibration more than the wood one.<br /><br />Does anyone know if the new handle has less vibration than the wood one?

[[old] slo_boat]

<!--QuoteBegin-John Rupp+Jan 4 2006, 01:24 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(John Rupp @ Jan 4 2006, 01:24 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->1) A vibration <b>dampening</b> U bolt;<br />3)  A handle that <b>dampens</b> the vibration more than the wood one. <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />The easiest way to dampen something is to pour water on it. <br /><br />If you are trying to damp the vibration, your slide on dampers are not going to help because the vibration travels through the chain. <br /><br />Here's what you have:<br /><br /> ___ ___ <br />---------------------------<br /> ___ ___ <br /><br />You need to change the material like this:<br /><br />-----|===|-----<br /><br />You might be able to find a rubber or silicone band. Even a very short piece of rope might work.<br /><br />However, I remember from my days racing bicycles that too much accumulated grime on the cogs or the chain tended to create what you are probably calling vibration. See if cleaning up the cog or the chain makes any difference. A second possibility (probably slight) is that the chain or cog is worn. A third possiblity is that the chain is not aligned with the cog. This could occur if you are pulling off to the side or if the axle has moved out of place. (I don't know if the axle alignment can be changed.)<br /><br />Also, Spenco used to make a handlebar pad set. I don't know if they still do, but it would absorb any vibration.<br /><br />

[[old] edollar]

Thanks for all the thoughts and the photos. I do a full round of exercises with weights but I might increase the chest and shoulder exercises. Lately I have been trying to do some exercises for carpal tunnel. I have thought about this a bit more and I realize I have had this same numbness or tingling when mowing for a long period of time (we mow on a 20 acre yard so I do mow for hours) or hands on steering wheel for a long time. I think I might have a bit of arthritis through the base of my thumbs which has been a problem for over 20 years. (The month I turned 40 is when I first noticed this problem) It does feel like the numbness is mainly the thumbs and first two fingers. Don't know if this makes it more likely a carpal tunnel problem or if that is just where the pull is more concentrated.<br /><br />While riding a horse at the age of 12, the horse stepped in a hole and I landed on my belly and the horse landed on my upper back. I have been told I have a poker spine and am missing the natural curve through the upper back. I bend well at the waist which is good for rowing..... but maybe the upper back is part of my problem.<br /><br />I row at home where I can control the lubrication (need to do that) and maintenance but I also row at the gym and I think I am always reminding them to do something...lube, change batteries....monitor is blank.... Right now one of the rowing machines has a terrible vibration in it. They claim it is lubed so I don't know if there is something loose or what but I do avoid using that one until the problem is solved.<br /><br />Again thanks for the thoughts about vibration and/or upper back. I was really just thinking about it being a hand and finger problem. I guess I hadn't expanded my thinking enough.<br /><br />Ellen