Handlebar palsy is a nerve problem that causes numbness, tingling, or pain in your arm, hand, wrist, or little finger. The ulnar nerve is a major nerve in your arm that extends into the third finger and pinky finger in your hand. This condition is also called ulnar neuropathy.
The ulnar nerve is commonly inflamed from bicycling. Repeated shocks or bouncing while holding onto the handlebar irritate the ulnar nerve. The nerve may be stretched when you hold the lower position of a drop handlebar. The ulnar nerve may be irritated by repetitive movements of the wrist such as:
It may also occur from an injury to your elbow.
The symptoms include numbness, tingling, or pain in the forearm or hand on the side of the little finger.
Your healthcare provider will ask about your symptoms and examine you. You may need to see a specialist to have tests done, such as a nerve conduction study (NCS) and electromyogram (EMG).
It is important to try to find and adjust what caused your ulnar neuropathy. When you are bicycling, it helps to wear padded gloves. You might also try shifting how you hold the handlebar, such as changing your grip from the top to the sides of the handlebar.
You may need to wear wrist splints to reduce the discomfort.
Take an anti-inflammatory medicine such as ibuprofen, or other medicine as directed by your provider. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs) may cause stomach bleeding and other problems. These risks increase with age. Read the label and take as directed. Unless recommended by your healthcare provider, do not take for more than 10 days.
Everyone recovers from an injury at a different rate. Return to your activities depends on how soon your nerve recovers, not by how many days or weeks it has been since your injury has occurred. In general, the longer you have symptoms before you start treatment, the longer it will take to get better. The goal is to return to your normal activities as soon as is safely possible. If you return too soon you may worsen your injury.
You may return to your normal activities when you are able to forcefully grip things, such as handlebars, or do activities such as working at a keyboard without pain or tingling in your elbow or hand.
Try to eliminate repetitive motion activities that irritate your ulnar nerve. When you are bicycling, change your hand position on the handlebar often. Do hand and wrist stretches before activities.
