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Bicycling is a great way to stay active and enjoy the outdoors. Whether you're a recreational rider or a daily commuter, it's important to protect your hands and wrists. Dr. Sanj Kakar, a Mayo Clinic orthopedic surgeon specializing in hands and wrists, shares practical tips to prevent injuries while biking.
Whether you're a pro or biking for fun, there are common injuries all cyclists might experience.
"The first one is a traumatic injury if somebody falls off a bike, " says Dr. Kakar.
Common breaks from traumatic injury include wrist fractures.
"We also see overuse-type injuries. So, for example, we see patients where they're pressing on the brakes for too long, squeezing hard, putting pressure on their palm, and their hands sometimes fall asleep — called numbness and tingling, " Dr. Kakar says.
He says it could be carpal tunnel syndrome, a condition you don't want to ignore.
"If you have numbness and tingling in the fingers, it is something I wouldn't ignore, because if you have carpal tunnel, we worry about that, " Dr. Kakar explains.
The numbness and tingling can become permanent and result in the loss of muscle strength.
"There are simple preventive measures you can take, " says Dr. Kakar. "Having thicker grips so you're not squeezing as hard can also help. Bike gloves help as well and sometimes puts your wrist in a better position than putting pressure on your palm."
You can't always avoid an accident, but you can make your ride safer by always wearing a bike helmet.
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