Why do my hands start to hurt really bad when I'm riding?

[FoxRacing81]

I can't figure this out.

I went out for a quick 30 minute ride today, going pretty fast through some trails and riding hard...having fun...

In the middle of riding, my hands just get this huge pain and my thumb locks up...it hurts so bad and its the only thing that keeps me from not riding longer....

I've tried switch to a Honda throttle on my YFZ and it helped but it still kills me while I'm riding...it's terrible...
Nothing else on my body gets tired that quick....And I never remember this happening when I first started riding a few years ago...but back then I don't think I was riding as hard.


Anyone have a clue?

-Justin

[trxwannbe]

thats where you feel arm pump the most it just basically means that when you ride hard you don't do it long enough often enough to keep your muscles in shape for it and you hands will do this a lot i used to have the same problem every time i rode

[FoxRacing81]

Originally posted by trxwannbe
thats where you feel arm pump the most it just basically means that when you ride hard you don't do it long enough often enough to keep your muscles in shape for it and you hands will do this a lot i used to have the same problem every time i rode

Yeah, I know what arm pump is, and that makes sense if this is what it is, but it just felt like more then that to me.

I'd love to ride longer and more often, but my hands make it so I can't lol...

[QuadJunkies]

Sounds like arm and thumb pump to me!!
I get that too and even when I rode ALOT , I still got it.
I think the worst time I got it was when your constantly on the throddle in sand. We rode the local dunes yesterday and I feel like my thumb is gonna fall off today. lol

Can you ride a twist?
That may help .

[400exfan19]

yupp... ive had the same thing, it dosnt happen anymore. Only bothered me when i first started or didnt ride for a long time.

[FoxRacing81]

Originally posted by QuadJunkies
Sounds like arm and thumb pump to me!!
I get that too and even when I rode ALOT , I still got it.
I think the worst time I got it was when your constantly on the throddle in sand. We rode the local dunes yesterday and I feel like my thumb is gonna fall off today. lol

Can you ride a twist?
That may help .

Twist throttle kit is currently sitting in my garage...no good...I've rode quads with both and figured it might be okay but for MX it was no good.

Guess I'm gonna have to pop some tylenol, eat some bananas and suck it up.

[Flyin-Low]

Hmm, sounds like the SAME thing I had. I never got it for the longest time then all of a sudden it came.. I found out that my throttle itself had moved and I was pushing the lever too close to where it goes into the housing.

Adjust your throttle so that when your riding your thumb pushes on pretty much the very end of the lever so that you can get maximum leverage. Adjusting stuff on the bars is KEY when you want to ride for long periods of time.

-Martin

[clutch22]

I think it happens to everyone... you just gotta ride as often as you can, and it should go away.

i know this sounds gay, but i always massage the muscle in my hand and thumb that always hurts for about 5 minutes, right before i ride and that helps ALOT.

[07250ex]

I've been riding like 5 years and never had arm pump ... i dunno y so many get it

[Cr85rRida]

Originally posted by 07250ex
I've been riding like 5 years and never had arm pump ... i dunno y so many get it


me to...


maybe you should try working out your hands more often with weights or with the remote control or other "things":eek:

[deathman53]

my wrists hurt me it seams whenever I ride, I only ride twist throttles, too. It doesn't matter how much I ride, what I ride, thumb or twist. I rode my friends trx450r, my thumb hurt like I couldn't beleive. I just get used to it and ignore it. This has been happening to me for almost 4 years now. The only bike I don't get that wrist pain from is my dirtbike, I can ride that forever, however my upper arms hurt after some time.

[QuadJunkies]

Originally posted by 07250ex
I've been riding like 5 years and never had arm pump ... i dunno y so many get it
I have poor circulation due to Carpel Tunnel and Tenoditis.
My feet are now getting tendonitis as well :(
Really sucks at times,.:ermm:

I did find I got less thumb pump when I rode more,with the exception of sand riding,that never went away :p
Theres many reason why a person pumps up Im sure.

[TrapZ400]

Get the FOUR gloves! I used to wear thor gloves but then I switched to FOUR about a year ago and my thumb doesnt hurt at all when im riding now.

[DVXracer]

Its not arm pump, its hand fatigue (sp?).

[CannondaleRider]

I used to have the same problem.

A lot of it is just time on the bike, it seems like it takes forever, but you just have to get your hands and arms used to the actions.

The main thing that helped me, was figuring out the right positioning of my throttle, and levers. They have to be in just the right spot for your riding style, and preference. My throttle is pushed in as far as possible, so I get as much leverage as possible. When the throttles right up to the grip, you usually end up pushing the throttle with the middle of your thumb, on the bulk of the throttle, which adds up to alot more work then being able to use the tip of your thumb, closer to the end of the throttle. You'll have more control that way also. Not only throttle housing positioning, away from the grip, but also the angle on the bars. Many run their throttle housing, about level with the bike, which may work for a sitting position, but when working the bike, standing, or crouched.... A "level" throttle will put your wrist in an akward position, along with forcing your thumb into a bit of an akward movement. Again, it's a lot of personal preference, but my throttle, is tilted forward to about 30 degrees. Makes it a tiny bit akward for relaxed/sitting style riding, but it gives awesome control for racing/standing riding...along with certain jumps, where your standing right up to the bars.

Also, your levers. Seems like they wouldn't play a part in all around hand fatigue....but they do. This is another thing that I see people putting almost level with the bike, which also puts your wrists in an akward position for grabbing a bunch of front brakes, or pulling in the clutch. AGAIN, it's all personal preference, and experimenting with what works, but my levers are tilted forward to about 30 degrees also. It feels just fine for sitting, and feels great for standing and jumping. They are VERY easy to grab in this position, even in akward riding situations. This allows me to manipulate front brakes or clutch, AS SOON as I want to, instead of changing my grip to grab a much higher placed lever. It also helps with my wrist fatigue, A LOT.

May be just me, but you might want to try some of those ideas, you may be amazed at how much it'll help.


Also, for the people that have never experienced any arm pump, or hand and thumb fatigue......I'm curious if you've ever raced before? I used to be the same way, when I went riding, I'd never have fatigue issues....even when "pushing myself". When I started racing, pushing myself WAY above and beyond what I thought I could possibly survive, and WAY above and beyond what I'd ever done with just riding. I started having many fatigue problems. After that, I'd become fatigued even when just out riding, because I finally knew what it meant to push yourself, and I always push to that point. Push yourself to a true race speed, on rough terrain, for an hour or two, and I can almost guarantee you'll have fatigue problems you never knew existed.

[zarquon442]

Something simple like drinking more water and less soda and energy drinks might help as well.

just my 2cp

[reptikes]

(Vagasil) should clear that right up!

[Kaleigh]

what i did you help me.. I use a stress ball when im not riding..

also you can do wrist curls..

[trxwannbe]

hand fatigue is what it is to be exact it is caused by arm pump and can also be caused by a stiff throttle bad throttle positioning but most often by people who are not used to riding hard for a long time...back when i was a c class rider i had that problem but now that i have to practice all the time it never happens and i have tendonitis in my right wrist and i also very rarely get arm pump...guys this sport is all about conditioning how many out of shape overweight guys do you see that are actually legit fast i mean look at chad wienen he used to be a little bigger than he is now and look at him now that hes slimmed down and practicing more often

[BlaineKaiser450]

I used to get it INSANLY bad so my grandpa gave me his hand exercizer and it helped sooo much. I havent got thumb pump or arm pump sice ive been using it. Try getting a stress ball or something and use it while watching tv or something. If your can do that try messing with the throttle position