# When Schafoid and Trapezium met



## Evil Patrick (Sep 13, 2004)

Yes, after years and years (like, since 2002) of right wrist pain, which was getting markedly worse over the last year, I decided to see an orthopedic surgeon. X-rays revealed that I had destroyed the joint between the trapezium and scaphoid - wrist bones between the base of the thumb and the radius. This damage was undoubtedly a result of some Superman crashes over the bars. I don't crash often - maybe once every 2 or 3 years - but some of those crashes (like, 4 in the last 15 years) had been Supermans. Save the face! Very hard impacts on the hands and wrists. The joint was bone against bone and arthritic.

So, on July 27th, the surgeon cut in, removed some bone spurs, ground away bone between the trapezium and scaphoid to create a void that would eliminate the bone to bone contact, and he found that the bone spurs had actually ground 75% of a tendon away, which was also a major contributor to my discomfort. He repaired the tendon.

The surgeon told me to get things moving right away, so I started doing PT and working it. H0ly $hiT, OWW!!! After 10 days I was already back on the guitar and the bike. Woo hoo! Some sweep picking and strumming moves were really painful at first, but it's getting better every day! The bike riding is getting better every day as well, but the doc said "no dirt" until one month. I put an old-school, long bar end on the right side just to give me more options for hanging on. I'm still spending at least 30% of the ride just riding left-handed and dangling my right arm for relief.

Tomorrow, Aug 25th, is my follow-up appt. Hoping to get the thumbs-up to hit the trails.

I gotta say, though...they tried to do a nerve block on my right arm, which failed (so they just knocked me out) and now my right ulnar nerve aches like a mutha in the right armpit, where they stabbed it. F'ing pain is bad enough that I can barely sleep. I sure hope this goes away, and goes away soon! *F!*


----------



## arphaxhad (Apr 17, 2008)

Wow! Ouch!

I started feeling pain after and numbness during rides this season. For several years, I was a staunch advocate of wide (800mm) bars but this season the numbness got worse. 

Switched to an "alt' bar setup, Origin 8 space bar. The hand position is far more natural, and I did not lose any of the control I always thought i would with "narrower" bars. I have not had any pain or numbness since switching. It took a while to set the angle just right but was sure worth it.

Heal up!


----------



## Eric Malcolm (Dec 18, 2011)

arphaxhad said:


> Wow! Ouch!
> 
> I started feeling pain after and numbness during rides this season. For several years, I was a staunch advocate of wide (800mm) bars but this season the numbness got worse.
> 
> ...


I will add to the 'discovery' of the angled grip area type bars, is the benefit of actually having your wrist aligned correctly. This means that your body can control balance through better mechanical leverage, so they do not need to be wide. Blood flow via constricting medical conditions like Carpal Tunnel and nerve numbing/tingling are also reduced significantly. I also find that people who have short arms have problems easily solved by a sensible bar change over. I think the industry needs to look at what it is doing, the ergonomics are all wrong.

Eric


----------



## bnelson (Jan 25, 2004)

ergon grips have helped me had alot of athritis and bone removed,still sore but getting better


----------



## Evil Patrick (Sep 13, 2004)

arphaxhad said:


> Wow! Ouch!
> 
> I started feeling pain after and numbness during rides this season. For several years, I was a staunch advocate of wide (800mm) bars but this season the numbness got worse.
> 
> ...


Excellent advice! Those wide bars with too little sweep really cause the wrist bones to grind. I'm only running 760s, and they don't have enough sweep.


----------

