If I do too much Butterfly and Breaststroke sprinting my hand gets numb the next day or so later. It gets numb where the wrist and palm connect, right in the middle and radiates to my pinky and the finger next to it. It was much worse and happened more often, but as I have gotten into better shape it only really happens when I do a lot of Butterfly and ***. I also noticed that it happens in conjunction with sleeping on my shoulder wrong.
Is this just something that will continue to go away with strengthening, or is it an imingement syndrome that I should have checked out with my doctor?
Hook'em
Blue
usually affects the thumb and first 2 fingers of the hand (and the wrist in that same area). I think there is another hand syndrome that deals with the last 2 fingers of the hand and radiates from the elbow. Cubital tunnel seems to ring a bell.
The Ulnar nerve comes down from the elbow and targets the last 2 fingers of the hand.
I don't think a visit to a doctor would hurt. In fact--it might solve a problem before it becomes a MAJOR problem. The fact that it continues to hurt for a day or so after swimming AND bothers you with a sleeping position indicates that something is going on.
Cubital tunnel is correct--the area at the elbow where the ulnar nerve can become entrapped. Apparently this can occur with repeated flexion and extension of the elbow. Splinting (esp. at night) with the elbow in an extended position may help. It would be worthwhile to have it checked out.
Geek, your clown suit may be a bit too tight.
I weight in with Doc's opinion on this....it is a nerve issue. I had the same thing happen to me and after I hung in a brace over a door, both head up and head down...it went away.
Maybe that is where Mr. Moose came from....who knows....
This is a very interesting thread for me. When I swim A LOT of breaststroke or drive a long distance (not that I can swim as far as I can drive... lol) my little finger on my right hand gets kinda tingley numb. What makes it even more interesting, I broke both my ulnars at the elbows about 9 years ago and was in surgery for many many hours getting my bones, which, according to my orthopedists, looked like 'corn flake,' put back together. Even after aggressive physical therapy I don't have full extension or flexion of either arm... right worse than left. I had no idea that it could be a carpel tunnel kinda thing going on.
This could be computer related.
I have been diagnosed with Thorasic outlet syndrome. Basically a circulation problem from the heart down both arms. Your problem may not be swimming related, but irritated when you swim. Swimming is helps my circulation. When your arms are forward, you pinch the artery that passes between your first and second ribs and restrict circulation, causing your arms to fall asleep, which causes fatigue and numbness.
Also, the nerve that sits on the inside of your elbow gets irritated when you rest your arm on the armsrest of a chair and do a lot of mousing. A co-worker of mine recently has surgery to move the nerve. Once in they discovered the sheath around the nerve basically gone - worn off.
My problems affect just about everything else I do.
You've got a nerve being pinched somewhere.
The ulnar nerve part that is being mentioned is likely. I have found the dreaded dropped elbow seems to exacerbate this for me.
There's also a possibility that it is impngement syndrome, also common in swimmers but more of a whole hand type of thing. Impingement seems to respond readily to rehab exercises of the sort you can find described on the usa swimming site under shoulder injury and rehab.
This same numbness started with me about a month or so ago. I attributed it to the fact that I had started lifting weights in April, and have scaled back my weights a bit, and the numbness has gone down.
There was one morning when I woke up after sleeping on that arm and had trouble moving my 2 smallest fingers. It can also happen if I'm talking to someone on the phone for 20+ minutes where I have to hold the phone, usually prefer that ear.
Along with scaling back the weights, I've also increased stretching, and watched my swimming. Actually, the swimming seems to help since I can stretch the arms out. I'd agree that a bit of *** (like a 200) does tend to aggrivate it a bit.
All this still sounds like circulation problems. When body parts fall asleep they are not getting enough blood. My problems definitely bother me more at night unless I keep my arms straight and lay on my back. Work on your posture during the day - while driving, sitting at a desk, etc. Keep your shoulders back and relaxed, elbows more open.
I used to get it really bad from work ( I was a carpenter ) both hands would fall asleep in the middle of the night and wake me up. It went away when I found a new professsion. While swimming both hands would get numb at around 400m freestyle, now its just the left as I've adjusted my stroke somewhat. For me it's all of the above, but for the most part poor technique. I found that if I really stretch my stroke out the numbness will go away.
