Aching hands and elbows

[lulubel]

After my last couple of rides, my hands and elbows have felt stiff and aching for a few minutes after getting on the bike.

The first time it happened was Sunday, and I thought it was just because of the heat - exceptionally hot day - and the electrolyte tablets in my water hadn't replaced enough of the salt lost through sweat. I drink 500ml an hour without fail, and always use electrolyte tablets at this time of year. I also felt exhausted after Sunday's ride. It wasn't particularly long or hard, but I felt like I barely had the energy to get off the bike when I got home.

This morning, it happened again, and I'm not sure why because it wasn't any hotter than normal, and my ride was one of my usual routes. I didn't feel the exhaustion I had on Sunday, but gripping my front door key was awkward, and there was an ache deep in my right elbow when I straightened and bent my arm.

Has anyone else experienced this or knows what might have caused it?

 

[Mad at urage]

Are you gripping the 'bars harder than you were? Perhaps as a result of pushing harder?

 

[lulubel]

No.

I actually took it slowly on Sunday. It was a new route, and I always end up going slower if I don't know what's coming up so I conserve energy.

Today was normal in every way. Route, speed, effort, all incredibly average!

Interestingly, it was just my right elbow that was affected today. My right hand tends to be the one that stays on the bars, while my left gets my drink bottle, fiddles with my computer, etc. On Sunday, it was both elbows, but the right was worse, and both hands.

I've never experienced anything like it before.

 

[Banjo]

Have you adjudsted the angle of the saddle recently? A downward sloping saddle can cause you to put more weight on your arms.

Or it could be damp weather causing your joints to be a bit stiff. My joints are noticeably stiff in damp weather.Probably not in Spain but regardless of the trigger joints can ache for reasone unrelated to cycling.