16.1 made my hands go numb. Did this happen to anyone else? I’ve heard numerous complaints of fingers and hands going numb immediately following the work out. There are a few factors that might be contributing to this.
1) Total time spent under load with arms overhead: Twenty minutes is a long time, and the majority of the workout is spent with your arms in the overhead position, with shoulders activated.
2) Poor shoulder positioning: With poor shoulder and scapular positioning, such as shrugging the shoulders, you can increase stress on the network of nerves and blood vessels under your collar bone, which can cause numbness to your hands and fingers. Focus on keeping your shoulders in an active position and the bar in line with your ears, shoulders and hips. Keep your shoulder blades squeezed back and downward.
3) Forward head position: The forward position increases strain on the joints of the neck. Keep your chin tucked in a neutral position and ears in line with the shoulders.
4) Narrow vs wide grip on the bar: the narrower the grip, the higher compression stress at the collar bone and shoulder. Consider widening the grip.
5) Fatigue: this compounds factors 1-4. If you notice your neck coming forward, shoulders shrugged and your grip is too narrow, fatigue will only worsen this. Be aware of your mechanics.
If you find yourself with numb hands after 16.1, please consider seeing a medical professional. This problem might be easily remedied with some simple stretches and posture awareness.
On behalf of my shoulder and numb hands, thanks a lot Dave Castro! Bring on 16.2!
-Dr. Chris Garcia, PT, DPT, SCS, CSCS, USAW
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***This blog is for educational and informational use only and is not intended to be medical recommendations. Please consult with a medical professional for proper evaluation and treatment, or beginning any exercises or activity in this blog.***
