Finger numbness after ski touring

[SUPERIOR]

Hey folks,

I typically ski tour 4 days per week / 6 hours per day. My job as a guide has me really enjoying this lifestyle.

I don’t enjoy finger numbness.

Lately, I have had various fingers, thumb, hand all “going to sleep” when in the sitting and sleeping position.

It’s really annoying, and starting to wake me up at night.

I attribute the numbness to skiing, as it is a seasonal occurrence.

Anyone have advice or insight on how to stretch or correct the cause of this issue?

[PB]

Hard to tell from the limited info, but it sounds like nerve impingement that's related to your seasonal activity as you say, but not acutely triggered until you're in certain specific positions that make me think thoracic-cervical spine irritation. Unless someone here has some direct experience with this, I strongly recommend seeing an appropriate medical specialist.

[yeahman]

Sounds like the carpal tunnel syndrome I had when working at a fish cannery in AK. Numbness in my hands and fingers would wake me up at night. It's usually caused by repetitive motion tasks. Maybe you're doing something odd with your hands when you're on the skin track? It usually goes away in a few weeks/months after you stop doing the motion. But if it gets really bad it might require surgery, although that's a last resort. Good luck figuring it out.

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

Hey folks,

I typically ski tour 4 days per week / 6 hours per day. My job as a guide has me really enjoying this lifestyle.

I don’t enjoy finger numbness.

Lately, I have had various fingers, thumb, hand all “going to sleep” when in the sitting and sleeping position.

It’s really annoying, and starting to wake me up at night.

I attribute the numbness to skiing, as it is a seasonal occurrence.

Anyone have advice or insight on how to stretch or correct the cause of this issue?

Try a different backpack.

[XXX-er]

do you use straps on the up or not

If so do you put you hands thru the loop up from the bottom ?

[BCMtnHound]

Try a different backpack.

X2

I have similar issues with arms and extremities going tingly numb overnight. Combination of years with overloaded backpack/gear vest, coupled with few injuries. Also have trigger finger, real bad with the right hand bird finger, but not sure that is related (hereditary if my folk’s carpal tunnel is any indication).

Chiro and massage help, with rollers and stretches at home. But ya, go see your physician/practitioner of choice sooner than later. Getting old sucks!

[old goat]

Which fingers specifically? Any fingers that never bother you. What position do you tend to sleep in? Arm under your head? Elbows bent a lot? Both hands?
Lot's of questions a doc would ask before hazarding a guess. If you have a regular doc see them. Let them decide if you need a referral. They may be able to figure it out without a specialist, or at least send you to the right specialist--going to a hand surgeon when you have thoracic outlet syndrome won't help you--as an example.

If it were caused by your touring most likely it would bother you while you were touring. I wouldn't be too quick to blame it on that.