Hey has anyone else experienced nerve numbing on their middle fingers where the powerlines rub between the middle and fore fingers. My middle fingers have been numb on that spot from the handle's leader lines for a couple of weeks now....is this normal? and are the those alternative handles from hq any good?

DQ

i wont help much because i never flew with handles but ur figers being numb for 2 weeks dosent sound good at all

well luckily its not my entire finger...just the spot where the leader line causes friction..like the inside area between the middle and fore....

DQ

I haven't ever had this problem myself or have heard of it from others in our group. You may want to look into some comfy gloves that will help reduce the rubbing. As said above it doesn't sound too good and not normal. You may also want to look at the way you are flying and holding the handles, you might be inadvertently putting extra stress on your fingers that doesn't need to be there.

Kent has a good point. Try sailing gloves. They offer protection for the palms and fingers but leave the fingertiips free for un-tying that larks head knot or whatever. I never fly without them.

Barring that, if you still have trouble, ask your doctor. It could be a circulation issue.

Same thing happens if you play with your game boy to long, only it happens to your thumbs.

Are you using a harness. I buggyed about 6 months without a harness and my fingers would start to get numb. All that went away when I started to use a harness. I also use 3/4 sailing gloves.

Susan

I had a friend that I let try my 1.8M Beamer in some gusty winds and he had the same thing. It bothered him for awhile and he has refused to fly since. Another friend flew the Beamer in lesser conditions and said it bothered her for a week or so but went away. Dunno what causes it, but hasn't bothered me or any other ppl that have flown the kite.

Last year I had nerve damage due to lack of wind :moon: .Get a harness and block.I can't imagine flying without it now.

That does sound like some kind of nerve damage. too much stress or preasure in one area can cause that, the numbness will often be accompanied my numbness/altered sensation distal to the area like on your fingertips.
If you are flying your 5.5 legend with those strange pansh handles that could be causing it. get some gloves and try some new handles, those pansh handles bend way too far forward. also give it a break for a while the tissues will need some time to heal themselves. show me what you are talking about next time we meet up

Thinking about it a little more and with Dagon's comment, the handles could play into a lot of it. I always use the Ozone handles as much as possible because they have a very nice padded grip on them and the leader line is not nearly as abrasive as some of the other handles. I am guessing but if the angle of your handles or the grip/leader line is not set for the best setting it could put unnecessary pressure on the wrong parts of your hands or fingers. You may want to try some different handles if you get the chance to see it that is any better or not. Still think that gloves will work for you tho. Let us know what you find out.

This has been discussed on the flexi forum on a couple of occassions. The nerve damage is caused by the power leaders pressing / rubbing on the nerves in your fingers. There is a name for this condition (it is the same condition that drunks somemtimes suffer if they pass out and wind up sleeping on their arms all night and wake up not being able to feel their arms because their head has been on the arm for far too long).

As discussed, you can try using gloves. Eventually, if you do nothing, you'll kill the nerve and you won't feel the discomfort any longer.

Or, you could simply start holding the handles below the power leader. I know I'm in the minority flying this way, but its the advice I always offer. It will eliminate that problem completely and provide you with more leverage on your brakes. Some handles (flexi) make it difficult to do this because of the position of their curve, but if you can, try it - and your problems will go away.

Then there are the HQ "Ultra" handles with the unique sheapard's crrok top that eliminates the proble altogether since it puts the line attachement out in front of your fingers but the forces in the same place.

http://www.powerkites.de/images/products/quad_handles_ultra_...

They take getting used to but work fine and are very ight.

How do you find they work with a Strop? Would you be putting the power straight through the flying line leaders or would the handles end up taking the power?

well I am going to find out in six days when they get here.....I just orderded a pair....I think the major reason my fingers are damaged was probably the several times I got over powered, the harness strop broke and the handles got ripped out of my hands ( once with such force that the strop cut my wrist) :0 ...and with the leaders between my fingers...i guess the damage is done....the moral being : get nice handles and a super strong strop.... I already wear gloves


but what about this:

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c202/art_lessing/handlecop...

...and if any of you get rich off this design...call it the "DanQ" Handle.....


DanQ

Quote:

Originally posted by Pablo How do you find they work with a Strop? Would you be putting the power straight through the flying line leaders or would the handles end up taking the power?

Haven't flown them with a strop yet, but they should be OK. Theyare equipped with leader lines out the back of the handles the same place they would be on conventional handles, so the forces should be the same. That puts the web of skin between the thumb and forefinger the same place against the back leaders so I will still wear the gloves.

Will try tomorrow maybe on the 4th. Rain finally gone and wind from the East at 15-20 kts. Light up the Scorpion, too!

It's called neuropraxia. IT should fade away in a few months if not continuously provoked. I used to wear full finger gloves 100% of the time and it would not fix this problem. Just a sacrifice you'll have to make.... (or just keep using those ultras!)....

Ultra quad handles

These are the handles I use.

http://www.powerkites.de/modules.php?name=prod&art=Quad_...

They should help with your issue.

I was having this problem a lot with those pansh handles, just got the feeling back in my two middle fingers as a matter of fact. I found if you shorten the leader lines (Or tie a not) it will change the neutral position of the handles so the powers aren't digging in to you.