Constant pressure from gripping the handlebars can cause serious hand numbness and hand pain. Painful hands have probably caused me more misery on my journey than any other physical ailment. I double wrap my handlebar to provide a more resilient surface. I wear bicycle gloves to provide extra padding. I stretch and massage my hands. I continued to suffer.
I recommend doing “hand circles” and “hand pointing” exercises in a manner similar to the “foot circles” and “foot pointing” exercises described in the book “The Egoscue Method of Health Through Motion” by Pete Egoscue. After exercising each hand, stretch your hand by extending your arm and pulling back on your fingers for twenty seconds. Do these exercises morning and evening to increase circulation to your hands and prevent numbness. After each set of exercises, thoroughly massage your hands.
In year six of my journey, I happened to lose my only pair of bicycle gloves. In the weeks that followed, I was very surprised to find that my hands were doing much better. Without gloves, I was able to feel the exact points on my hands that were causing problems and could subtly shift my hands accordingly. The gloves had prevented such fine tuned adjustments. I now ride without gloves except for protection when it is cold. I am taking a risk by eliminating the gloves, however, because gloves also help protect your hands if you have an accident.