Ouch! I've got saddle sores - Part 1

In our two part blog series, we'll explore the painful subject of saddle sores - something many of us experience at some point. The first blog looks at what they are and how to prevent them. In our second blog we'll look at how to deal with and treat them once you've already been attacked by one of the most dreaded afflictions of any cyclist.

Any discomfort is your body letting you know that something is not right. In this case we are talking the saddle area and pain here can quickly develop into visible and painful conditions known collectively as saddle sores.

Sit Bones

Ischial tuberosities are your ‘sit bones’ and these bony prominences – which bear most of your weight when riding, and are the primary pain hot spots.

Chafing

Usually affecting the inner thighs, the constant rubbing back and forth against the saddle leads to extremely painful abrasions. Anecdotally, women cyclists seem more prone to this than men.

Folliculitis and furuncles

Folliculitis is an inflammation/infection of the base of a hair follicle, whereas a furuncle is a good old-fashioned boil. Folliculitis is usually pretty painless and tends to clear up on its own, but a boil – if left untreated – can grow, become horrendously painful and keep you off your bike for a long time while it heals.

Skin ulceration

Even the smallest lesion can become ulcerated. With the outer layer of skin gone, bacteria can penetrate into the deeper layers where they thrive in the warm and damp environment. If untreated, the ulcer will grow and can lead to a serious skin infection.

How to avoid saddle sores

Here are a few things you can look at to try to avoid the problem.

1. Choose your saddle wisely

This is the most obvious thing to look at, but not necessarily the simplest. Just like every other part of our anatomy, the area that is in contact with the saddle is shaped differently from person to person, so you need to experiment until you find the saddle that is right for you, rather than going with a saddle that works for someone else.

However, don’t assume that bigger and more padded is better. It’s the shape that is most important, and this will be where you’ll need to do your own experimentation. Saddle height and position also play an important role. Too high and you’ll be moving slightly side to side with every pedal stroke, causing friction, while having your saddle too low puts extra weight on that area. A level saddle is best in most situations.

2. Check your positioning

A proper bike fit, especially seat height, can make a real difference and minimise side-to-side movement on the saddle.

3. Use a good chamois

Just as important as your saddle is your choice of chamois (the cushioned part of cycling shorts or knicks), since this is your skin’s first point of contact. Again, a chamois which is perfect for one rider might not suit another, but generally speaking, more expensive shorts use better quality material and have had more thought put into the design and shape. Look for a chamois with few or no seams, so that there is less friction against the skin. Make sure they are pulled up tight and firm fitting. Loose kit moves around and the heat plus friction is a recipe for disaster!

3. Try chamois cream

Plenty of the athletes swear by chamois cream. It works in two ways. Firstly, it kills off the bacteria which can lead to inflammation of the skin, and secondly, it acts as a lubricant and reduces the friction and rubbing between the skin and the shorts.

4. Keep it clean

This should be so obvious but I am routinely horrified at how often this gets asked. Never ever ever use kit two days in a row, even if you only did an easy ride in dry weather. Change out of your kit as soon as you finish riding and if possible, shower straight away, making sure that you dry yourself well before getting dressed into your normal clothes.

Make sure your kit get a good rinse in the washing machine at the end of the cycle, and that they are completely dry before you use them again. A disinfectant laundry liquid is also a great idea.

Stay tuned for part two.......