Reason, precaution and treatment of saddle sore

Posted by tan xiao yan on

Saddle sores are caused by a mixture of friction and bacteria T infection caused by all the sweating, chaffing and pressure. The saddle sores always present themselves in areas where the skin contacts with the saddle. When you ride there is friction between the skin and the chamois (caused by movement and rubbing of the shorts against the saddle). This causes chafing. As you chafe you sit in this swamp of sweat and bacteria can form causing said sores.

A poor saddle is one of the most common reasons for saddle sores. If the saddle is too soft or too low, the cyclist can sink into the saddle with most of the body weight exerted on the sit bone and the butts.

Cycling with wet shorts, excessive heat on your butt, cycling posture, and the unsuitable saddle position are inclined to increase the friction between the skin and the chamois; and thus saddle sores come into being. With corresponding with these causes, here are some tips for relieving the saddle sore pain when you are cycling.

Get quality bike shorts.
Good cycling shorts are pretty expensive, but they make a difference in your comfort level, particularly if you build up to longer distances. Look for a chamois that doesn't have any exposed seams. Usually a little on the thin side is better than very thick. Suitable cycling shorts can reduce the friction between the skin and the saddle and the pads can also be an extra protection. The proper chamois pad has more of an impact on a comfortable ride over other changes and less impact per budget.reason, precaution and treatment of saddle sore

Stand from time to time.
You can stand and remove your butts from the saddle when you are climbing a hill or speeding up. This can release the heat, pain and numb sense in a short time. Try to stand up on the saddle next time in your cycling journey.

Get a suitable saddle.
Nobody can make that decision for you because nobody else has exactly the same shape, size, and movement as you. Obvious things you need to consider are the shape and size of the saddle but, arguably even more important is the position of that saddle which will be discussed in the next point. It is important that your inner thighs have as little a saddle to rub on as possible.

A lot of riders swear by leather because it does adapt to your shape over time but that could equally be considered a bad thing and unfortunately, it takes a good while in any saddle before the initial discomfort goes away. And if it's a poorly fitting saddle, it never goes away.

Although it may "hurt" at first you are less likely to get chafing and sores on the saddle with less padding. Like any part of the body which sees lots of use and friction, the skin will toughen up the more you ride, reducing your risk of getting chafing and then sores, to begin with. Eventually, your bum will get used to the pressure and you will have fewer issues. reason, precaution and treatment of saddle sore

Adjust the saddle in a right position.
Standing without shoes against a wall with feet separated about 30 cm, take a hardcover book and place it at 90 degrees respect to the wall and make it push against your groin, just like you are sitting on a saddle (it would be good to ask someone to help you). Mark the height from floor to the top of the book, and measure.

Saddle height, measured from the center of the BB is 0.885 multiplied by this distance. For example, if your inner leg distance, measured this way is 85 cm, the correct height is 0.885x85=75.2 cm.

Take into account that some saddles are soft or hard surface. So you can play around a bit with this distance, always looking not go higher. This height is supposed to be a good equilibrium between power (slow) pedaling and light (fast pedaling).

Choose the right cycling posture.
Hold the handlebars closer to the center. Shoulders relaxed, back straight and arms stretched out but a bit saggy. Your hand-grip should be relaxed but this won’t be easy in the beginning as you will unconsciously grip the handlebars tighter; it will get better as you ride her more and more.

Besides, lean forward a bit because this can make your body weight shared with the arms. And then the body weight on your butt can be reduced.reason, precaution and treatment of saddle sore

Use ointment.
Pre ride: Use chamois butter

Post ride: Get out of your cycling kit quickly after your rides, sitting in pools of sweat causes issues. Get out of that chamois and get your butt clean and dry as quick as you can. Particularly, don’t wear the cyclign shorts more than once between washes.

Apply diaper rash cream to inflammed area- works well as it quickly dries out the sore and reduces the inflammation.

DZ Nuts works great. But a lot of serious long distance riders use Bag Balm, available at Tractor Supply stores and often department stores. After showering, apply an Aloe-based gel to promote healing and cover up with lip balm, like Carmex for discomfort.reason, precaution and treatment of saddle sore

Respect the sore.
If there are saddle sores on your body, no matter what you do to deal with them, take them seriously as they are prone to worse infection. Never apply the casual ointment to the sores because some may make it worse. Instead, the safest way is to consult your doctor and ask for his advice.

Take enough time to heal.
The sores can inhabit you from cycling further within a short time. If you are an amateur cyclist, it’s not suggested cycling with the saddle sores. It’s an opportunity of having a good rest and waiting for the sores recovery.

Last but not least, though saddle sores are common cycling injuries among the cyclists, they can recover quickly as soon as being taken good care of. If you have not experienced the saddle sores yet, it’s judicious to take precautionary measures to avoid them.