What to Do If Your Butt Hurts From a Bicycle Seat
Buttock or groin pain from cycling is common, even if you’re indoors on a Peloton or Airdyne, or even on your stationary bike . Slight discomfort on the first day may be normal, but if it persists or becomes severe, you may need to make some adjustments to your bike and the way you ride it. Here are a few things you can try.
Adjust your seat
Correct bike setup is critical to a comfortable ride. If you have your own bike at home, remove dust from the operating instructions and make sure you know how to adjust any adjustable parameters. You probably know that the seat can move up and down, but most seats can also tilt forward or backward, and there may also be a slider to move the seat towards the steering wheel or rear wheel. (If you are attending a personal spin class, come early and ask the instructor to make sure you have everything set up correctly.)
The angle of the seat can make a huge difference – the level is good, but I like to point my nose just a little to the ground – and you may find that adjusting it relieves some of the pressure. Depending on your bike and your anatomy, you may even prefer to lean back, so experiment until you find what works best for you.
Adjust everything else
Don’t stop in the seat. Ideally, your weight should be evenly distributed between the handles, pedals, and seat, so remember that adjusting other parts of the bike – such as the handlebar position – can ultimately relieve pressure on your seat.
Get up sometimes
Cycling often prompts you to step on the pedals, usually during the more intense stages of the ride. If you’re not fitness-ready, that’s fine, but make sure you lift your butt off the seat at least a few times on each ride, even if it’s only for a few seconds.
Dress appropriately
Some shorts and underwear have seams in awkward places that you might not notice until it’s too late. Experiment with seamless clothing or even become a commando, and remember that tight-fitting mid-thigh shorts are called cycling shorts for a reason – they are the perfect style for cycling.
Cyclists often wear soft shorts – a good choice if you will be in the saddle for hours. Just remember, padded shorts should be used in addition to bike adjustments and all of these other tips, not as an alternative.
Buy a new saddle
Now we come to the obvious answer – you need a thick and comfortable saddle, right? In fact, this is not a fact. Cyclists know that the faster you want to ride and the better aerodynamic your bike is, the thinner and tougher saddle you will need . Softer saddles make sense if you ride slower and sit more upright.
Additional padding can backfire as well. On a rigid saddle, pressure is exerted only on the ischial bones (the ischial tubercles of the pelvis). But in a soft saddle, you will have pressure on all the soft tissues of your lower regions. So if you’ve bought thicker, thicker seat cushions and they’ve never worked, try a harder seat and see if it’s actually more comfortable when adjusted correctly.
Saddle width is also important. For the best fit, measure the difference between the seat bones and select the correct saddle. Too narrow saddle presses on soft tissues; too wide can rub your thighs. Another bonus to choosing the right seat is that some saddles have a cutout in the middle that can relieve pressure on the area between the saddle bones.