Evening
I have damaged my prostate via poor cycling practice + Long hours in crap office chairs.
Does anyone have a general advice on what cut away saddle to use ?.
In addition to this if anyone has tried the various cushions available for normal sitting I would love to get any advice on that too.
Thanks Guys and girls (actually forget girls)
Unless your seat tube goes a few inches up your bum hole, you will not have damaged your prostate. Cutaway saddles do not protect the prostate. In fact, they don't directly protect the genitals either. Cutaway saddles protect the perineum by placing the cyclist more on his or her pelvic bones rather than the perineum. The perineum is the fleshy pad between bum hole and genitals in both men and women. Beneath the perineum lies the pudendal nerve (and associated blood supply) which supplies feeling and control to the genitals and other nearby areas. You wouldn't be the first cyclist to damage this nerve, some have damaged it so much they needed surgery, though this is fairly rare. However, the fact you are talking about special cushions etc means you may have damaged yours.
I like the Specialized and Selle SMP TRK cutaway saddles.
I put one of these on my road bike when I damaged my pudendal nerve (too much saddle time on a Charge Spoon in my case). http://www.rido-cyclesaddles.com/sensational-new-r2-c100064.html. Once I got used to it it was fine, and as it still has a nose it can still be steered with your thighs.
I don't use mine any more as I recovered and switched to a Specialized Ronin, which is more conventional but pressure relieved from nose to tail.
If you'd like to try the Rido it's yours for the price of postage.
Do you have a diagnosis for the damaged prostate from a Dr? Sounds a bit OTT from just slouching in a chair - my internet diagnosis says it's more likely temp nerve damage as indicated above.
In any case - I don't think cut-away saddles make a big difference personally - far more important to check saddle positioning and overall position on the bike. Try out a couple of saddles if you can. The problem (for me) is that I can't look at a saddle and tell if it will be any good or not, you really need to sit on them for a proper ride. My best saddle is a really hard and flattish selle italia one, which just by looking you wouldn't figure as a comfy perch.
Hope you recover and that it's a temporary discomfort.
Is there a clever way to work out which saddles will work or is it just a matter of trying loads of them out?
I've tried a few and am still getting a numb peenor.
Cutaway saddles can and do feel different and do shift bodyweight onto better human structures i.e. they shift the pressure from the vulnerable and delicate perineum to the two sitz bones on the pelvis.
Consider Specialized or WTB or the Selle SMP..
Nose of the saddle should be a tad lower than rear of the seat..
Sitting down a lot can also damage the pudendal nerve, as can squats and leg press machines, and childbirth.
A urologist apparently once said that there are cyclists who are impotent, and ones who soon will be...
If you are going to get a cutaway, consider how wide your pelvis is. Can you feel the bony protrusion beneath each bum cheek? That's your sitz bone. If you measure the distance you'll know what size cutaway saddle will work best. Some shops who sell Specialized saddles will have a gel memory cushion that you sit on that retains an impression of the boney part of your arse (the sitz bones) so that you can choose the right size. I like 'em wide, about 165 or so..
Not sure about damaging your prostate but I am sure 20 odd years of mountain biking has affected my waterworks, my euretha seems to have been crushed into a crescent shape rather than round (had one of those uncomfortable camera things down the old boy), not nice! Tried all sorts of cut away saddles, etc and currently using a specialised toupe expert which seems ok, not sure if your damage is permanent but told mine is, pretty sure that biking twice a week for years may have something to do with it?
I have had prostatitus for the last 2 years or so, which flares up now and again and have seen about 3 consultants (NHS and private) over that time. They all checked the cycle helmet as I walked in and said that cyclists can have issues in that region, but there isn't a definite link. They said saddle cushioning was important, but other than that just general advice.
I did this which helped
*Saddle is slightly nose down now (used to be up)
*Charge spoons and knives (used to think they were dead comfy, but on reflection they pressed on the soft bits). Swapped for Specialised romins which being flatter support my bones better, so less pressure.
As mentioned in posts above, width of pelvis sit bones should match the saddle IMHO, then at least you body weight is going on the right bits. The rest is trial and error. Good luck.
Guys
Thanks for all the advice its absolutely brilliant, you have given me as much information as could only otherwise be gained from severe internet trawling.
Feel a lot better about it now and will take advice given.
smelling of piss in the office is nt a good look or smell but am adamant to carry on the cycling.
Thanks very much to you all.
Sam.
As above, tip the saddle forward. I only rest the back of my arse on it and got used to the position fairly quickly.
The fabled protititis lol.
I wouldn't trust a British urologist. They'll diagnose pudendal problems as prostititis. They'll diagnose anything they are unsure about as prostatitis.
Chances are that if your below bits burn and/or tingle following a cycle ride, it's the pudendal nerve that is affected not the prostate..
Thanks for feedback again.
Can anyone suggest a decent good sized pad for this issue ?.
ten a chappies
Hey Bol
Hav sent you an e-mail but no reply.
Would really appreciate the seat if stiil on offer.
Sam.
There is a Rido saddle on ebay.
If you experiencing any incontinence or finding that you need to pee alot, you need to get your prostrate checked. May not even be cycling related.
Dont want to alarm, but best to be safe eh?
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