It’s true, as cyclists, many of us suffer with saddle sores: flap mash – call it what you will, but they are nasty buggers and can be very serious! However, there are things you can do to aid with prevention and recovery. I struggled with them for a good chunk at the beginning of my cycling, near my sit bones and to be honest, it took away the enjoyment. I did lots of research into prevention, found the area pretty much devoid of information, and decided I would help as many flaps, bones and balls as I could.
Saddle sores come in a few stages from little red friction marks, to full blown blisters - popped if you push through the pain, leading to potential infection – so they are no joke - depending on how long you try to ride through them without treating/preventing. They usually occur from friction through movement on the bike, but they can be caused by ill-fitting or poorly chosen saddles, poor bike fit or position on the bike, and shorts with inadequate chamois pads. Although some people can get away with not using any lubrication, some of us, myself included, need a bit of bum butter, AKA chamois cream, to cushion the bumps and pamper the bruises.
Firstly, if you already have sores then you need to take steps to aid healing, rather than push through the uncomfortable bulging burn you feel writhing through your genital area. Some tips that may help: saltwater baths or cleaning the area with salt water on cotton pads can help, and using some sort of antiseptic cream once the area is dry is helpful. (Savlon or even Sudocrem – it works for babies and adults!) Try to repeat the cleaning and antiseptic treatment twice a day (ouch!) and also try to wear loose clothing or cotton panties while you heal, and let your pieces hang free to breath.
Then you can move onto prevention:
- Always get out of your dirty kit as soon as you can because it’s holding sweaty bacteria inside. Holding the record for the most time in Lycra is not something you should aspire to…
- Never use a pair of shorts more than once before washing – back to your bacterial friends hiding out in them waiting to cause problems.
- If you only get saddle sores in one place, then your saddle is definitely not right for you. Saddles.. There are so many options for saddles, firstly you need to find the width of your seat bones to identify the correct saddle width. You can do this in a few bike shops: they make you sit on a comfy chair and move around whilst a machine scans your movement and pressure points. Then you need to find some bike shops that will be full of saddles that you can test – and then it is a matter of trial and error.
- Invest in a pair of decent shorts. I know shorts are expensive, but you really do get what you pay for in a chamois pad, and I guarantee you it is worth it. Look out for a post on shorts in the future.
- I and many other cyclists recommend chamois cream. I use Muc-Off CC because its thick and stays in place for big rides - you can place chamois cream on your skin in the nether region and on the pad itself. I also have very sensitive skin and it hasn’t caused me any issues.
- Using a cream after you’ve ridden and feel a bit sore can help - some people recommend one that contains hyaluronic acid, which research suggests has been proven to accelerate and improve the healing process of chronic wounds.
- Some people tilt their saddles ever so slightly downward at the front to enable less pressure on the delicate parts of their fairy area, but you have to be careful with this, because too much of a tilt will lead to you slipping off the saddle and losing balance.
- Lastly, I’d suggest a professional bike fit of some sort. This can help to make sure you’re comfortable on the bike and not set up so you’re leaning all your weight onto a vulnerable area – it’s all about balancing out the pressure.
I hope you take some of this on board and get your mish mashed pieces put back together so that you become comfortable on your bike and don’t do any serious damage to your precious bits. (DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor, but this is what I’ve learnt helps).
Ride bikes, eat cake, be happy :)
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