| Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise Vol. 35, No. 2, February 2003“Perineal trauma is a common problem in bicyclists, and manufacturers have strived to create seats that provide comfort and still optimize function. In women, bladder infections and painful skin breakdown are common, and women complain of perineal problems as their number one bicycling injury. In men, perineal compression can lead to sterility along with pain.Typical road positions, especially with lower handlebars, cause greater pressure to be placed on the perineum. |
Subjects with low back pain are often told to increase their anterior pelvic angle to decrease strain on the posterior spinal tissues, but this position causes more perineal pressure and weight absorption, which can also lead to pain.
Patients with a history of low back pain often have difficulty riding when their pelvis is more posteriorly placed, which causes more spinal curvature and therefore more strain on the posterior structures. Placing the body into a more anterior tilt causes increased perineal pain, which is avoided by many people.” |
