Bicycle Seat Neuropathy

Bro Azrin recently posted an interesting link on bicycle seat neuropathy at http://www.emedicine.com/sports/TOPIC12.HTM

According to the article,

"Bicycle seat neuropathy is one of the more common injuries reported by cyclists.The injuries and symptoms are due to the cyclist supporting his or her body weight on a narrow seat, and they are believed to be related to either vascular or neurologic injury to the pudendal nerve/vessels in the pudendal canal."

Among long distance cyclist, apparently 22% of males reported symptoms of either numbness or pain in the pudendal area and 21% of males reported penile numbness. 34% of the women reported perineal numbness.

The temporary and transient ischemic injury of the pudendal nerve happens due to compression of the nerve between the bicycle seat and the symphysis pubis, as it passes through the pudendal canal. The pudendal nerve exits the canal ventrally, below the symphysis pubis, and innervates the genital and perineal regions.



The mainstay of treatment of bicycle seat neuropathy is the adjustment of the bike seat and bike position, such as tilting the nose of the seat down or lowering the seat height to relieve pressure off the perineum. Wider bicycle seats that support the ischial tuberosities decrease pressure on the perineal area. Newer bicycle seats with a split nose or a center cutout may also help to reduce the prevalence of neuropathy by limiting compression on the perineal area.

So do you guys/girls suffer from penile/perineal numbness when cycling? What would you do to alleviate it?