Cycling doesn’t have to be a pain in the butt for women!

Spending a lot of time on the bike has been known to be uncomfortable!  Sometimes, it can go beyond uncomfortable to numb.  What can you do if you experience that problem?

Yale researchers have studied numbness in female cyclists.  Forty-eight women, who constantly rode a minimum of 10 miles a week, took part in the study. The researchers tried to determine if there specific factors that influenced soreness and numbness among the women. While many studies have been done with this issue with men, women haven’t been the target for researchers until now.

The common factor in all the women was the position in the handlebars.  Women with handlebars lower than their bike seats experienced more pressure that that area causing the soreness and numbness. Women that lean forward, flatten their backs, and use aero bars (otherwise known as aero position) are most likely to have problems.

What to do?

*Go for a professional bike fitting.  Do your homework and find the best in your area.  Retul bike fittings are by far the best way to go!

*Try out some different bike seats.  Check out this review of bike seats for women from Livestrong.com. Keep in mind that it will take time to break in a new saddle.

*Don’t forget to SLATHER!