My Wife Gets Sore Bottom Muscles!

[ramses]

I suspect the title got your attention

However it's nothing sordid, sorry to disappoint!

My wife seems to suffer something I haven't experienced, which is that when she cycles, rather than her thigh muscles hurting the most, it seems to be some muscles in her bottom.

She has a ladies saddle, and I have done all the standard set ups, like leg length for pedalling and knee position over the pedals. So I'm a little unsure what this could be.

It's not saddle sore either.

Any ideas anyone, suggestions about setup?

 

[AndyCarolan]

how about some padded shorts?

 

[ramses]

She wears those too.

 

[Fiona N]

If your wife's fairly new to cycling it could be that her glutes just aren't strong enough yet. The gluteal muscles are used quite heavily in cycling especially going up hills and it's possible that they are her achilles heel, as it were. There are plenty of exercises specifically to strengthen the glutes and also the corollary - to stretch them after cycling - which would be worth having a go with. At least if your wife finds them too easy, suggesting her glutes are strong enough, then you'll have to consider other possibilities but it seems like an easy way to rule out this.

The other thing is the 'women's saddle' - you probably know the key issue with a saddle is the width compared to the distance between the bony points that you sit on (sit bones). Although women's saddles tend to be wider (and shorter in the nose) than men's they can still cause problems if the saddle is narrower or wider than the sit bones. Personally, I find the wide soft - for me, over padded - women's saddles absolutely murderous as the padding seems to impinge on the motion of my legs and causes aching in the bum muscles and inner thigh. If this is what you mean by women's saddle I suggest having a look at the firmer ones like those from Selle Italia which look like a slightly wider version of a men's racing saddle.

 

[ramses]

Many Thanks for the response.

She used to do Gymnastics, but hasn't done for a few years, so it could be that she is out of condition. We'll try some exercises, if not we'll try a new saddle!

Thanks again

 

[MacB]

some deep massage may help as well

 

[numbnuts]

some deep massage may help as well

 

[buddha]

In the main menu of the forum this post reads as "My Wife Gets ... numbnuts"

edit: until I posted

 

[summerdays]

When I first started cycling I did experience some aching in the muscles in my derrière - though I had forgotten about it until you reminded me ... it could just be a case of not too much too soon and just building up their strength.

 

[shrew]

aerobics, join a class/ buy a step and use a video, will firm that up a treat, increasing bloodflow/ strenth and flexability, will look great too

 

[shrew]

some deep massage may help as well

as a qualified massuse i would say this isnt a bad idea, if you want to give this a go ill search online for some youtube videos with proper techniques so you dont cause any damage (this also has its perks).

PM me if your interested.

 

[Globalti]

Can we see a picture? Then we can give your wife the benefit of our collective knowledge.

 

[lukesdad]

Lukesmum uses one of my sadles on her bike finds it much more comfortable.

 

[guitarpete247]

Many years ago, I went on my first long ride. An FNRttC with a mate. We went from Doncaster to Bridlington. It was actually an SMRttc (Saturday Morning ...) and a night in Brid then camped over night. We got back Sunday evening and after going to our own home for long soak met rest of the mates down the pub. I got in first and as I was at the bar my mate John came in. He was waved at by the lads and I could hear him as he went across to their table. "I've just been away camping with Pete. God my arse is sore".
After they had sprayed the room with gobs full of beer we had to explain that we had been cycling.
And no. I didn't offer to massage him either. And neither did any else in the room.
And yes. We were the objects of ridicule for the rest of the night and well into the week

 

[ramses]

Can we see a picture? Then we can give your wife the benefit of our collective knowledge.

Not sure I'd live long if I posted a picture