Thread: saddle sores?
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Old 08-16-09 | 04:19 PM
  #16  
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queerpunk
aka mattio
 
Joined: May 2005
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Saddle sores are evil. You're just going to have to identify what's causing the sore, and how to deal with it. I realized that one of my sets of bibs causes some, shall I say, scrunching where my left leg meets my taint. Pedaling causes friction there. If i use those bibs I apply generous amounts of chamois cream to that area (I use Chamois Buttr, because we have a bunch of it around from a sponsorship that my partner had; some people prefer specific brands. I haven't used any others).

This became necessary when I got this terrible saddle sore about a month ago. It was a hard, red lump, painful to the touch, but I raced on it, grimacing throughout (even did well, too - maybe the pain was a motivator)... this made it worse.

Boil some water, add generous amounts of Epsom Salt and some Tea Tree Oil, soak a cloth in it, and apply as a compress to the area - this stuff will fight the infection, remove some of the inflammation, and maybe pop the sore. I did, and I was good enough to go out to the track later that day and race again.

Since then, I've been using chamois cream much more often, and keeping a weather eye on my nether regions to make sure that something won't sprout up again.

Also being diligent about cleaning my bibs.

I should note that a saddle sore is different from saddle soreness, but both are painful. Recently - due to the heat, and due to riding my track bike to the track via some roads that I came to learn were torn up for re-paving - I had what I have come to call sandpaper-butt. Seriously painful chaffing, almost a damn abrasion, right on the skin of my ass. The sweat, the chamois, and the pounding from the rough road all conspired to cause me some serious pain. Once again, the Chamois Buttr was the ticket here - slather it on down there, it's like lotion, it will save your ass. Literally.
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