Sciatica & Saddles
 

Hi- I have recently started having Sciatica issues and my Doctor suggested it could be related to riding (mainly MTB nut some road). Does anyone have suggestions for a saddle that might help? A local shop suggested the Specialized Romin but the guy making the recommendation was unaware of Sciatica so he wasn't confident in the recommendation.

Thanks!

i don't think i would make the assumption that the saddle was the cause. i've had a serious case of Piraformis Syndrome (an inflation of the sciatic nerve due to overstressing the piraformis muscle). it came on like gang-busters after i intensified my daily rides and changed my position. it pretty much subsided when i did the sensible thing, and backed off a little. :)

I have had alot of problem with my leg tingling and going numb. I tried several different saddles in a variety of positions. some are better than others, but nothing really helps except rising out of the saddle frequently and getting off the bike completely. It is a nuisance but eventually you get used to it and work it into your ride.
For the record I use a selle smp

I have Sciatica which I believe is unrelated to cycling. Stretching and yoga help a lot for me.

For years, I was comfortable with my handlebars even with, or just slightly lower than my saddle.

Then, more recently, I started gaining a bit of weight, and gradually, I raised my handlebars. By the time I hit my peak weight, my handlebars were relatively high. I had enough padding so that sitting on the saddle was comfortable, and I needed to sit upright so I could breathe and so that I didn't suffer from acid reflex.

Since mid-Feb, I have been losing weight, and a few months ago, I started having a lot of sciatic nerve pain (and back pain). The solution didn't dawn on me until just a few weeks ago ... lower my handlebars!! I don't need to be sitting upright anymore.

So a couple weeks ago, Rowan did the great Lowering of the Handlebars on all my bicycles. Sciatic nerve pain ... gone! I'm still experiencing some back pain, so we might lower them even further. I didn't want to go too crazy with it all at once. But I'd like to get all/most back down to even with or slightly lower than my saddle again.

I had a Micro distectomy several years ago for a L4-L5 disc that had ruptured. Since that time i have noticed some Sciatica and occasionally some tingling only in my left leg. My back started hurting pretty bad also. What i noticed now after two full seasons since the operation is that when I ride more often and regular the pain in the back gradually goes away as my core gets stronger. . I am an old guy (56) and I ride a giant defy advanced 0 which is a fast endurance style road bike that has a slightly higher handle bars and I run them about 1" below my saddle height. When i start riding less my back hurts more and sciatica get some worse.

As far as the saddle is concerned, what I noticed is that I need to ride my saddle with the nose pointed down about 5 degrees to tilt my pelvis forward when i am riding. I also use clip on aero bars to change up my riding position especially when I am going on longer rides (>40 miles). A very hard flat saddle also works best for me as long as its tilted down some. Just my personal experience.

Your sciatica has little if anything to do with your saddle. It's the very process of riding that you have you have to deal with.

As you ride, your alternately stressing your back side to side with every pedal stroke. The higher the gear or the stronger your legs are, the greater the loads. I've been dealing with sciatica for almost 20 years now, and the key is management. Strangely enough, I can ride pretty much OK, but can walk more than a mile or so before the pain comes on.

Here are some things that may help--

Having someone ride behind you and watching if your hips rock as you ride. If so, lower your saddle 1/4" (or do so on a hunch), and see if things improve
Look for a slightly wider saddle, and sit so you're well supported on the wider area to stabilize your hips. (takes some dialing in).
Doing various stretches and moves to loosen the part of the spine where the sciatica originates. Also do stretches to try to lengthen your hamstrings. Do some of the hamstring stretches before and after riding.
Experimant with bar height, and hand positions to see if any riding position is better, or just mix things up as you ride.
As pointed out above, stand periodically or move otherwise to keep things loose and break up muscle spasms before they start.

Its a pre existing condition you are bringing with you, saddle choice has nothing to do with it.

How about a recumbent,? it's like sitting in a Lawn chair.

Bike shop helped me out, thudbuster & a Brooks b-17.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=493223

Takes the sharpness of the bumps.
2 fussed neck vertebrae , sciatica, lower back surgery, was 5'9" now 5-7-1/2

No cure but some Ibuprofen & a softer ride helps. :)

Now this is funny to me, I was going to recommend a Selle SMP, until I read that you HAVE one. Which one do you have?

A word about them: they are a bit more sensitive to proper setup; just a LITTLE off makes a HUGE difference, more so than any other I've used.

I was diagnosed with (lumbar) spinal stenosis early this past summer. Not sciatica but similar problems. My spine doc (who is a keen cyclist and rides a Trek Madone) suggested getting a better bike. The saddle has nothing to do with my problem. Sitting upright is the last thing I should be doing. Luckily I've always ridden road bikes.

I don't believe for a second that the saddle is causing sciatica. But it could be exacerbated by your body position while riding. Recumbent would change your seating position for sure. The easiest way to tell would be to borrow one from a friend for a ride or two.

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