Anyone else sit sorta 'crooked' on the saddle?

[Hi Ho Silver]

I sit somewhat twisted on the bike - I have to slightly point the nose of the saddle to the right or else my "girly parts" are in agony. I attribute this to the fact that I had polio as a child, my right leg is shorter than the left, and heaven knows what else is going on with the rest of my skeleton as a result of the polio.

[zoom-zoom]

Interesting input, ladies. Thank you. I found an article that points to a lot of the things I have noticed about my own cycling oddities.

I had no idea I was even shifted over on my saddle until my hubby said something. I figured maybe my rear seam on my shorts was just off, but it felt like it was centered. When I moved myself over just a hair to the right it put me too far right over the nose/cut-out, which was not comfortable. Very odd. Almost makes me wonder if my left butt cheek is just noticeably larger than my right.

[emily_in_nc]

Interesting input, ladies. Thank you. I found an article that points to a lot of the things I have noticed about my own cycling oddities.

I fit a lot of these symptoms as well -- very interesting article. I've been to several doctors and PTs and have not had a lot of success. I now have a TENS unit I am going to try for the pain in my lower back/buttock (right side) that I primarily get when cycling, but sometimes after hiking with a heavy backpack, sitting for a really long time, or prolonged crouching.

In my case, my problems all originated with my bike accident in 2005 when I fractured my pelvis in three places. I usually blame the fracture I had repaired in my ilium for my pain, but I also had two fractures in the ischial tuberosities that may actually be the root of the continuing problems, since I'm likely not sitting on the saddle "level". I recently had xrays done by a pain specialist, and he said that my SI joint, which I always blame for the pain, actually looked good, with no evidence of arthritis, so perhaps it's really a pelvic tilt or rotation issue and not my SI joint at all. Hmmm....

In my case, I always get saddle sores on the left side, I feel like I'm working much harder with the right leg, I have "knee wobble" on the right, and all my pain is on the right in my lower back and buttock (which is the side my fractures were on).

Too bad I don't live in SoCal -- I'd go see this guy in a heartbeat!

[zoom-zoom]

This is what's weird about this...I have no issues that stick out, aside from the crotch ones. And those are a LOT better since DH lowered my saddle a bit and moved it a touch forward.

I don't think the foot issues are related, but I decided to pull the trigger on a pair of $75 Northwave shoes, since I think I may need additional varus wedging (my knees seem to dive towards my top tube--especially my right one, which goes along with the sore right foot). I have 1º wedged cleats, but I suspect I need forefoot wedges inside my shoes. No way I have room for those in my Sidis. I can't even fit blue Superfeet in my Sidis, not even with my thinnest socks. It will be nice to have shoes that I can possibly wear with warmer socks next Fall/Winter, too.

[Kitsune06]

I sit crooked, but I sit crooked in chairs and on my motorcycle, too. One of these days, someday, I maybe should have a scoli series/lls to figure my geometry out better, but until then, the plan of attack is just to do what's most comfortable and not too far 'out there'.

[zoom-zoom]

It appears my issues were related to some sort of leg length discrepancy...

I finally got a pair of shoes that fit my feet (men's LGs, instead of too-narrow women's Sidis), so I had room for a pair of Superfeet insoles (which I wear in all of my running shoes, too). I also moved the cleat on my suspected longer leg back a hair.

Today DH and I rode and he said I am still just a hair lopsided on the saddle, but nowhere near as noticeably as I was before making these adjustments. So I'm thinking I may try a small shim under my left cleat to see if that gets me perfectly balanced side-to-side.

And the extra bonus of having wider shoes is no more toe overlapping and cramping!

[TrekTheKaty]

Zoom-zoom,
You may not have back issues now, but this may be an early sign. A quick consult with a physical therapist may show the answer.

I used to run, but quick because of back problems. My chiro recommended switching to another sport, and that's how I found cycling. His X-rays showed a twisted and tilted pelvis that results in lower back pain and in the extreme, sciatica.

A second episode put me in the emergency room. One of the top orthopedic Dr's in our area found a bulged disc in an MRI, but "it shouldn't cause you that much pain." I demanded a referral to a physical therapist. She was my god-send. She also diagnosed the pelvis twist and tilt (I didn't share my chiro's diagnosis until after). She taught me the stretches I would need to do twice-a-day for "the rest of my life, unless I wanted to come back and visit."

Apparently leg-length issues are frequently misdiagnosed--I thought one leg was shorter than the other, but it was actually one hip higher than the other

I had noticed recently my Brooks saddle was more worn on one SIDE than the other. DH blew it off. Now I notice the whole seat is starting to tilt to the left--it's two years old. Fascinating. I would post a pic, but it's subtle and won't show in a pic.

[zoom-zoom]

I had noticed recently my Brooks saddle was more worn on one SIDE than the other. DH blew it off. Now I notice the whole seat is starting to tilt to the left--it's two years old. Fascinating. I would post a pic, but it's subtle and won't show in a pic.

That's pretty amazing, really...that our bodies can be strong enough to deform a strong saddle like that.

I've been looking at my saddle. I can't detect any signs of differing wear, breakdown, or tilting on either side. This is after close to 5k miles on the same saddle.

When I started wearing Superfeet in my running shoes I had right knee issues that were markedly better after just a single run (and this first run in the Superfeet was an 11 miler, IIRC). Within a week my knee issues had almost completely resolved...and this was after months of battling knee issues. A few times over the years I have tried to ditch the insoles, only to have my right knee start whining after just a short run or two.

Thus far it seems like the insoles are having much the same effect on my biking form. I'm really suspicious now that my main issue is a left arch that collapses more than my right. When I do the footprint test my left foot always shows a more "flat" print than my right foot, so this makes sense. Everything seems to work up the chain from my feet, for sure.

[TrekTheKaty]

I did a lot of my own research while seeing the PT. When I "graduated" (she helped me build back up lost muscle mass in one leg before cutting me loose), I asked--so is it tight muscles pulling the pelvis out? Or is the pelvis pulling the muscle and causing the pain? (I know the tilt is throwing off my lower back and probably causing the bulged disc. I also have mild scoliosis). She said, "Good question "

I believe cycling has less impact than running and builds my core strength. I also seem to have tight hamstrings, which cycling counteracts. Another theory is--long rides just exhaust my hip muscles and they release! No one knows for sure, but it requires continuous maintenance to avoid another painful relapse.

Take care of your back If one more person says, "You're too young to have back problems.........."

[zoom-zoom]

It's funny, my hamstrings and lower back are two parts of my body that almost never give me trouble (and aside from my right knee and right peroneal tendon I've had precious few running niggles in 5+ years, either). It's my upper back/neck/shoulders that are often angry...I think in large part because my hubby's kitty is trying to displace me and steals my pillow (he's a really sweet cat, but he is definitely daddy's baby!). I often wake with my head all twisted to one side and Ikky kitty sleeping like a spoiled prince on the middle of MY pillow!