Swollen butt!

[bathedinshadow]

Hi everybody.

Okay, so I've been biking for years and I'm used to the first ride of the season butt pain. I have a relatively bony butt, so yeah. It's usually sore after the first ride. The second ride is usually painful for the first 5-10 minutes and then it subsides. Then by the third ride, I'm fine.

This year, is a very different story. Same bike and everything. So I went on my first ride. The next day, sore as expected. Then a day or two later, I went for my second ride. It was extremely painful. Eventually I could tolerate it. Then then 3rd ride, still sore. Etc. It's been almost 2 months since my first ride, and it's sore every time, though not as painful as that second ride. After my last ride, I felt it and it felt kind of swollen on one side. I wasn't sure by looking at it. But today I went for a ride and afterwards, it was noticeably more swollen. I can even see that it's swollen. But just on one side. It feels like there is fluid buildup. I could go to the doctor, but honestly, I so rarely have a doctor actually figure out what's wrong if it isn't an obvious issue like a broken bone. And I'm thinking they will just tell me to stop riding. I mean for them, simple fix. Which might be what I have to do, but if it is, I want to be sure that it needs to come to that. I need to ride!

Has anybody had this happen? OUCH.

[Irulan]

You really need to be more specific. Do you have a boil on your labia? That is what is sounds like you are trying to say.

[bathedinshadow]

No, it's my butt! It's right on my tailbone. And it's not a boil. It's not red or infected looking. It literally feels like somebody stuck a syringe in and pumped it full of fluid.

[bathedinshadow]

Sorry, not my tailbone... I need to learn anatomy. It's not my labia. It's the ramus pubis, but heading more toward the back like my butt. My underwear doesn't cover it though. Just regular coverage type underwear. If that makes sense.

[zoom-zoom]

Sitbone? Bursitis?

[TigerMom]

Just to be clear...you are biking in biking shorts with a chamois pad without wearing your underwear, correct?
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2012 Specialized Amira Elite, upgraded carbon handle bars, Jett saddle 143mm switched to 145mm 2012 Selle Italia Max SLR Gel Flow saddle

2011 Specialized Ariel Sport,suspension post,Serfas Rx Women's Microfiber saddle

[bathedinshadow]

Yeah, sort of my sit bones I guess. You know the parts that touch right on the edge of the bike seat.

That bursitis does not sound good. I really don't want to have to stop riding. That kind of sounds like what it could be.

[bathedinshadow]

Just to be clear...you are biking in biking shorts with a chamois pad without wearing your underwear, correct?
____________________________________

2012 Specialized Amira Elite, upgraded carbon handle bars, Jett saddle 143mm switched to 145mm 2012 Selle Italia Max SLR Gel Flow saddle

2011 Specialized Ariel Sport,suspension post,Serfas Rx Women's Microfiber saddle

Well, I'm mountain biking right now and not road biking. So I don't tend to wear padding as I'm out of the saddle so much, and I've never had an issue with pain before. So I prefer to not wear a chamois mtbing.

[TigerMom]

The Chamois pad on the bike shorts will help your sit bones whether you mountain bike or road bike. If you are mountain biking on a hardtail, you might want to think about a suspension post for your seat if you are a newbie having a difficult time timing your crouching position off of the saddle on bumps. I'm speaking from personal experience because my sitbones felt soooo much better on my hybrid (with lockout-able suspension) when I went "mountain biking" on trails with my suspension post and biking shorts with chamois padding.
____________________________________

2012 Specialized Amira Elite, upgraded carbon handle bars, Jett saddle 143mm switched to 145mm 2012 Selle Italia Max SLR Gel Flow saddle

2011 Specialized Ariel Sport,suspension post,Serfas Rx Women's Microfiber saddle

[bathedinshadow]

Yeah I just find chamois so uncomfortable on a mtb. On a road bike, where I stay in one position, it's fine. But on a mtb, I'm up and down so much that it really chafes and just feels so bulky and uncomfortable. And honestly, I've been mtbing for years and years and have never had any discomfort beyond the second ride. So I don't see the need. Something must have happened on my first ride this season, I'm just trying to figure out what. Plus, I ride full suspension down hill bikes. I'm only even in the saddle for the climb up. The entire trip down, you never sit. It's 3-6 foot drops, roots, rocks. So you're out of the saddle.

[TigerMom]

Wow! Sounds like you're an amazing biking athlete! Assuming your sitbone is not broken, some Orthopedists may be able to inject steroid with Lidocaine (called local trigger point injections) near the sitbones area to decrease pain/inflammation.
____________________________________

2012 Specialized Amira Elite, upgraded carbon handle bars, Jett saddle 143mm switched to 145mm 2012 Selle Italia Max SLR Gel Flow saddle

2011 Specialized Ariel Sport,suspension post,Serfas Rx Women's Microfiber saddle

[bathedinshadow]

I didn't say I was good at it! haha. Armor up, point it down the hill, and hope you make it out in one piece! I grew up riding in California. Moving up to the infamous north shore was definitely an awakening in the mtbing world. Some of it's unbelievable really. But if you want to ride here, you kind of have to learn some of it. I'll never be riding up on these 15 foot high skinnies that the guys ride, but it's definitely improved my over all control. Now when I go other places, there isn't anything I won't ride.

Ah, I guess I'll need to go to the doctor. I try to avoid it as I haven't had the best experiences with doctors.

[shootingstar]

Go to the doctor. Our health care system makes it easy for you to do this.

There's no good reason to avoid this --especially in Vancouver. Otherwise you will continue to be uncomfortable.

[TigerMom]

With the intense type of downhill MTB that you do, it sounds like there is a good chance that you really did fracture your sitbone.

3-6 foot drops! I'm still impressed.
____________________________________

2012 Specialized Amira Elite, upgraded carbon handle bars, Jett saddle 143mm switched to 145mm 2012 Selle Italia Max SLR Gel Flow saddle

2011 Specialized Ariel Sport,suspension post,Serfas Rx Women's Microfiber saddle

[Sky King]

also could be a pulled muscle or irritated fascia perhaps. Will be interesting to hear what the doctor says. but with all that up and down and using tension in your muscles you could have smacked the area hard on your saddle or have a muscle tear.