Though not a cause of bladder infections in and of themselves, some bicycle seats hasten factors leading to bladder infections, especially in avid female cyclists. Understanding the ways urinary tract infections are contracted -- and taking proper preventive measures -- are key to avoiding bladder infections arising from cycling.
Bike Seat Effects
Bladder infections -- also called urinary tract infections -- are most common in women. If you're female and cycle regularly, it's possible you're at greater risk for such infections, according to Mary Holmes, a women's health nurse practitioner writing for the Women to Women Health Care Center website. Infections can follow periods of friction -- such as that created by long periods of riding on a narrow bike seat -- in the vaginal area, according to Holmes. If friction pushes bacteria into your urethra -- the tube through which urine passes -- a urinary tract infections is likely to result.
Signs and Symptoms
Frequent urination, burning when urinating, fever, lower back pain and tenderness near the pubic bone all signal a possible bladder infection, according to Holmes. Michigan State University's Olin Health Center also notes bloody urine, lower abdominal pain and urinating in the night as possible symptoms of a urinary tract infection.
Similar Conditions
Men already suffering from an enlarged prostate sometimes experience symptoms similar to bladder infections if prolonged riding irritates their prostate. Centra Medical Group notes that prolonged bike riding on improperly adjusted seats can bruise your prostate if you're a male cyclist. And swollen prostates sometimes place pressure on the bladder, causing symptoms similar to those of bladder infections. The Ashwini Homoeopathic Clinic claims trauma from prolonged bouncing on a bicycle seat can cause male prostate infections that then travel into the bladder.
Prevention/Solution
Women to Women recommends several techniques for staving off urinary tract infections, including flushing out your system by urinating after any type of increased friction in the vaginal area -- including after bike riding. Drinking plenty of fluids during and after cycling workouts also helps flush your system. Consuming cranberry juice -- or juice from other berries in the blueberry family -- may also inhibit the types of bacterial growth that cause infections, according to Holmes. Padded riding shorts also cushion the area closest to the bike seat, reducing friction. And if you're a male rider, a recumbent bike, which require a semi-reclined riding posture on a wider bike seat, offers prevents trauma to the prostate area, according to BikeRoute.com.
Warnings
See a doctor if you experience symptoms of bladder infections. Allowed to go untreated, urinary tract infections pose a risk of death if they spread to the bloodstream, according to Penn State's Milton S. Hershey Medical Center College of Medicine. Untreated bladder infections also leave you vulnerable to permanent kidney damage.
References
- Women to Women Health Care Center: Stop suffering from urinary tract infections
- Olin Health Center: Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
- BikeRoute.com: Medical Benefits of Recumbent Bicycles
- Ashwini Homoeopathic Clinic: Bladder Infection
- Centra Medical Group: Prostate Health
- Penn State: Urinary Tract Infections
