Hemorrhoids aren't dangerous, but they can affect basic aspects of functioning that you take for granted in your day-to-day life, such as sitting or riding a bike. It can be challenging to go through a day without sitting, and for die-hard cyclists, the prospect of giving up riding may seem equally challenging. You probably don't have to give up biking when hemorrhoids flare up. Finding a bicycle seat that fits your anatomy and riding style won't eliminate the inflammation that causes your discomfort, but it can make your ride more comfortable.
Hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids afflict about one-third of Americans, according to Fountia website, and half of all men will experience hemorrhoids by the time they reach 50. Hemorrhoids most commonly occur when you apply excessive muscular pressure to empty your bowels. The pressure causes veins in or around the anus to dilate and over the course of time to become inflamed. Gravity and aging contribute to the pooling of blood and swelling. As you age, your veins lose their elasticity and you become more vulnerable to bulging. Additional factors that contribute to risk of hemorrhoids include obesity, chronic constipation or diarrhea, heavy lifting and anal sex.
Symptoms
Hemorrhoids can develop deep within the anal canal or externally at the rim of the anus. Internal hemorrhoids often do not cause pain or only cause mild discomfort. The only sign that you have hemorrhoids could be discharge of mucous or blood. External hemorrhoids are more likely to cause pain or discomfort such as itching and tenderness. Not that you will get the chance to see it for yourself, but external hemorrhoids present as dark purple or red lumps. Certain, more serious rectal diseases can have similar symptoms, so speak with your doctor if you develop any of these symptoms.
Prevention
You can do several things to prevent hemorrhoids. Avoid sitting on the toilet for long periods of time and manage your diet so you don't become constipated. Eat lots of fiber every day, including vegetables and fruits; drink 8 to 10 cups of fluids every day and decrease your caffeine consumption. Also, exercise daily. Biking does not cause hemorrhoids. In fact, exercise that increases your heart rate, such as biking, significantly decreases the likelihood of developing hemorrhoids. Cardio exercise increases the flow of blood through your veins, delivering oxygen and nutrients that strengthen your rectal veins and fight inflammation.
Anatomy of Sitting
Biking doesn't cause hemorrhoids, but if you already have them, sitting and applying pressure on the inflamed hemorrhoids can cause discomfort. If your bicycle seat is properly sized, you should be able to minimize direct pressure. When you sit on your bicycle seat, most of the pressure should be absorbed by two bony protrusions on your pelvis called the sitz bones. These bones, relatively free of nerves and tender spots, are biologically designed to take the pressure of sitting. When seated properly in a well-fitted bicycle seat, you reduce the pressure placed on the anus and the pudendal nerve, a nerve that runs from the spinal cord toward your groin in the ally between the sitz bones.
Best Seat Characteristics
The best bike seat is the one that feels most comfortable to you. Everybody is different and you need a seat that fits your anatomy. With that said, you should probably avoid certain seat characteristics. A gel seat or a seat with lots of padding might seem soft to the touch, but the padding can apply pressure to the fatty tissue between the sitz bones, which then applies pressure to your inflamed, sensitive spots. A firm, leather seat wide enough to support your sitz bones should minimize pressure to tender areas. Split saddle seats have a split down the middle that reduces pressure between the sitz bones. Many bike shops have sitz bones measuring seats, padded with memory foam. You sit on the foam, get up, and then measure the distance between the sitz bones using the imprint on the memory foam. You can also try sitting on a clear plastic bag filled with sand or sugar to make an imprint. In any case, get a bike seat that is at least 10 to 20 mm wider than the distance between your sitz bones.
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