You may experience groin numbness when your bones do not support enough weight while cycling. The ischial tuberosities a the bottom of your pelvis are known as your "sit" bones because you can sit for hours on these bones while maintaining healthy bloodflow and organ functioning. Your seat and cycling posture may produce numbness by compressing sensitive tissues and organs in your groin and shifting pressure away from your sit bones.
Causes
The saddle or seat on your bike may cause groin numbness during cycling by applying too much pressure to the area. Excessive pressure compresses nerves and cuts off blood circulation to tissues and organs in your groin. Elevating your seat too much may increase pressure on your groin and cause numbness. Pointing the nose of your seat upward or downward may also apply too much pressure on your groin, which can similarly cause numbness.
Complications
Groin numbness during cycling may progress into more serious conditions and further discomfort. You may develop saddle sores in your groin or experience groin and genital pain further into or after your cycling session. Cutting circulation to the groin may produce fertility and sexual problems, such as erectile dysfunction and impotence. Frequent bouts of groin numbness may increase your risk of urinary tract disorders or localized atherosclerosis.
Healthy Practices
Adjusting your seat to a comfortable height and making sure the seat is horizontal may help you avoid groin numbness. Your seat is too high if your pelvis rocks from left to right as you peddle. Maintaining a good posture and changing the position of your body on the saddle may help. Standing up on your pedals every few minutes while cycling restores circulation to your groin to help prevent or relieve numbness. For example, riding up hills, accelerating from a stop and exiting corners present opportunities to stand while cycling
Seat Replacement
Replacing your seat with a more ergonomic model may remove pressure from your groin entirely and eliminate groin numbness during cycling. Dual padded saddles are ergonomic seats that remove pressure from your groin by eliminating the narrow horn, which extends beneath your crotch on traditional bike seats. Noseless single-padded seats encourage healthy cycling posture with a rectangular pad that supports your buttocks like a small bench. Cutaway seats remove pressure from your groin by cutting material off the top of the seat to remove pressure points. Crescent-shaped seats force your bones to support your weight by removing pressure from your groin and most of your buttocks.
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