Saddle height/fore/aft/drop = Pain in Tail Bone??

chakattack

My saddle height was too low (pretty sure of this based on knee angles and localised feeling of effort in quads and not using hamstrings and buttocks) so I've bumped it up about 1cm but it's far from too high and I've a good bend in my knee at 6 o clock crank position. The drop to the bars is about 4cm (again not excessive) and hasn't changed recently.

I've since started to develop a pain in my tailbone (very mild and infrequent at first) but very painful when I woke up the last two mornings (I really felt it while running on Monday - only 2km to kickstart winter cross-training). Pain subsides once I'm up and I feel a twinge occasionally during the day and no pain while on the bike.

I was using a 70mm stem and saddle slammed forward to get the right reach but last week I changed to 80mm stem and compact bars with saddle moved back 0.5cm to get same reach with better weight distribution, handling and knee position. Knee is now slightly (0.5cm-1cm) in-front of pedal spindle.

I'm not looking for medical advice but just wondering has anyone experienced anything like this before or can concieve how it might happen? The only (very weak) theory I have is that recent increased muscle development in my hamstrings and buttocks is stretching something.

Been doing some core and flexibility work the last 2-3 weeks too but this started before then. Mileage has gone up but intensity has decreased significantly.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

doozerie

One possibility is that your lower back isn't flexible enough to easily adapt to your new position. Raising your saddle and not your bars and/or lengthening your stem and/or moving your saddle back, will all effectively increase the bend and stretch of your back, so it could be that your body is struggling to adapt. If that is all it is, then regular stretching (of back, hamstrings, etc.) should alleviate the problem. In the meantime I'd expect some discomfort, but not pain. When pain arises you very quickly get into the realm of needing professional advice.

One thing to check re bike-fit is whether your hips now rock when you pedal, due to the increased saddle height. That's usually a sign of a saddle that is too high (though it could be tight hamstrings too), though it sounds like yours isn't too high from what you say, but worth checking anyway. Best bet is to get someone to cycle behind you to watch for it as it can be difficult to detect yourself.

There are plenty of other possible explanations too of course, including the possibility that your back is "out" and the new position is now showing that up, but checking a few more aspects of your new position plus stretching is where I'd start. Mind you, I'm also a fan of osteopaths and I'd probably get myself checked by one just as a matter of course.

chakattack

Thanks Doozerie,

I'm fairly confident that I'm not rocking in the saddle (been there before and had lower back pain on long spins so I know how to recognise it).

Hamstring flexibility is crap so I'm working intently on that. I don't think my back is any more stretched from lengthening the stem (different bars allowed me to position hoods at the same distance from the saddle with a longer stem and move the saddle back 5 mm). The 70mm stem was sketchy on descents and tight corners (amazing what a difference 10mm makes here).

Think I'll video myself on the turbo tonight to look for any problems.

victorcarrera

Try changing your position or the saddle position so that the the tail bone is behind the saddle.
Get a wider/flatter/padded saddle with centre channel and some even have a segment cut out of the rear which might help.
Something like this possibly
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=34932

I get similar symptoms after riding my hybrid a lot but I know its because of the more upright position.

chakattack

Thanks Victor,

I'm pretty sure it's not the saddle. Been using this saddle (Spesh Toupe) for over a year, it has a central channel and my tailbone doesn't touch it while riding.

My position is a racing/training position with my back angle about 30 degrees from horizontal but I can see how you could put pressure on the coccyx (tailbone) riding a hybrid.

The issue is definitely musclular-skeletal but I want to pinpoint the cause and solution.

morana

if you are doing core work you are probably doing situps. it could be that you are banging your t-bone on the hard floor when doing the excercise. put something soft under it!!!!!