Cycling UK Forum

Mrs TheJollyJimLad has been plagued since childhood with Pilnidal Sinus leading to absesses at the base of her spine. http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Pilonidal-sinus/Pages/Introduction.aspx
She has had 8 operations in total, the last one being three years ago. A District nurse would visit daily to pack the wound in her back but gradually it healed and the constant back pain started to subside. However, she gave birth to Little TheJollyJimLad two months ago which has caused the back wound to reopen (to the extent that she has been told to have a Caesarian section should we decide to have more TheJollyJimLads.

The point is (and apologies if the medical speak has put people off their lunch a bit) she cycled as a child and her parents were keen cycle tourists. She is always enthusiatic about me cycling and cycle campaigning and trying to look interested when I ramble on about cycling and cycle campaigning. However, when I try and get her to try cycling again, she seems adamant that her back problems rule her out and that I should be happy that she's produced a son to eventually go cycling with! I've even offered to buy her a Pashley Poppy with extra sprung Brooks saddle.

Does anyone else have with this condition (particularly women) and can they make any recommendations to getting back on the saddle again with type of bicycle, bicycle set up etc.

Thanks.

Anything that increases pressure on the area where the abcess develops will increase the chances of it happening again. If it's high enough up that the saddle won't rub where it starts, fair enough, but it probably isn't. I think you should let her make her own choice with this one - if she's worried cycling will trigger another abcess, I think that's fair enough. Pilonidal sinuses are horrible things and if it was me, I'd be doing everything I could to avoid getting another one too.

This is what we thought Kirst but wanted to see what other cyclists experiences might be.

My wife is a keen swimmer and I'm not (because I swim like a cheetah and run like a dolphin) so she is of the opinion that she will take our son swimming at every opportunity (as it gives her the chance to go) and I take him cycling when he's old enough.

I think it's difficult for a seasoned cyclist to take it on the chin when someone actually has a genuine reason for not cycling. You're right however, we don't want to make a situation needlessly bad.

Knowing very little about such conditions (for which I'm quite thankful) I'm just going to throw in my normal tuppence at this point.

A saddle isn't the only thing used for cycling. I'm sure a 'bent could be used with a cushion cut out for the affected area.

Of course that's not a cheap option, but may be worth exploring if it is her only objection.

hmm one of my thoughts would be a recumbent. if it was a one off then i might consider cycling until it was proved that cycling was the the trigger or exacerbating it. but under the circumstances, not sure i would want to risk it, she needs to be fit and comfy so she can enjoy life as a mother.


tip on swimming, i used to take my little 'un to the pool and have his car seat poolside, after we had had a tweenies session, would wrap him in a big towel, put him in car seat where he could safely observe, then would do a few lengths myself.
i would then wrap up in a big towelling dressing gown whilst i got him sorted and dressed, kept me warm and helped me to dry off.

wishing your wife well.

Perhaps try an exercise bike first? I think professional medical advise is what you need though.

[XAP]Bob wrote:I'm sure a 'bent could be used with a cushion cut out for the affected area.

It depends so much on location. The surgeon was uncertain over whether I'd be able to ride for a while after the operation. In the event, mine was relatively minor and quite high, and a conventional saddle was the only thing I could sit on for a few days - no pressure on the wound, you see. A recumbent would have been hopeless. YMMV, obviously.

Can't give a female perspective, I'm afraid. I'd be cautious about causing complications too - it's just that I was confident that, in my case, I wasn't going to.

Thanks for all the responses. The sinus in question is right at the base of the spine so I think that we had better leave it at that as it would be insane to create complications.

Instead of getting her a 'bent, I think I'll get a nice large Danish cargo bike and fill it with cushions for Mrs TheJollyJimLad to get comfy. Then when I get old and frail, JollyJimLad Jnr can cart me about in it.

eileithyia wrote:hmm one of my thoughts would be a recumbent. if it was a one off then i might consider cycling until it was proved that cycling was the the trigger or exacerbating it. but under the circumstances, not sure i would want to risk it, she needs to be fit and comfy so she can enjoy life as a mother.

I doubt a recumbent would make any difference as she'd still be sitting down, and it's the sitting down that causes the problem. Of course, it will always depend on the exact location of the lesion, but this is one thing where upright or recumbent won't make any difference. And it's also one where you don't want to try it and see, you want to do everything you can to avoid ever getting another one, because you can end up on face-down bed rest for weeks after having surgery to excise the thing.

Kirst wrote:

eileithyia wrote:hmm one of my thoughts would be a recumbent. if it was a one off then i might consider cycling until it was proved that cycling was the the trigger or exacerbating it. but under the circumstances, not sure i would want to risk it, she needs to be fit and comfy so she can enjoy life as a mother.

I doubt a recumbent would make any difference as she'd still be sitting down, and it's the sitting down that causes the problem. Of course, it will always depend on the exact location of the lesion, but this is one thing where upright or recumbent won't make any difference. And it's also one where you don't want to try it and see, you want to do everything you can to avoid ever getting another one, because you can end up on face-down bed rest for weeks after having surgery to excise the thing.

Didn't know if it was sitting or direct pressure that was the issue.
The 'bent allows you to have a cutout around the affected area, reducing pressure.

Excuse me for making a correction here but pilonidal sinuses are caused by ingrowing hairs rather than by pressure (pilonidal means 'nest of hairs' basically).

However, whilst avoidance of pressure won't prevent reoccurrence, there is the comfort perspective due to the loss of tissue overlying the boney structures underneath.

Hope this helps.

Pressure contributes to the hair being bent and forced into the skin, which creates the problem.

Insignificant (BTW I am a qualified nurse who has two ops for these myself).

I have had this condition for about 7 years since my mid twenties and sadly the only activity which seems to cause the same pain as the original infection and trigger the beginning of a reinfection (redness and - sorry to be graphic - slight weeping) is cycling!

I work in an office and sit down for much of the day but this does not seem to cause a reoccurance in the short term. I run and go to other exercise classes and these things do not seem to trigger it either.

It has happened every single time I have cycled more than about an hour, and I have tried two different saddles. For this reason I try it every couple of months hoping it will be different but it is always the same. I have not tried a cut out saddle though. Perhaps if she were to try a cut out for a very short ride? If she has a sympathetic doctor they may be able to advise. Obviously a personal decision but I can see she may not want to risk it. Good luck!

Hello, Though not on my cycle a lot I had this problem as well. I think I got mine from the hard metal seats in the post office where I sorted mail. I had it removed a few years ago and it has not come back!