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Italia Bici 2007: Dr. Paoli, what are some of the key
factors that relate to the athlete-bicycle interface as you
describe it?
Dr. Paoli: Well, an athlete's performance is linked to diverse
factors such as the metabolic and muscular characteristics,
the athletes condition, nutrition and recovery. And a factor
that is often ignored, but is of fundamental importance, is
the athlete's comfort during training and racing. By this,
I mean a series of factors linked to the external environment,
including clothing. There has been extensive research on performance
fabrics in clothing with made major steps forward, including
the introduction in 2000 of an elastic interface for the cycling
short pad. In fact, the gluteal, perineal and genital-urinary
zone are among those quite predisposed to chronic “overuse
problems, together with the hands and wrists, neck and lower
back regions (1) which together represent between 35 to 90
per-cent of overuse problems seen in cyclists. The problems
which correlate to the anatomic zone that enter in contact
with the saddle (the gluteal, perineal and genital-urinary
area, or GPGU) are the most frequent.
IB 07: Can you discuss some of the physical issues in
the athlete-bicycle interface?
DR. P: Regarding the clinical research into this matter,
some authors have reported that 61 per-cent of genital numbness
(2.) and 24 per-cent of erectile disfunction (3.) in male
cyclists who ride more than 400 kilometres per week after
evaluating amateur cycling clubs in their research. These
cyclists also reported genital numbness in 58.3-70.3 per-cent
of these cyclists, while erectile dysfunction was less.
So it is evident that the effect of riding and its impact
on the zone of the body that comes in contact with the saddle
is not to be underestimated by any means. While the biomechanical
aspects of the rider's position in the saddle have been studied
a lot over the last few years, and even the effects while
riding, much less attention has been given to the three critical
points of the interface between the man and machine. In particular,
the issues related to cycling short pad inserts have been
little studied.
In effect, there has been a major evolution of the cycling
short pad inserts in recent years. The pad has progressed
from pieces of buckskin sewn into the crotch of wool cycling
shorts of twenty years ago to today's high-performance, anatomic
and elastic short pads. This is a rapid evolution that has
allowed the cyclists position on a delicate and critical area
to be improved.
IB 07: Where did this evolution in cycling short pads
start?
DR. P: This technical evolution was guided by a company CyTech,
that was the first to propose elastic cycling short pads which
adapted the elastic fabric from the shorts and then added
variable densities of padding material according to the type
of cyclist (type of riding, sex or rider). From this point
of view, the bicycle saddle has also evolved independently,
as have cycling short pades, thanks to constant research of
the shapes & type of materials which become adapted to
the specific usage and show the way forward for further development.
The shape of these high-technology elastic cycling short
inserts help to reduce or eliminate problems related to compression
in the GPUG zone; for example, the syndrome of compression
of the pubic nerve: the position while riding on a relatively
rigid saddle is in a relatively small area where pressure
is generated in the perineal zone and is transmitted to the
pubic nerve and Alcock channel (the pubic canal that allows
pubic nerve to pass under the pubic bone and connect with
the genital and perineal zone). This constant pressure reduces
the ability of the nerve to heal and exposes it to constant
trauma.
Another critical point is where the nerve exits the pelvic
bone, where the pressure on the nose of the saddle on the
and pubic zone, amplified by the inclined position of the
saddle, adds unwanted pressure on the nerve where it exits
the pubis. In fact, there are recent studies that show that
the elimination of the nose of the saddle results in a reduction
of pressure in perineal zone. (4.).
IB 07: Are there other physical implications related
to the athlete-bicycle interface?
DR. P: It has also been shown in the pedaling action, while
the thigh goes back, this moves the pubic nerve over the sacrospinal
and sacrotuberous ligaments. One of the most important observations
is that this action can influence nerve damage during the
compression phase. So the compression of the pubic nerve can
contribute to lack of feeling in the zone and to erectile
disfunction, but the cause of this problem isn't just from
the nerve, but can also be from insufficient blood flow. The
flow of blood under the skin in the perineal area, which correlates
to the blood flow to the penis is markedly reduced while cycling.
The reduction of blood-flow depends on the position and type
of saddle. For example, an upright position reduces the blood
flow more than a stretched-out position, so the modification
of the saddle position and the specific type of short pad
insert can help to maintain an adequate blood-flow to the
genitals while cycling.
The return of correct sensitivity and the disappearance
of erectile disfunction can take several months. In reality,
the problems related to the phenomenon of compression and
friction in GPUG zone are quite diverse: priapism, infertility,
hormonal effects, increase in PSA and lesions of perineal
tissue.
IB 07: So what conclusions can be drawn regarding the
improvement of the athlete-bicycle interface?
DR. P.: The fundamental conclusion is that one should have
the maximum attention to the choice of the saddle that is
adapted to one's physical characteristics: weight, physical
condition and type of riding practiced. These same parameters
can be applied to the type of cycling short inserts used.
In fact, it is absolutely useless to have a high-tech, high
performance saddle and not have a high-tech, high-performance
cycling short insert that reduces under saddle problems and
provides high-tech, personalized support.
Dr. Paoli recommends the following properties in cycling
short insert pads:
1) Cycling short insert pads should be elastic, to allow
the full range of movement for the cyclist in the saddle contact
zone.
2) Cycling short insert pads should have different densities
to provide support and protect the cyclist's saddle contact
zone according to the different compression levels felt on
the saddle.
3) Cycling short insert pads should have different shapes
for men and women cyclists because of the different conformation
of the men and womens perineal & GPUG zone.
4) Cycling short insert pads should have a specific design
that allows proper fit between the saddle and body of the
athlete.
Italia Bici also spoke to Stefano Coccia, CyTech's Product
Develpoment chief about CyTech's new products which incorporate
Elastic Interface Technology. He explained that: "we
produce for many Elastic Interface Technology short pad inserts
for top brands like Assos, Gore Bike Wear and others. A lot
of companies claim to have elastic short pads, but no other
company has a design patent on this technology as we do at
CyTech and no one else has the experience in design and development
of all-way stretch inserts."
Coccia pointed out CyTech's newest top-end short insert,
the Multi-D Anatomic model. "This is a one of a kind
short insert with a unique curved anatomic shape," explained
Coccia. "Our Multi-D Anatomic has a central channel to
relieve pressure on the perineal zone and provide better airflow
for extra comfort and performance. We developed this through
thousands of hours of wear testing and the shape curves perfectly
with the bodys shape where it meets the saddle."
Covered with CyTech's specially developed, breathable, micro
fibre fabric, that features the patented all-way stretch of
Elastic Interface Technology, Multi-D Anatomic Comp has special
high-density foam inserts placed at key pressure points in
the perineal and ischial zones to provide maximum comfort
and performance, while the outside edge of CyTech's Multi-D
Anatomic has an extra soft fabric in the external zone to
eliminate any chafing.
Coccia also singled out the womens short insert pads specifically
developed for female use by CyTech, using Elastic Interface
Technology. "With more and more women cyclists worldwide,
at CyTech, we don't see why they shouldn't enjoy the benefits
of Elastic Interface Technology. We spent a lot of time with
women riders specifically testing different pad shapes and
various densities of foam to create the best womens-specific
shammy available," he explained. "With our new Endurance
HP Women's model, the HP means for High Performance, because
we wanted to create a short pad insert for women that offers
maximum performance as well as comfort."
CyTech's Endurance HP Women offers both because it's constructed
with very high-density foam inserts that are placed at key
ischial zone pressurepoints that conform with a womens anatomy.
Coccia further explained that: "our CyTech Endurance
HP Women has a special high-density foam throughout and then
we thermoform and stitch it into a comfortable shape. Of course,
it has the all-way stretch of CyTech's Elastic Interface Technology."
For more information on CyTech and its Italian designed
and developed Elastic Interface Technology, visit its website:
www.chamoises.com
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