Saddle Pain Cycling Perth | Physiotherapy-Led Bikefit Assessment
Does Your Saddle Feel Like This?
Saddle pain isn’t normal — and it isn’t something you should ride through.
Saddle pain isn’t normal — it’s a signal that your bikefit needs attention.
Introduction
Saddle pain while cycling is common — but it is not normal.
If you are experiencing discomfort, numbness or saddle sores, a targeted assessment for saddle pain cycling in Perth can identify the underlying cause.
At Star Physio, we use dynamic saddle pressure mapping to objectively measure how you load the saddle while riding. This allows us to determine whether the issue is caused by saddle choice, pelvic instability, or incorrect positional loading.
To understand our complete bikefit process, visit our main Bikefit Perth overview.
Bikefit for Saddle Pain Perth
Does Your Saddle Feel Like This?
Saddle pain isn’t normal — and it isn’t something you should ride through.
Saddle pain isn’t normal — it’s a signal that your bikefit needs attention.
Saddle pain cycling Perth riders experience is common — but it is not something you should simply ride through. If you are struggling with discomfort, numbness or saddle sores, a targeted physiotherapy-led assessment can identify the true cause and correct how you load the saddle.
Our physiotherapists use the only dynamic saddle pressure analysis technology in Western Australia to measure how you load the saddle while you ride. This shows pressure hotspots, imbalance, and stability issues that are often missed with standard bikefits. With that data, we make precise adjustments to improve comfort, increase stability, and help you ride longer with less pain.
Saddle Pain Is Common — and Often Under-Discussed
Saddle pain can quickly turn an enjoyable ride into a frustrating experience for cyclists of all levels.
Cycling seat pain and saddle sores are among the most common — and least openly discussed — problems in cycling. They affect riders at every level, from recreational cyclists through to elite athletes.
Before the London Olympics, an anonymous survey revealed that saddle pain was the number one reason members of the British Women’s Cycling Team missed training sessions. These findings helped trigger a major shift in how saddle pain is understood, researched, and managed — with significant investment in bikefit science and technology.
Why Saddle Pain Happens
The saddle typically supports 60–80% of body weight during road cycling.
At the same time, it must:
• Allow pelvic rotation
• Enable reach to handlebars
• Permit thigh clearance
• Tolerate 80–100 pedal strokes per minute
Even small positional changes can significantly influence pressure distribution.
Common symptoms include:
• Perineal numbness
• Pubic bone discomfort
• Saddle sores
• Front-of-saddle pressure
• Instability while pedalling
Is It the Saddle — or Your Bike Position?
Changing saddles is often the first reaction to discomfort.
However, research from the international bikefit network Star Physio works with suggests:
• Around 20% of saddle pain relates to saddle design
• Approximately 80% relates to loading and position
Without objective assessment, saddle changes become guesswork.
Dynamic Saddle Pressure Mapping
Star Physio is the only physiotherapy clinic in Western Australia using Gebiomized dynamic saddle pressure mapping.
This technology measures:
• Pressure distribution across the saddle
• Left–right imbalance
• Anterior pelvic loading
• Stability during pedalling
Unlike visual assessment alone, pressure mapping identifies load patterns that are invisible to the eye.
This is particularly important for cyclists experiencing:
• Recurrent saddle pain
• Numbness despite saddle changes
• Discomfort in aero position
• Pain that worsens over distance
Immediate Feedback & Position Refinement
Dynamic pressure mapping allows adjustments to be tested in real time.
In many cases, subtle changes in:
• Saddle height
• Saddle tilt
• Fore–aft position
• Cleat setup
Can significantly reduce peak pressure and improve stability within the same session.
Real-World Results — Same Cyclist, Same Saddle, Same Day
Same saddle, same cyclist, same session — pressure redistributed from the front of the pelvis to the sit bones following a Star Physio bikefit, resolving saddle pain and improving stability.
Using saddle pressure analysis, we can often demonstrate meaningful changes immediately.
In one recent case, a cyclist presenting with significant pubic area pain showed excessive pressure at the front of the saddle. With precise bikefit adjustments, we redistributed load back onto the sit bones — on the same saddle, during the same session.
The result:
-
Pain resolved
-
Numbness eliminated
-
Improved stability while pedalling
Beyond comfort, saddle pressure analysis also provides the gold-standard assessment of saddle height and reach, based on how stable a cyclist is while generating power.
When a New Saddle Is Required
Gebiomized saddles allow objective saddle selection based on pressure distribution, stability, and rider anatomy — not guesswork.
If assessment shows that saddle design is contributing to symptoms, we can guide objective selection.
Saddle choice can be matched to:
• Pelvic anatomy
• Pressure pattern
• Stability requirements
• Riding goals
This removes trial and error and improves long-term comfort.
Read more about the amazing Gebiomized Saddles, available at Star Physio Here!
Who Should Book a Saddle Pain Assessment?
You may benefit from a targeted saddle pain bikefit if you:
• Experience numbness while riding
• Develop saddle sores
• Feel unstable on the saddle
• Have tried multiple saddles without success
• Experience recurring discomfort after previous bikefits
How This Fits Into Your Bikefit
Saddle pain assessment is integrated into our physiotherapy-led Bikefit Perth consultations.
This targeted saddle pain assessment forms part of our broader Bikefit Perth process.
Book a Saddle Pain Assessment
If you are experiencing saddle pain cycling in Perth, contact Star Physio to discuss the most appropriate appointment type.
📞 08 6424 9578
👉 Book Online
