If you are a new saddle-stool user and are experiencing numbness in your inner thighs, there are two possibilities. Either you have some movement restriction in your hips, or the saddle doesn’t fit you properly.
Movement restriction in the hips
If your hip abduction (spreading the knees apart) is restricted, your thighs will tend to pull together when you perch on a wide saddle stool. Some saddle stools are designed with a contoured trough in which your thighs rest in wide abduction. If your hips cannot [yet] achieve wide abduction, your knees pull together forward amd your thighs will no longer be comfortably positioned in the contoured trough. This can create pressures and lead to numbness from circulatory compromise.
Hip stiffness is usually a temporary saddle-seat accommodation issue. Your hips will loosen in time and the numbness will subside. Following is some general advice to help you though the saddle accommodation process.
- Try lowering the seat height a bit. That will shift your weight toward your sit bones (ischial tuberosities) and away from your thighs. Unfortunately, the lower seat height may also allow your pelvis to roll backward and flatten your back a bit, which is not desirable. It’s a trade-off. Experiment.
- Tilt your seat pan forward a little. If your saddle stool does not have a seat-tilt feature, you may be able to shim the seat forward by inserting thin washers under the rear bolts that attach the seat to the under-seat mechanism.
- Build up your time in the saddle slowly. Stretching out tight hips can take weeks or even months. Be patient. It will be worth the effort. Once your hips stretch out, you’ll sit taller, stand taller and have a longer stride.
Saddle doesn’t fit your anatomy
Saddle stool comfort is all about matching the saddle to your personal anatomy. Saddle seats come in all shapes and sizes, just like shoes. If the shoe doesn’t fit the anatomy of your foot, the only solution may be a different pair of shoes. Same goes for saddle stools. If the shape of the stool does not match your personal anatomy, you may need a different stool.