# Stealth seat, numb bum



## egg83 (Dec 29, 2010)

Ive got the standard backrest and butt pad but find my legs get pins and needles in them from time to time and have to sit on a piece of foam. Ive fixed some able flex to the sides of the seat to see if this would help but it doesnt.
The seat is actually comfortable so dont really want to get a different back rest just have to try and stop my legs going numb.
Has anyone had this happen to them? If so how have you fixed it?
Or does anyone have any ideas on the matter?
Thanks
Corie


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## systemtester (May 11, 2013)

Not a joke but does the same thing happen when you're sitting on the toilet for too long? You're basically pinching or squashing nerves (or inhibiting blood flow?) so its a case of changing your body posture in the seat to better distribute the weight and 'unpinch' the nerves OR find a seat / foam option that does it for you.

I'm not a Dr either but if you've got poor circulation then exercising by running/jogging/walking will help with that.


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## egg83 (Dec 29, 2010)

Im fairly fit mate, it only happens on my evo. I never had this issue on my supalite.
Might just have to stick to sitting on the foam strip


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## bruus (Aug 27, 2010)

I used to get tingles and numbness in my legs and feet in my old kayak. I would have to put my feet up over the sides or cross my legs a it to get rid of it. Since getting the evo i've never had a problem. I guess everyone's just different.


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Corie
I have a theory about lower back support, based only upon long hours in vehicles and kayaks (no medical knowledge). In kayaks I have paddled for nearly 15 hours straight several times, without problems. In cars, I have driven 24 hours straight, without problems.

If you have a backrest that forces your lower back into an 'S' shape low down on the spine, meaning just above the pelvis, you too might allieviate such a problem (everyone is different). A lot of kayak seats (and car seats) that I have observed do not provide this.

In driving terms, I have found that it also reduces fatigue dramatically (deadly sleepiness). My guess is that it has something to do with the posture/nerves/brain, but I'm only guessing.

Where's Grinner when you need an after hours consultation?


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## Couta101 (May 22, 2009)

Mate, how much space do you have under your knees when sitting in the evo? 
Ideally you need to be able to fit 3-4 fingers under your knees. 4 to a fist is better, I had problems when I used someone else's yak and the peddles were to far away.

It's worth looking into


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## egg83 (Dec 29, 2010)

Im 6'6 mate so have about a 300mm+ between my knees and the yak.

I have tried adjusting the back rest both ways does seem to make any diference, but it could be because i wear a camel back while out there. Might try it with out it one day


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## Rockster (Sep 7, 2007)

kayakone said:
 

> In cars, I have driven 24 hours straight, without problems.


Hey Trev you been in the Le Mans 24 hr race? :lol:
Cheers
Bob


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## Salty Dog (Sep 18, 2005)

> In cars, I have driven 24 hours straight, without problems.


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## dru (Dec 13, 2008)

Surfing this morning looking for input on seat set up for hip rotation, I came across this and remembered this thread. The site is "Paddling Light". You'll need to interpret from sea kayak to ski, but looks helpful.

_Now consider the seat. Lowering the seat makes a kayak more stable, but it also raises the height of the cockpit coaming compared to your pelvic bone. The seat needs to feel comfortable. Period. It should be easy to slide your hips around on, and it should support your legs evenly. One problem that you may experience with seats is losing feeling in your legs or having your legs go to sleep. What happens is the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back, through the buttock and down your leg, gets pinched. If you notice this happening, you need to provide more support to your leg at the front of the seat to relieve pressure from the nerve. Add foam extension under each leg tall enough to support it or try a different seat. (Although rare, the nerve can also get pinched from tight hip bracing near the front of the seat.) Moving the seat slightly forward or backward can significantly change the kayak's performance. For example, when I first got my Explorer, I noticed that it weathercocked terribly, which no one complained about and wasn't mentioned in any reviews. Most paddlers describe it as wind neutral. I decided to remove the seat and put a new one about 3/4 of an inch behind the old position. After I did that, the boat hardly weathercocks at all. If you move your seat, you'll probably need to adjust any outfitting that you've already finished. You can also add foam (which raises the seat, unfortunately) to give a slight forward lean, which helps you sit in an upright and aggressive position._

I had the numb bum in my SIK for a while. I ended up using a towel rolled , placed under the thighs on the edge of the seat. These days I'm not having the problem, think that I'm working harder on hip rotation which is keep the lower back moving. I can get sore muscles in the lower back after along paddle but the numb bum is gone. And of course it is an improvement in paddling technique.

Posture is important too. I have been told to check posture through the hips EVERY time I sit on the yak. The technique is to roll your hips forward slouching into the seat as far as you can. Then roll the hips back the opposite way as far as you can repeat a few times looking for the half way point. That's where you want to be, the pelvis should be sitting at 90 degrees to the water.


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