Denmark’s Sverri Nielsen the single sculler uses the ProW Seat Pad while racing at Luzern World Cup.  You can see the pink

Sverri pushes off from the pontoon

pad taped to his scull seat top.

What you can’t see are the wedges inserted underneath the pad which lift up your pelvis off the seat giving relief to glute / hamstring / sciatic pain for many users.

Sverri Nielsen, DEN uses seat pad

Womens seat pad

We got a question from a reader

“Is there a women’s version, with wider holes? I have consistent rowing- or erging-related inflammation around the left sitting bone-piriformis-top of the hamstring, and really need a good seat pad. I’ve tried the usual ones, and they don’t hell much. Men’s ones make it worse.”

I do know about fpale pelvis sizes.  No there isn’t a different size for women, but the product has very wide holes already compared to most rowing seats.

The reader replied

Thanks for following up on this. I’m trying to find something that will help with persistent bruising/inflammation in the left sitting bone/piriformis area. Glute stretches help up to a point. Do you happen to have any advice?

And, yes we do have advice for sore bum while rowing or sculling or on the rowing machine.

My suggestion is to go to a sports masseuse and / or osteopath (NOT a physiotherapist).

Ask thp to loosen off the musculature around your pelvis / IT band, upper thighs and lower back.  I find osteopaths consider the whole body and what is causing the injury not just treating the symptoms.

I suspect your muscles are very tight indeed and you may need to take a rest from sitting sport and rest thp while they heal and relax back to a looser state.  Personally I enjoy intense yoga stretching for keeping me injury free – this could help you too after you’ve got your muscles reset back to their normal state.