Bum Numbin'

[highflyin]

Don't know about you - but on those long sectors my bum get's really numb !!! honest ! Tried queezing my cheeks together, rolling around on one cheek, then the other, but no good, my backside goes almost completely numb. Any tips or trick our their to keep the circulation in this vital area flowing a bit easier.

By-the-way height and weight in proportion - before any say's try lossing weight.

While, we're at it, anyone else got stories or remidies for part's of their bodies going numb or tired on long sectors ????

Ta !

[Lou Scannon]

Many years ago a man I knew, was flying one of HM's Canberras up over France.
The seat was unbelievably uncomfortable for even short periods and after several hours Russ was in considerable pain from a numb bum. With the auto pilot engaged he slipped the ejection seat pins back in, undid his harness and somehow managed to manoeuvre his body around so that he was kneeling on the seat facing the tail. In this position he was able to massage his backside to get the blood flowing again and reduce the pain.
...and that would have been the end of the story had he not then noticed a French Mirage fighter sitting on his wing tip staring incredulously at the sight of the rearward facing pilot. He gave him a timid wave and received an enourmous Galic Shrug in return.
He took heart in the fact that no one would have believed the French guy when he got back to base.

[rusty_y2k2]

That is a great story.... just the sort of little anecdote I love to read on pprune!

[gingernut]

The mechanism responsible for numbing your bum, is simillar to that responsible for causing pressure sores in the immobile patient.

As you rightly said, the symptoms are caused by diminished circulation to the area, caused by prolonged pressure of the body, (usually underlying bony areas), onto the skin and associated structures.

Unrestrained, well persons, sub-consciously move their positions slightly, every twenty minutes or so, to relieve the pressure.

I'm not sure about the praticalities of your cockpit, but avoiding action could involve remembering to shift your position every 20 minutes or so. (We have to actively do this for the immobile patient).

I'm a little out of the loop these days, most of my patients walk in and walk out (hopefully:) ), but there are pressure relieving devices available to help with the problem, the simplest being a sheepskin rug.

Happy flying:)

[Fly3]

Great to hear that story. A doctor once told me to always remove your wallet from your hip pocket as it can severely reduce blood flow to the nether regions.

[gingernut]

Well, they should know:)