The Independent on Saturday

It may be your saddle

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CYCLING over bumpy terrain or riding for long periods on a race bike with a thin saddle can be enough to trigger an injury to the prostate gland, says Christophe­r Eden, a urologist from the Royal Surrey County Hospital in England.

This can raise levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a protein produced by the gland.

The risk is that if you have a PSA test after cycling, you could get a false raised result – raised PSA can be a sign of prostate cancer. “If your doctor does not account for this, some cyclists can find themselves undergoing unnecessar­y medical interventi­ons such as biopsies,” says Eden. He suggests cyclists with a high PSA reading ask to be referred for a multiparam­etric MRI scan.

This looks at factors such as blood flow, and can be used as a screening tool without a painful biopsy. – Daily Mail

 ??  ?? Men who participat­e in mountain bike races can show high prostate antigen levels and lead to unnecessar­y surgery
Men who participat­e in mountain bike races can show high prostate antigen levels and lead to unnecessar­y surgery

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