As someone mentioned in an earlier post, putting a blown-up paddle float under the thighs can help -- I tried it last week after having some numbness/pain in my left hip area, and it seemed to help.

Tom
: hi there,

: following is a discussion on this subject. It happened here few months ago.

: It's funny to know that the cause is NOT the circulation of blood, &
: everything you tried is really off course 8-)

: read & enjoy,

: Erez

: Re: loss of feet blood circulation - why ?

: Posted By: Paul Lund

: Date: Tuesday, 9 May 2000, at 7:43 a.m.

: In Response To: loss of feet blood circulation - why ? (Erez)

: Last year I was doing neuroscience research for an Anatomy & Physiology
: professor and I asked her the same question. She said it wasn't due to
: lack of blood flow to the feet, but rather a lack of blood flow to the
: nerves (sciatic nerves) that terminate in the feet. She said it was due to
: my body weight not being evenly suported over the whole of my butt,
: instead, it was concentrated on two small areas, one on each cheek.
: Unfortunaly, the sciatic nerves are beneath these areas, and so, have too
: much pressure applied to them, and your feet go numb as a result.

: It is the seat. Perhaps you can adjust the position of the seat slightly, so
: that it supports the backs of your thighs a little more? I found that this
: relieved the problem for me, though I'm using a different seat than you.

: Not sure that you can, maybe someone else has found a good seat and can
: recommend one.

: Hope this helps.

: Paul.

: -------------------------------------------------------------------

: Re: loss of feet blood circulation - why ?

: Posted By: Nick Schade - Guillemot Kayaks

: Date: Tuesday, 9 May 2000, at 8:55 a.m.

: In Response To: loss of feet blood circulation - why ? (Erez)

: In addition to a well contoured seat you need footbraces. The footbraces help
: support your legs so your thighs don't have to do all the work.

: --------------------------------------------------------------------

: Re: loss of feet blood circulation - why ?

: Posted By: Rehd

: Date: Tuesday, 9 May 2000, at 10:46 a.m.

: In Response To: loss of feet blood circulation - why ? (Erez)

: Rehzzz, try cutting some thin wedges of foam a few inches long and put the
: thicker end at the front of the seat and tape it down to experiment.
: Paddle a while and see if it cures the problem. No sense buying a new seat
: and going through the installation of same, until you know what works for
: your particular "hiney". Every butt out there is different, so,
: you have to see what works for you. I don't know the seat, but maybe
: rounding up the front edge will help with a little inside and outside
: support. Do a little experimenting with some foam, cardboard, balsa wood
: or whatever and some duct tape. It'll give you a good reason to get in
: some paddle time. Hope that helps.

: Might give you the incentive to start on that new boat or at least a custom
: " seat of the pants " seat for the old one. I know how annoying
: that feeling can be. Good luck with the testing.

: Rehd

: -------------------------------------------------------------------

: Re: loss of feet blood circulation - why ?

: Posted By: pete czerpak

: Date: Tuesday, 9 May 2000, at 11:50 a.m.

: In Response To: Re: loss of feet blood circulation - why ? (Rehd)

: Don't forget to perhaps put some minicell or neoprene under where your heels
: may hit the bottom of the hull. It will make them more comfortable and
: also aid in the keeping them awake.

: Pete czerpak albany, NY

: --------------------------------------------------------------------

: Re: loss of feet blood circulation - why ?

: Posted By: Andy Gere

: Date: Tuesday, 9 May 2000, at 3:04 p.m.

: In Response To: loss of feet blood circulation - why ? (Erez)

: I have suffered from the same problem, despite using a nicely sculpted foam
: seat (Happy Bottom Pad). Although I haven't completely solved the problem,
: here are some things that have helped: Try adjusting the seatback and
: footbrace settings. These changes can dramatically alter the way your butt
: is supported by the seat. Also, loosening the straps on your Tevas or
: booties seems to help. Finally, periodically shift in your seat and
: stretch your legs while paddling. Do this before the sleepy feet set in. I
: still get this from time to time, but it's not nearly as bad as it used to
: be.

: --------------------------------------------------------------------

: Re: loss of feet blood circulation - why ?

: Posted By: Ross Leidy

: Date: Tuesday, 9 May 2000, at 3:21 p.m.

: In Response To: Re: loss of feet blood circulation - why ? (Andy Gere)

: Andy, I bought a Happy Bottom seat once, but ended-up giving it away. You're
: right that it's sculpted, but it's not deep and it doesn't have any thigh
: support. Try rolling-up a towel and placing it in front of your seat to
: see if some additional support under your thighs helps.

: Ross

: --------------------------------------------------------------------

: Re: loss of feet blood circulation - why ?

: Posted By: lee

: Date: Tuesday, 9 May 2000, at 6:46 p.m.

: In Response To: loss of feet blood circulation - why ? (Erez)

: Hi Erez, blame anything you like but for goodness sakes take care of the
: problem at least so that you don't crumple to the ground when you get out
: of the Kayak. Yes, sciatic nerve pressure, yes follow Rehd's suggestion to
: experiment with increasing under thigh support. I'm with you on this one
: because my legs will fall asleep in 20 minutes in most minimal kayak
: seats. Here's the solution: 1. Make your seat deep and sculpted so that
: the MUSCLES AND FAT

: of your posterior support your sit bones (ischial tuberosities)

: UP off the bottom of the kayak. No amount of squishiness

: right under that sciatic nerve will make up for the lack of support to all of
: your weight. When you're a standing homo sapiens your skeleton is doing
: the job it was designed for. When you're a kayaking homosapiens your
: gluts,butt bones,etc. weren't designed for extended sitting. So it is
: necessary to make a supportive seat,especially around the sides,back,and
: under the thighs.

: 2. I've tried carving minicell, adding thermarests everywhere,adding
: thermarests on carved minicell, and making a glass seat formed on a mold
: of my butt. The thermarests work great but only if they are also on some
: kind of tractor shaped seat. The glass seat I made for my self has no
: cushion and is more comfortable than any of them. One combination that
: works pretty good is a thermarest seat pad inside a creature comfort seat.
: Carved minicell is the cheapest and best alternative although the grey
: fluff that comes from all that carving is a mess.

: 3. Condition your sitting muscles,in other words sitting upright. Stretch
: often.

: 4. I've heard a lot of people benefit by having a brace at the heel like
: Nicks footrests because the calf muscles don't have to be held in tension
: as much as when one is pressing on the balls of the feet.

: 5. A wonderful side benefit to all that comfort is reduced knee pressure when
: rolling or bracing hard since the heaviest thing in the kayak (you) isn't
: sliding around. I found it was a lot easier to lean my kayak when the
: support in the seat became better. lee-numbnomore

: --------------------------------------------------------------------

: Re: loss of feet blood circulation - why ?

: Posted By: David Blodgett

: Date: Tuesday, 9 May 2000, at 9:24 p.m.

: In Response To: Re: loss of feet blood circulation - why ? (lee)

: well lets see if I remember today at woprik I was talking to my boss... carl
: boujahn who has been in kayaks for longer then I'd like to think and I
: asked him about seats.... he has done some VERY long term sitting in
: kayaks and this is his solution...

: Take a chunk of 3 inch thick mini cell foam... and sit on it... and sit on
: it... and sit on it... untill your but leaves an imprint... mark with
: lines like on a map the depest points... more lines for the deeper it is.
: then carve... nd care and carve... until it is in the shpe it was when you
: first got off it. then take a 2 inch hole say and cut a hole right where
: your but bones are right in the middle of each half of the seat. then
: carve a groove in the middle of the bottom to allow water to pass up and
: down the keel... then glue it in placce... you may want to leave it loose
: for a while just so you can get it in the right place... but that should
: work great.

: --------------------------------------------------------------------

: Kayak Building Bulletin Board

: Re: Velcro it in place

: Posted By: Mike Hanks

: Date: Tuesday, 9 May 2000, at 10:37 p.m.

: In Response To: Re: loss of feet blood circulation - why ? (David Blodgett)

: David,

: I velcroed mine in place. With enough velcro it will hold it firmly, yet
: still be repositionable. Use Dap Wellwood contact cement to hold the
: velcro.

: Mike

: --------------------------------------------------------------------

: Re: loss of feet blood circulation - why ?

: Posted By: Mike Hanks

: Date: Tuesday, 9 May 2000, at 8:17 p.m.

: In Response To: loss of feet blood circulation - why ? (Erez)

: Erez,

: I had the same problem with my Pygmy Arctic Tern, but I would loose feeling
: from my thighs down after 20-30 minutes. I removed the Thermarest and put
: in a piece of 3" thick, 18" long, 16" wide piece of
: minicell foam in. I sculpted it down to 3/4" thick at the bottom
: center but left it 3" the front, back, and sides. I sculped it, and
: sat down, sculpted more, and so on, until I felt no high spots and it was
: plenty deep. It is as sculpted as any seat I have seen with plenty of
: thigh support. Before I put it in, I cut the bottom to the shape of the
: hull. The whole process took about two hours and was ready that same day.
: Everyone who has tried the seat loves it. It is extremely comfortable and
: I don't have problems with my feet and legs going to sleep anymore.

: Mike

: --------------------------------------------------------------------

: Re: loss of feet blood circulation - why ?

: Posted By: Ian Johnston

: Date: Tuesday, 9 May 2000, at 11:08 p.m.

: In Response To: loss of feet blood circulation - why ? (Erez)

: Hi Erez,

: The numb feet problem is not caused by a circulation problem. The major
: arteries and veins run on the inside and outside of the legs so sitting
: down doesn't restrict blood flow.

: The cause is pressure on nerves. The nerves in your butt specifically. So a
: seat made to distribute the weight and keep pressure points away from
: these nerves is the answer.

: Ian

: P.S.- everytime your feet go numb it is an indication of nerve DAMAGE so get
: the problem rectified as soon as possible.

: --------------------------------------------------------------------