Long Hours on the Bike May Have Sexual Consequences for Women
January 12th, 2007 by 
Eric
According to a new study in The Journal of Sexual Medicine, competitive female cyclists, while very healthy overall, may experience decreased genital sensation due to pressure on the pudendal nerve from extended time on the bicycle seat.
“Our study clearly indicates that competitive cycling can decrease genital sensitivity,” says Dr. Marsha K. Guess, co-author of the study. Cyclists were compared to competitive runners to ensure that the effects were due specifically to cycling and not to general strenuous exercise.
Interestingly, no negative effects on sexual function or quality of life were found in this study group. According to Guess, this may be due to a lack of subjects willing to talk about a personal topic like sexual satisfaction, rather than a clear indication that there are no long term effects on sexual function.
“A longitudinal study is needed before we can state clearly whether there are lasting effects on sexual function or quality,” says Dr. Kathleen Connell, a co-author on this study. “We also need to study recreational cyclists to see whether this phenomenon is more widespread.”
This study is important because of the large number of women who ride bicycles. “Researchers studying men have shown a link between bicycle riding and sexual health concerns,” says Irwin Goldstein, Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Sexual Medicine. “This may be the first time this same issue is addressed in women.”
This study is published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine
Source: Infozine
Posted in Women, Lifestyle | 
No Comments »