An article in the New York Times last week noted that female bicyclists have reported numbness and less sensation in their genitalia than their counterparts who run. Researchers associate this numbness with the pressure that can be put on the perineum and pelvic floor during bicycling. As a wannabe cyclist and someone who has bicycling lady friends, I feel it is my duty to ring the alarm! So RING! You do not have to give up your bicycles in order to keep your fabulous sex life. (YAY!) There are two things that can be done in order to decrease the potential negative sexual side effects. (And who wants those?)
- Position handle bars above the bicycle seat, so there is less pressure on the pelvic floor.
- Use a no nose bicycle seat, so pressure is placed on the sit bones.
Phew! We can all go back to bicycling now with our vulvas intact. Or in my case, fake bicycling, because I am still scared of what will happen if I am put on wheels instead of the dear, sweet, flat, ground. (In case you are curious, fake bicycling looks a lot like walking places.)
You can check out the full article here.
- Lauren, Friend to bicyclist with vulvas and perhaps a bicyclist in her own right someday!
Thanks Lauren! This article was a topic of discussion amongst friends... Can you also address vibrator burn out?
ReplyDeleteHey dude! I am so happy that people are talking about bicycle issues. I never even thought about it before reading the article. Makes total sense. I can talk about vibrator burn out. I do have a question though. Do you mean your clitoris losing sensation or getting sick of using them? (I have a feeling you mean the first. Wanted to clarify!)
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