Biking May Lead to Sexual Dysfunction for Women, Study Finds
By Andra Lim
Portocala Mecanica
What arouses a woman's libi-don't?
Riding a bike, especially one with low-set handlebars, according to a new study from Yale University.
Anyone who's been on a bike knows that your body weight rests heavily on the seat, which puts pressure on the genital area. So it's not too shocking that female cyclists have decreased sensation in the pelvis area, as the study reports.
The study also notes:
"Genital sensory stimulation has been shown to play a critical role in sexual arousal and the erectile response in men."
Does biking decrease sexual arousal in women?
Of the 48 women studied, all of whom bike at least 10 miles a week, those with lower handlebars tended to most experience a loss of nerve fibers and decreased genital sensation. These cyclists had to lean forward to grasp the handlebars, increasing the strain on the pelvis area.
Studies on male cyclists go back several years and show that riding increases the risk of erectile dysfunction.
As city government strives to make Los Angeles streets more bike-friendly -- painting a green bike lane on Spring Street, closing miles of streets to motorists for CicLAvia -- could it detract from the city's reputation as a place to get some?
Trojan Condoms' national survey found that, out of all cities, residents of LA have the most sex per year. Now, we don't want to lose that honor.
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