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Topics: News, Life, Sex and Relationships
Kit Roberts
Three sex positions could be putting you at risk of serious injury while doing the deed.
Anyone who knows anything beyond the impression given by 50 Shades of Grey knows that consent and safety are the most important things.
No one wants nerve damage from an incorrectly tied handcuff, or to be one of those a**holes that doctors have to extricate something from.
Avoiding injury, or at least any injury that's not a consensual part of the activities, is the most important thing, and you don't need to be exploring BDSM to be at risk.
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Dr. Michael C. Gerling has warned that three positions could place you at particular risk of one injury.
To be clear, this only applies if you're the sort of person with a carrot rather than a rose in your pants, if you catch my drift.
This is a penile fracture, where the erect penis splits because the tissue is damaged.
Yes, even the most vanilla of positions can put you at risk of fracturing your penis.
A Brazilian study found that around 40 percent of cases of penile fracture occurred during missionary.
Given that missionary is a very popular position, it perhaps makes sense that it would account for a high proportion of injuries.
Surprisingly, this one accounted for a lower percentage of injuries.
Just 12 percent of reported cases of penile fracture happened when the couple in question were in the cowgirl position, with the receiving partner on top.
It's not clear exactly why this has a much lower percentage.
Perhaps the angles involved are a little less susceptible to breakage, or maybe the energy needed to bounce or grind means there's less direct stress on the Old Chap.
In any case, this might be one to try out if you're particularly worried.
The main culprit.
Doggystyle accounts for some 43 percent of penile fractures, and, well, it doesn't take much imagination to realise why that might be.
In the heat of the moment, it's possible that things may get a little vigorous.
At times that might mean that a couple become 'uncoupled', and it may only take one strong but badly-aimed thrust to, well, you get the picture.
Given that the three above account for a lot of the afternoon delight going on, other positions get much less of a look in, with just four percent.
Of course, that doesn't mean if you decide to attempt the wheelbarrow, butter-churner, or pinball wizard that you shouldn't take care.
Luckily, there are things you can do to practice safe sex, and not just avoid unwanted pregnancy or infections.
Dr Gerling warned that having sex on unstable surfaces can be a factor, as can rougher sex.
“Rough sex is a common cause of injuries where a partner inadvertently hurts the other, and can be minimised by taking a slower, cautious, graduated approach with good communication,” the doctor advised.
So, take things slowly and make sure that everything is situated where everyone wants it to be before dialling things up.
Foreplay and lube are also very important, not just in avoiding injury but also just more generally.
If you are unfortunate enough to fracture your penis, you should immediately seek medical attention.
“Unlike most fractures being managed by orthopaedic surgeons, this variety needs to be evaluated by a urologist,” Gerling said.
Surgery is generally required to make sure that a patient can restore full function, including erections and urination.
This means you should also avoid having sex for around six weeks after surgery.
In fairness, after an injury like that, sex is unlikely to be high on your list of priorities.