Frequent cycling promotes male impotence. But in women, it can also cause disorders, such as decreased sexual stimuli in the genitals, suggests a study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine.
Dr. Marsha K. Guess from the Yale School of Medicine explains that in men, when cycling, the nerves and blood vessels of the prostate are compressed, which promotes erectile dysfunction. In an earlier study, Dr. Steven M. Schrader of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health noted that they often occur in policemen patrolling city neighborhoods by bicycle.
The American scientist recently observed 48 women who cycled at least 16 km a week, but generally much more. They experienced pain, tingling and numbness in the perineum during the exercise bike trials.
The severity of these ailments depended on the position of the steering wheel. They were the biggest when it was placed below the saddle for a more aerodynamic silhouette. This made the women more bent, but at the same time there was more pressure on the perineum.
Dr. Schrader says that he has been approached many times by women who said that it is not only men that feel the effects of heavy cycling. In his opinion, pressure on the perineum in women can be reduced by using a city bike saddle without a protruding nose.
The scientist admits that he has not tested this type of saddle yet, but it should put more pressure on the pelvis, which is more beneficial for both men and women.
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