The truth about impotence
You can feel the tension in the air from the male population who love to ride their bike. One would think there would be tension as well for their sexual partners. A recent study from a Boston doctor warns of possible sexual dysfunction from bike riding despite its health benefits. The concern stems from the pressure on the artery that supplies blood to the penis while leaning forward on the bicycle. He warns that frequent riding may lead to the artery being permanently compressed. This would mean no blood flow to the penis that is needed for an erection. Lets look at this study a little closer.
First of all, Dr. Irwin Goldstein of the Boston University School of Medicine found that only 20 men out of 500 complained of impotence. Men that rode 10 or more hours per week were most likely to be impotent. Only 1 percent of the men that didn't ride regularly were impotent. Dr. Goldstein condemns bicycling entirely! This study doesn't seem to require fear in the hearts of men or their significant other.
Are there any other factors that could have contributed to impotence? Did any of the sufferers suffer from heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, etc? Were any of the men suffering form depression or any other psychological disorders? To label bicycling as the sole culprit of impotence seems to be a stretch.
Bicycling has long been touted as an excellent aerobic activity to strengthen your heart and burn plenty of calories. If you were riding your bike three times a week for maintenance, you would most likely be riding 1 1/2 to 3 hours per week. If you were bicycling to improve your cardiovascular endurance, you would most likely be riding 3.75 to 5 hours a week. For most people, impotence would not seem to pose a problem. The health benefits would outweigh the potential side effect in my opinion. If you bike already, don't stop. If you have never ridden a bicycle before, consult your physician.
If you like to ride your bicycle, stationary bike, etc., consider these tips from Bicycling Magazine and Thrive Online/Outdoors:
- Penile numbness and excessive genital shrinkage are warning signs that there may be too much pressure on your crotch. The nerves in the perineum are being pinched, which means the artery that feeds the penis is also being compressed. If you notice numbness during or after a ride, take steps to adjust your bike to stop compression.
- If the problem persists consult your doctor or a physician who specializes in sports medicine.
- Make the following changes in your riding style and/or your positioning on the bike: 1) Make sure your saddle is level, or point the nose a few degrees downward. 2) Check to see that your legs are not fully extended at the bottom of the pedal stroke. Your knees should be slightly bent to support more of your weight. 3) Be wary of spending significant time on aero bars: they encourage riding on the nose of the saddle. 4) Stand up every 10 minutes or so to encourage blood flow.
- There are a multitude of anatomic racing saddles on the market, ranging from ones with a flexible nose to models with a hole in the middle. Although Dr. Goldstein has not tested these special seats, he's skeptical of any design that fits between the sit bones. Instead, you may want to experiment with a wider, more heavily padded brand.
- Heavier riders may be more at risk of arterial compression damage because of the greater weight that's placed on the perineum. If you're in this category, you should consider a wider saddle with extra padding.
- When riding a stationary bike, the tendency is to stay seated and grind against big gears for long periods. Get out of the saddle as frequently as you would on your regular bike and be certain that it's set up the same in regards to riding position.
- When you straddle your bike, make sure the top tube is three to four inches below your crotch. Consider padding the top tube.
- Get out of the saddle when riding over railroad tracks, trail debris, or washboard terrain. Use your legs as shock absorbers.
- Test-ride a recumbent. Since you're in a reclining position on a chair-like seat, Dr. Goldstein, Padma-Nathan, and Lieberman all agree that there's little, if any, chance of compression or impact injury.
- Try to spend as little time riding on the nose of your saddle.
- Consider a wider seat, one that supports your weight by utilizing the pelvic bones.