About 100 million Americans ride their bikes each year with some to class or work and others for fun or competition. Whatever the reason, biking is a common activity in American society. However, because it requires sitting on a bike seat for an extended period of time, cycling puts pressure on the perineal region, which includes the testes and anus. Thus, a commonly held notion is that cycling can affect sexual and urinary function in men. But, according to a recent study, this may not be the case.
Benjamin Breyer, from the Department of Urology at UC San Francisco, and his researchers studied 2,774 cyclists, 539 swimmers, and 789 runners. Breyer and his team surveyed athletes about whether they had urinary tract infections, genital numbness, or saddle sores. In addition, the researchers isolated the cyclist group and analyzed their cycling intensity, bike configuration, and road conditions.
Image Source: Maskot
The researchers discovered that cyclists exhibited similar sexual and urinary health to swimmers and runners. Contrary to what one might expect, high-intensity cyclists showed better erectile function than low-intensity cyclists. Different types of biking accessories and road conditions did not affect cyclists’ health. However, riding the bike while standing did decrease the risk for genital numbness, and Dr. Breyer and his team plan to conduct more research on this in the future.
The researchers emphasized that cyclists should not shy away from riding if they’re worried about their sexual or urinary health. Swimming or running doesn’t appear to affect one’s sexual or urinary health any more than cycling. In fact, cycling at a higher intensity could possibly improve sexual function. Ultimately, people who enjoy riding their bikes should continue because the benefits, such as improving cardiovascular health, outweigh the risks.
Featured Image Source: Cycling (15) by EYOF | Utrecht 2013y
