Kathy Stewart, wtop.com
WASHINGTON – Exercise has wonderful benefits for your health, but it may not be so great for your love life. Here is one reason you may want to put the brakes on that spinning class or bicycle ride: it could be hurting you in the bedroom.
It’s been documented in men that the pressure from the bicycle seat can lead to erectile dysfunction. Now, a new study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine looks at women and their issues, the the New York Times reports. Researchers at Yale looked at the possible risks the saddles pose to women like soreness and numbness in the genital area.
If you are not sitting on the seat properly, you run the risk of putting a lot of pressure on the nose of the saddle. Researchers say that can compress nerves and blood vessels in a woman’s private area and cause problems.
One of the researchers key findings is that the position of the handlebars plays a big role. If the handlebars are lower than the seat, riders have to lean over and put more pressure on the genitals.
Some opt for bike seats without noses. But Georgina Terry, president and founder of Terry Precision Bikes for Woman, says they can be dangerous. The nose of the seat helps to guide the bike and provide stability for riders.
“When it disappears you may not be on the bicycle very long,” Terry says.
She encourages cyclists not to give up if they are having issues with the seat. Your best bet is to be properly fitted for a bike.
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