Women who bicycle frequently can suffer decreased genital sensation, according to a study by the Yale University School of Medicine.
But unlike men, who can suffer erectile dysfunction from an improperly fitted bike saddle, the women in the study suffered “no negative effects on sexual function and quality of life,” said lead researcher Dr. Marsha Guess.
Maybe I'm getting way out of my expertise here, but wouldn't decreased genital sensation impact the quality of life?
Researchers studied 48 pre-menopausal women who bicycled at least 10 miles a week four times a month. The study also included 22 women who ran frequently as a control group.
The New York Times reported that because similar studies sometimes demonstrate impotence in men, it was always assumed women could have the same problems.
Negative. Dr. Guess says female cyclists, a least in this short-term study, may suffer less compression of the artery and nerves that supply the genitals. In any case, while they do feel tingling, pain and some loss of genital sensation, there were no reports of impotence. No longer term studies have been done, however.
Last year, a study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine reported on studies that linked prolonged cycling on traditional bike saddles with erectile dysfunction and impotence in men. See “Bicycle saddles becoming an issue of mounting concern.”
Cycling experts — such as Jim Langley and Sheldon Brown — have been studying this problem for years, however, and many blame poorly fitted bicycles and incorrectly tilted saddles. Read more at “Don't fret over bike saddle; it might only make things worse.”
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