The more miles women ride - on their bikes - the better their sex lives are, a new study suggests. Their improved sexual function came at a small price, however, as female cyclists were more likely to get bladder infections and saddle sores. The new research, involving more than 3,100 women, should help to quell fears instilled in female cyclists after several small studies suggested a link between cycling and sexual and urinary dysfunction. Instead, researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, found that women who rode bicycles actually had better sexual function than other athletes that acted as controls for the study. Contrary to past concerns, omen who biked were only at risk for urinary tract infections, saddle sores and some genital numbness in the study's short term. However, the authors did note that these could eventually contribute to other sexual function issues later in life. In the last several years, riding bicycles, especially stationary ones, in spin classes like those offered by the popular SoulCycle chain, has become an increasingly trendy way to get a workout for women. Biking is a great way to tone your legs, abs and even butt, but the seat is not anatomically optimal..
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While sitting in a normal chair, body weight is distributed fairly evenly to each buttock, leaving the area where both male and female organs rest, the perineum, pretty free of pressure. Bike seats do not offer the same luxury.
While peddling away, most of your body weight is squarely (and narrowly) supported by the perineum, and, according to a Harvard health blog, that position cuts off blood flow to the clitoris and labia (the penis suffers the same deprivation in men).That constricted blood flow explains the numbness some people experience after a particularly long bike ride, but some research has suggested the damage is more long-lasting..
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