(Maureen Salamon/ HealthDay) — Men who are avid cyclists needn’t worry that hours spent on the bike will translate into problems in the bedroom or bathroom, new research claims.
Reportedly the largest study of its kind involving bikers, swimmers and runners, the findings buck prior reports that cycling could harm sexual or urinary function due to prolonged pressure on the buttocks and the perineum (the area between the scrotum and the anus).
The results provide some reassurance that cycling doesn’t harm the perineum any more than swimming and jogging do, said study author Dr. Benjamin Breyer, a urologic surgeon at the University of California, San Francisco.
“Those athletes [swimmers and runners] also have erectile dysfunction,” he explained. “The truth of the matter is, many men develop erectile dysfunction, but I think if you ride safely the health benefits of cycling are tremendous. The benefits to overall health far outweigh other concerns.” (…)