Genital sensation and sexual function in women bicyclists and runners: are your feet safer than your seat?
BACKGROUND
Bicycling is associated with neurological impairment and impotence in men. Similar deficits have not been confirmed in women.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effects of bicycling on genital sensation and sexual function in women.


METHODS
Healthy, premenopausal, competitive women bicyclists and runners (controls) were compared.


METHODS
(1) Genital vibratory thresholds (VTs) were determined using the Medoc Vibratory Sensation Analyzer 3000. (2) Sexual function and sexually related distress were assessed by the Dennerstein Personal Experience Questionnaire (SPEQ) and the Female Sexual Distress Scale (FSDS).


RESULTS
Forty-eight bicyclists and 22 controls were enrolled. The median age was 33 years. The bicyclists were older, had higher body mass indices (BMIs), were more diverse in their sexual orientation, and were more likely to have a current partner. Bicyclists rode an average of 28.3 +/- 19.7 miles/day (range 4-100), 3.8 +/- 1.5 days/week, for an average of 2.1 +/- 1.8 hours/ride. The mean number of years riding was 7.9 +/- 7.1 years (range 0.5-30). Controls ran an average of 4.65 +/- 2.1 miles/day (range 1.5-8) and 5.0 +/- 1.2 days/week. On bivariate analysis, bicyclists had significantly higher VTs than runners, indicating worse neurological function at all sites (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis found significant correlations between higher VTs and bicycling at the left and right perineum, posterior vagina, left and right labia. Increasing VTs at the clitoris, anterior vagina, and urethra were associated with age. In bicyclists, there were no correlations between VTs and miles biked per week, duration of riding, or BMI. Composite SPEQ scores indicated normal sexual function in all sexually active subjects. Neither group suffered from sexually related distress.


CONCLUSIONS
There is an association between bicycling and decreased genital sensation in competitive women bicyclists. Negative effects on sexual function and quality of life were not apparent in our young, healthy premenopausal cohort.
Guess
Marsha K
MK
Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY. Electronic address: marsha.guess@yale.edu.
Connell
Kathleen
K
Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Women's Health and Urology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY.
Schrader
Steven
S
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health-Reproductive Health Assessment, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
Reutman
Susan
S
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health-Reproductive Health Assessment, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
Wang
Andrea
A
Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Women's Health and Urology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY.
LaCombe
Julie
J
Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Women's Health and Urology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY.
Toennis
Christine
C
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health-Reproductive Health Assessment, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
Lowe
Brian
B
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health-Reproductive Health Assessment, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
Melman
Arnold
A
Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Women's Health and Urology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY.
Mikhail
Magdy
M
Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Women's Health and Urology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY.
D000328:Adult; D001642:Bicycling; D002987:Clitoris / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012016:Reference Values; D012420:Running; D012677:Sensation / Q000502:physiology*; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014621:Vagina / Q000502:physiology*; D014732:Vibration; D016387:Women's Health