Ideal position: sex despite back pain

All content is checked by medical journalists.

MunichBack pain steals some people's desire: The fear of additional pain drives men and women into sexual abstinence. The love game can be celebrated in the right position even with back problems without remorse.

"So far, the spoon position was considered the best position during sex for people with back pain," explains study director Natalie Sidorkewicz from the University of Waterloo. “But that's not always the case.” Different sex positions are also suitable for different types of back pain.

Puppy instead of spoon

According to the researchers, the doggy position is particularly recommended for male back pain patients who have problems bending over or sitting for long periods of time. The back pain afflicted man kneels upright behind his or her partner and moves out of the hip. The otherwise recommended spoon position, in which the patient lies sideways and penetrates the partner from behind, seems rather unfavorable.

For the study, the scientist and colleagues analyzed the biomechanical movement patterns of couples during sex in different positions. To do this, they equipped the test subjects' bodies with numerous points with the help of which they could precisely record the movement sequences in three dimensions. The process is mainly used in the production of animations in order to create lifelike motion sequences. In this way, the researchers were able to determine how exactly the man's spine moves depending on the sex position chosen.

Hope for couples

"This means that for the first time we have solid scientific recommendations for patients with back pain who want to remain sexually active," says Sidorkewicz. That could improve the quality of life and love life of many couples. Previous research has shown that 84 percent of men and 73 percent of women with lumbar pain have significantly less sex than usual.

The researchers have not yet found out which positions are favorable for women with back pain. Neither have they yet found a solution to the phenomenon that some men with back pain get worse during orgasm - sometimes in such a way that they try not to climax. (cf)

Source: Natalie Sidorkewicz, Stuart M. McGill: "Male Spine Motion During Coitus - Implications for the Low Back Pain Patient", Spine, DOI: 10.1097 / BRS.0000000000000518

Tags:  healthy workplace hair baby toddler