NEW FINDINGS WILL IMPROVE THE SEX LIVES OF WOMEN WITH BACK PROBLEMS
Newly published
findings from the University of Waterloo are giving women with bad backs
renewed hope for better sex lives. The findings -- part of the first-ever study
to document how the spine moves during sex -- outline which sex positions are
best for women suffering from different types of low back pain. The new
recommendations follow on the heels of comparable guidelines for men released
last month.
Published in European Spine
Journal, the female findings debunk the popular belief that spooning --
where couples lie on their sides curled in the same direction -- is the best
sex position for all women with low back pain.
"Traditionally, spooning was
recommended by physicians to all individuals with back pain because it was
thought to reduce nerve tension and load on the tissues," said Natalie
Sidorkewicz, the PhD candidate at Waterloo who led the study. "But when we
examined spine motion and muscle activity, we found that spooning can actually
be one of the worst positions for certain types of back pain."
The pioneering research combined
infrared and electromagnetic motion capture systems, like those used by
filmmakers for full computer graphic character animation, to track how 10
couples' spines moved when attempting five common sex positions. The findings
were used to create an atlas, or illustrated set of guidelines that recommends
different sex positions based on what movements trigger a patient's pain.
The atlas suggests that women who
are extension-intolerant, meaning those whose back pain is made worse by
arching their backs or lying on their stomachs, for example, replace spooning
with the missionary position. Adding a low-back support, such as a pillow, can
also help keep the spine in a more neutral position. For women who are
flexion-intolerant, typically those whose back pain is made worse by touching
their toes or sitting for long periods of time, the atlas recommends spooning
or doggy-style sex where the woman is supporting her upper body with her hands,
not her elbows.
"What we know now is that sex
positions that are suitable for one type of back pain are not appropriate for
another kind of pain," said Sidorkewicz. "These guidelines have the
potential to improve quality of life -- and love life -- for many
couples."
According to Statistics Canada, four
of every five people will experience at least one episode of disabling low-back
pain in their lifetime. Up to 84 per cent of men with low-back pain and 73 per
cent of women report a significant decrease in the frequency of intercourse
when suffering back pain.
"Primary care physicians report
it is common for couples to seek their advice regarding how to manage their
back pain during and after sex. Many couples will remain celibate because the
pain resulting from one night of lovemaking lasts months," said Professor
Stuart McGill, of the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences at Waterloo. "Now
doctors have solid science to guide their recommendations."
The next phase of the study will
involve recruiting patients with different categories of back and hip pain, as
well as additional sex positions, to further develop the recommendations.
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