Cycling is a great way to go from one place to the other while keeping your body active. But does riding a bike cause ED? After all, sitting on a hard plastic seat for so long must have some effect on your nether region. Well, if you’re a casual cyclist, there’s nothing to worry about. If you use your bike on your commute from home to work, you can carry on doing that.
If you’re a passionate cyclist and spend hours each day on your bike, you may want to rethink your current lifestyle. In this case, the answer to the question “does riding a bike cause erectile dysfunction” is a yes. Mind you, it’s not very common, but you may be at risk if you’re a cycling junkie.
How Does Riding a Bike Cause Erectile Dysfunction?
After a while, extreme cycling will take its toll on your pudendal nerve. This is a network of pelvic nerves that encompasses the entirety of your nether region. It wraps around your genitals, your anus, and the lower part of your bowel.
If you damage your pudendal nerve, you’ll notice it very fast. The most common symptom is sharp and intense pain that lasts for a long time. But on top of that, another common consequence is some type of sexual dysfunction. Because the pudendal nerve wraps around your genitals, the effects of nerve damage will extend to your penis, as well. Therefore, getting an erection may prove very difficult.
There’s a Solution!
If you use your bike for more than 10 hours per week, you can continue to do so, but you’ll need to make some changes. To protect your reproductive health, invest in a split seat. Their shape offers support and protection for your genitals. Furthermore, it also ensures that there’s no strain on your pudendal nerve. Before you settle for one split seat, try a few to see which one is the most comfortable.
