Cycling and impotence: risk?
"The bicycle ride you love may actually be damaging to the nerves of your penis. According to a 1997 study done in Norway, up to 25% of all cyclists are affected by this transient problem"
Prolonged riding can decrease the blood flow to the base of the penis because of added pressure to that area, called perineal vascular compression, to the area caused by the saddle of your bicycle. This transient numbness, lasting anywhere from hours to days in most cases, usually affecting riders who go greater distances more often that others. Older men are also more at risk because of decreased elasticity in their blood vessels."
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS
Numbness in any part of the penis
Impotence after a ride
Tingling in the perineum or penis
Decreased urinary flow
Feeling of tightness at the glans (tip of the penis)
Kevin H. Weiss, PhD
