Life
Sorry, But There's A Good Chance Your Favorite Sex Position Is Also The Most Dangerous One
I remember *exactly* how I first learned that you can break a penis: It was a plot point in the underrated 2002 teen comedy The New Guy, which I was inexplicably allowed to watch at the age of 9. Ever since being burdened with the knowledge that a guy's penis can just break, I've always secretly been afraid that one day, I'd witness (or cause) a penile fracture, which made me wonder, which sex positions are the most dangerous?
A recent study published in the International Journal of Impotence Research evaluated the relationship between different sex positions and the severity of penile fractures in order to see if certain positions are more "dangerous" than others when it comes to the risk of breaking your penis. The researchers studied 90 patients with penile fractures and took note of things like how the fracture occurred and how severe it was. They found that a whopping 77 percent of penile fractures were a result of "sexual trauma," as opposed to things like blunt (non-sexual) trauma or rolling over onto the penis.
"A penile 'fracture' is the rupture of the tunica albuginea of an erect penis due to some form of trauma, typically during sexual activity," Rachel Gelman, DPT, PT, Pelvic Health Expert, tells Bustle. "An erect penis basically creates a fulcrum that causes a snapping or breaking event to occur. When this injury occurs men may develop swelling and pain and typically require immediate medical attention. This injury can lead to the development of Peyronie's disease where plaques form in the penis, causing a curve/bend to develop in the penis. Trauma to the penis can also result in urethral injury."
Clearly, sex isn't all fun and games. Here are the most dangerous sex positions for anyone who's terrified of fracturing their penis (and who isn't?). If your favorite sex position is on the list, maybe be a little more cautious between the sheets from now on.
1Doggy Style
By far the most dangerous of the positions studied was doggy style, aka millennials' favorite sex position. Of the 90 patients in the study, 41 percent of them broke their penises while entering their partner from behind. As if that statistic isn't scary enough on its own, researchers found that penile fractures from doggy style were also more severe than those that occurred during woman-on-top sex — ouch!
2Missionary
For anyone who, like me, believes that missionary is an underrated and very sexy position, I have bad news: The study found that over a quarter (25.5 percent) of penile fractures occurred in a "man-on-top" position... aka missionary. It might seem like the "easiest" position, but that doesn't mean it doesn't come with some risks, too.
3Woman On Top
Fortunately for us women who irrationally worry about breaking our partner's junk, only 10 percent of the penile fractures in the study were a result of woman-on-top sex — so we might have nothing to be nervous about when we take control. Still, you can never be too careful, so take it slow for a while with more intimate, passionate sex positions.
Truthfully, there's no way you can really predict when a sexual accident like a fractured penis might happen, but it doesn't hurt to be aware aware of which positions could pose more of a risk. Even though doggy style might be "dangerous," if you're careful, there's no reason you can't still enjoy all of your favorite sex positions while avoiding the pain of a broken penis.
