Science links impotence to
long hours on the bike
By KAMAU KINYENJE
High unemployment and underemployment rates remain widespread. Many have turned to an old means of transport – the bicycle – to earn a daily livelihood.
Known in Western and Nyanza provinces as boda boda and ng'ware, it is a form of economic coping strategy. But it may ultimately bring about the risk of inability by men to attain and maintain penile erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual intercourse,
For cycling for long periods frequently disrupts the nervous and blood supply sequence in a man – a condition medically referred to as erectile dysfunction – in common parlance, impotence.
The physiological process of erection begins in the brain and involves the nervous and blood-circulation systems. Physical or psychological stimulation causes nerves to send messages to the blood-circulation system, which result in an erection, after significant perineal engorgement and expansion due to increased blood flow and pressure in the area.
In a study published in the British Journal of Urology, cycling in a seated position leads to a compression of perineal arteries against the pubic bone by the saddle, causing considerable reduction in blood supply. Reduced penile blood oxygenation leads to penile fibrosis, which works against achieving an erection, resulting in erectile dysfunction.
Cases of intermittent genital insensitivity to touch that occur in cyclists are caused by slowed or blocked feelings or stimulation due to degeneration or loss of function of the perineal nerve due to saddle pressure after long cycling. This can be worsened by poor riding techniques.
The proportion to which cycling contributes to erectile dysfunction is not known. However, the prevalence cannot be understated, particularly in a situation where bicycles are daily tools of earning a living. Erectile dysfunction cases are psychologically devastating to men and can seriously threaten family integrity, mental health and social stability.
There is no doubt that for most men sexuality is a highly rated aspect of the quality of life. Thus, many of these cases are hesitantly presented to clinicians or masked together with other complaints, thereby making it difficult to access the prevalence of the condition.
The study recommends that cyclists shift from a seated to a standing position frequently while cycling. Correcting the handlebars or the height of the saddle, tipping the nose of the saddle to produce a more horizontal or even downward pointing position and paying attention to the design of the saddle – these are the only required precautions, according to the study.
Alterations in saddle position and riding techniques can terminate the bouts of an impaired penile sensation or resolve erectile dysfunction spontaneously within seven weeks without specific medical therapy.
It is imperative to know that other diseases, like diabetes and kidney problems, can account for as a great a percentage of chronic erectile dysfunction cases while psychological factors, like stress, anxiety and depression, bring up temporary erectile problems which may resolve after the factor is removed.
Age can equally cause erectile dysfunction.
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