Back pain isn’t just one of the most common reasons for skipping work. It can also affect your sex life. But new guidelines based on how the spine moves during intercourse could help.
Back pain affects 8 out of 10 people at some point in their lives, and low back pain is the leading cause of disability globally. Regarding sex, doctors used to recommend the spooning position for people with back pain, despite a lack of scientific evidence to support it. Also, a sex position that’s appropriate for one type of pain, might not work for another type of pain.
Now researchers from the University of Waterloo in Canada have developed guidelines to avoid back pain during sex for men who don’t have a preexisting back or hip condition.
“Our analysis of spine motion during intercourse shows that, in fact, the recommended positions for men depend on what movements trigger their pain,” says Natalie Sidorkewicz, a PhD candidate at the University of Waterloo and lead author on the paper published today in the journal Spine.
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The researchers tracked how 10 couples’ spines moved in five common sex positions. Using both infrared and electromagnetic motion capture systems, they measured how the men’s spine moved during sex, and created guidelines for best positions and techniques based on what movements cause pain.
Based on range of motion, researchers identified the best and worst sex positions for men. Here’s what they found:
• Sexual Position: mQUAD1, a variation of doggy style. In this variation, the woman is supporting her upper body with her elbows.
Sidorkewicz says flexion-intolerant men – meaning men whose back pain becomes worse when they touch their toes or sit for a long period of time – will likely be much more comfortable using this position.
• Sexual Position: mQUAD2, a variation of doggy style. In this variation, the woman is supporting her upper body with her hands.
The study showed that this position, in addition to the mQUAD1 variation, is considered to be easier on the spine for flexion-intolerant men.
• Sexual Position: mMISS1, a variation of missionary style. In this variation, the man is supporting his upper body with his hands and the woman has her hips and knees slightly flexed.
Along with mQUAD1 and mQUAD2, this position is considered a “spine-sparing” approach, meaning it won’t exacerbate pain caused by motion and/or posture.
• Sexual Position: mMISS2, a variation of missionary style. In this variation, the male is supporting his elbows and the woman is more flexed at the hips and the knees.
This may not be the best position for men experiencing flexion-intolerant pain. However, for extension-intolerant men – meaning men who feel pain when they arch their back – this may be a comfortable position.
• Sexual Position: mSIDE, also known as spooning or sidelying. In this position, the woman and man are both lying on their left sides, and the man is behind her. Both people have their hips and knees flexed.
Researchers found that this position isn’t very easy on the spine, and is the least recommended position for men experiencing flexion-intolerant pain. However, it’s a comfortable option for extension-intolerant men.
“Men who are extension-intolerant, or those who experience pain when arching their backs, will find sex in the spooning or missionary position more comfortable, especially when supporting his upper body with his elbows in missionary,” says Sidorkewicz.