Women with backache should skip spooning sex position

By: Editorial Team | | Published: October 26, 2014 4:48 pm

Women suffering from excessive backache should think of skipping the spooning position in bed – a sexual intercourse position which requires the couples to lie on their sides curled in the same direction. As per a recent study from the University of Waterloo, Ontario, in Canada, spooning can prove to be hazardous to the back by only aggravating certain types of back pain in women. Also Read - Avoid sexual dysfunction: Having multiple partners may actually be good for you

The new recommendations follow on the heels of comparable guidelines for men released last month. Traditionally, spooning was recommended by physicians to people with back pain because it was thought to reduce nerve tension and load on the tissues. Also Read - Estrogen can protect you from the flu: Boost levels of this hormone naturally

‘But when we examined spine motion and muscle activity, we found that this is not the case,’ said lead researcher Natalie Sidorkewicz.

During the study, researchers used combined infrared and electromagnetic motion capture systems to track how 10 couples’ spines moved when attempting five common sex positions.

The findings were used to create guidelines, which recommend different sex positions based on which movements trigger pain.

According to the guidelines, women whose back pain is made worse by arching their backs or lying on their stomachs should replace spooning with the missionary position:

It s without a doubt the first sex position you ll ever find yourself in. It is the bread-and-butter of sex positions and the most common one to boot. A 2011 survey had found that it was most preferred one though it s derided by feminists for being too man-in-control. The basic positioning is very simple and involves the man on top while entering the woman with both of them facing towards one another.

It s a very simple position for beginners and doesn t need a great deal of athleticism or know-how. Because the partners are face-to-face there s more eye contact and kissing. There s also a greater amount of body contact and the hands and legs can be manipulated to create a variety of different positions.

Adding a low-back support such as a pillow could also help keep the spine in a more neutral position.

For women whose back pain is made worse by touching their toes or sitting for long periods of time, the guidelines recommend doggy-style sex:

It usually involves the woman on her knees facing away from the partner. Some variations can have the woman lying face down as well with a pillow under her belly for more leverage.

It s a different sort of penetration from traditional missionary and allows the penis to hit the G-spot better, which is supposed to be located somewhere along the front vaginal wall. Also if a woman is bent on her knees, it also allows space for clitoral stimulation with the hand. During pregnancies, this style is more comfortable for the female partner because there s no weight on the belly. This style is often associated with rough sex and quite popular with the ladies who even in these egalitarian age want a real man from time to time.

The study appeared in the European Spine Journal.

Image source: Getty Images

With inputs from IANS

Published : October 26, 2014 4:48 pm

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