The bar sinister: does handlebar level damage the pelvic floor in female cyclists

Details

• Personal Author:
  Connell KA ; Guess MK ; Lacombe J ; Lowe, Brian D. ; Melman A ; Mikhail M ; Partin SN ; Reutman S ; Schrader, Steven M. ; Sweeney A ; Toennis C ; Wang A
• Description:
  INTRODUCTION: Cycling is associated with genital neuropathies and erectile dysfunction in males. Women riders also have decreased genital sensation; however, sparse information exists addressing the effects of modifiable risks on neurological injuries in females. AIM: This study assesses the effects of bicycle setup and cyclists' attributes on GS and saddle pressures among female cyclists. METHODS: Previously, we compared genital sensation in competitive female cyclists (N = 48) to that of female runners (N = 22). The current study is a subanalysis of the 48 cyclists from the original study group. Nonpregnant, premenopausal women who rode at least 10 miles per week, 4 weeks per month were eligible for participation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Genital sensation was measured in microns using biosthesiometry measures of vibratory thresholds (VTs). Perineal and total saddle pressures were determined using a specialized pressure map and recorded in kilopascals (kPA). RESULTS: Handlebars positioned lower than the saddle correlated with increased perineum saddle pressures and decreased anterior vaginal and left labial genital sensation (P < 0.05, P < 0.02, P < 0.03, respectively). Low handlebars were not associated with total saddle pressures or altered genital sensation in other areas. After adjusting for age and saddle type, low handlebars were associated with a 3.47-kPA increase in mean perineum saddle pressures (P < 0.04) and a 0.86-micron increase in anterior vagina VT (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Handlebars positioned lower than the saddle were significantly associated with increased perineum saddle pressures and decreased genital sensation in female cyclists. Modifying bicycle setup may help alleviate neuropathies in females. Additional research is warranted to further assess the extent of the associations. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Biomechanical Phenomena Nervous System Occupational Health Safety Sex Characteristics Urogenital Diseases Urogenital System Women
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Cyclist's Attributes Bicycles Bicycling Biological-effects Biomechanical-engineering Biomechanics Body-mechanics Body-regions Equipment-design Genital Sensation Handlebars Human-factors-engineering Measurement-equipment Neurological-system Neuropathy Pelvic Floor Physical-exercise Pressure-testing Reproductive-hazards Reproductive-system Seat Pressure Sex-factors

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• ISSN:
  1743-6095
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Alaska ; Connecticut ; New York ; Ohio ; OSHA Region 1 ; OSHA Region 10 ; OSHA Region 2 ; OSHA Region 5 ; OSHA Region 6 ; Texas ; Vermont
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DART - Division of Applied Research and Technology ; DCAS - Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  9
• Issue:
  5
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20040475
• Citation:
  J Sex Med 2012 May; 9(5):1367-1373
• Contact Point Address:
  Marsha K. Guess, MD, Section of Urogynecology & Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511
• Email:
  marsha.guess@yale.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2012
• NORA Priority Area:
  Manufacturing
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  The Journal of Sexual Medicine
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:8e53d626ae1a8be8b08f3373470102026cc3e9c78548818275fe163d27ec1b84d0fe436eb47eb12ed9c964b1ba46dca14f5bbc47ddaa85d245767f07c6f659e8
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/193316/cdc_193316_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 130.23 KB ]