This popular sex position could lead to a serious and painful penile fracture
A sex position that’s pretty popular has now been revealed as one of the 'most dangerous' out there.
Sure, injuries can happen anytime, but getting hurt during bedroom activities is definitely up there with some of the worst.
Whether it's falling off the bed and hitting your head or pulling a muscle trying to pull off a tricky move, accidents happen.
But there’s one position that stands out as being the most likely to cause a very painful injury — a broken penis.
Wondering how someone can break their penis when there’s no bone in it? TikTok star Dr. Karan Raj explained: "A penile fracture is a tear in the tunica albuginea. This is a rubbery sheath of tissue that allows the penis to enlarge in width and length during an erection."
In his video, Dr. Raj revealed that one position, in particular, is responsible for around 50 percent of all penile fractures — and that’s the reverse cowgirl.
He explained that if the rhythm between partners is even slightly off, it can cause the penis to 'slip out' and get painfully 'crushed' by the female partner’s pubic bone. Definitely not something you want to experience.
Backing up Dr. Raj’s warning, a 2014 study published in the Advances in Urology journal examined what causes penile fractures.
The study found that heterosexual intercourse was the 'most common cause of fracture' — and the riskiest position?
It turned out to be 'woman on top,' which includes both the classic cowgirl and the reverse cowgirl positions (unless you're venturing into even more adventurous territory).
Sex-related injuries aren't uncommon Getty Stock Images
If it happens to you, trust that you’ll know — thanks to the intense pain, a popping or cracking noise, rapid loss of erection, swelling, or discoloration of the shaft, according to the Mayo Clinic.
"Left untreated, a penis fracture might result in a curved penis or the permanent inability to get or keep an erection firm enough for sex (erectile dysfunction)," the Mayo Clinic added.
It’s not just the tunica albuginea that can get hurt either. The urethra — the tube that helps you pee — can also get injured.
"Blood at the opening of the penis or in the urine may mean the urethra was injured," the medical website warns.
If you do suffer a fractured penis, surgery is usually needed to fix it.
According to Cleveland Clinic, a urologist would carry out the procedure by 'repairing the tunica albuginea with stitches (sutures)'.
If the urethra has been torn too, the surgeon would also repair that as part of the procedure.
