YOU might think it’s the kinky stuff that causes bedroom accidents but experts say it’s actually the most common sex positions that are landing Brits in A&E.
New research has revealed the sex positions most likely to cause painful injuries and it turns out “vanilla” favourites like missionary are far riskier than you’d imagine.
The study, by sex education experts at Joy Love Dolls, analysed data from more than 1,000 people across Europe and the US who had sustained a sex-related injury.
And the results might just come as a surprise.
Here are the top most dangerous sex positions.
Doggy Style
Doggy style came out on top as the most dangerous position for women, causing over 20% of injuries.
And it’s no minor tumble either.
Women reported a range of injuries from bruises and sprains to vaginal tearing, with one in four vaginal tears linked to this go-to position.
For men, doggy was the second most dangerous, responsible for nearly 16% of male sex injuries, with cramped muscles, back pain, and even penile fractures among the most common issues.
One in six penile fractures happened in this position.
Missionary
It’s missionary that takes the crown for men’s worst nightmare in the bedroom.
The front-facing position accounted for nearly one in five sex injuries in men, and is the leading cause of penile fractures.
It also left many nursing bad backs, sprains and sore muscles.
Women didn’t fare much better with missionary either, it ranked second for them, causing 16.3% of injuries, including 24% of vaginal soreness and 21% of tearing.
Hips, legs and lower backs are all under strain in the deceptively simple pose.
Scotty Unfamous, Sex Expert and Educator for Ann Summers says: although it’s one of the most popular positions for sex, this fan favourite is the most common way that intimate injuries occur, as it can cause some wear and tear to your joints.
“If you experience discomfort from how you are positioned during missionary sex, try incorporating cushions or a rolled-up towel/blanket to provide some support where you need it most, like under your hips, knees, back or shoulders.”
Switching positions
Another unexpected hazard was switching positions mid-romp, which might feel spontaneous but accounts for almost 10% of female injuries.
It also leads to 14% of bruises and 10% of vaginal tears.
Standing
Standing sex, while sounding adventurous, is a major back-breaker, especially for men.
Nearly half of all injuries from this position are due to back pain.
For women, it’s a little less risky but still responsible for over 4% of injuries.
Scotty says: “A great tool to assist you standing is a sex swing, like this Door Jam Swing Restraint from Ann Summers.
“To use it, you hang the stoppers over an open door then close it to keep them locked in place.
“If you are the receiver, you can use it to brace your arms and legs in a multitude of ways that will keep you secure, with it’s main use being seating yourself into the straps to support your body so that your partner can keep their focus on pleasuring you.
Cowgirl and Reverse Cowgirl
Cowgirl, where the woman is on top, made the top five for both sexes.
Men were more likely to suffer down below, while women saw injuries to their knees and hips.
Reverse cowgirl, a trickier variation, only made up 1% of women’s injuries but proved much more dangerous for men, causing nearly 6% of accidents and resulting in a fifth experiencing penile soreness.
One in four men said it even led to fractures.
Scotty said: “Make sure to stretch beforehand, when riding keep in mind how your anatomies fit together.
“Position yourselves in a way that makes it the most comfortable by leaning forward or backwards to keep the penis inside as much as possible and communicate with your partner.
“You can also use cushions to help support you both.”
Other risky moves include standing 69 and oral sex, with both positions unexpectedly landing people in pain.
Sex educator Amy Nguyen from Joy Love Dolls warned that rough sex and poor communication are major contributors.
She said: “It’s fascinating, people assume the riskiest positions are the wildest ones, but the data shows it’s actually the most common positions leading to injuries.
“Rough sex is one of the biggest culprits, which highlights the need for better communication in the bedroom. You have to check in with your partner, or you could wind up hurt.
“Shockingly, only 3% of men and 5% of women said they told their partner about the injury afterwards, that lack of openness is worrying.”
Over 60% of people admitted they’d been injured during sex, and more than half said they had sought help from a doctor.
Amy added: “Some of these injuries, like back pain or muscle cramps might seem minor.
“But others, like tears and fractures, can be serious. Don’t be embarrassed to get checked out.”
And for those keeping score, vaginal soreness was the most common injury for women, while for men, it was good old-fashioned back pain.
So next time you hop into bed, you might want to rethink that “safe” go-to move. Your body will thank you later.
Sexpert Scotty warns fingering can also be a danger.
He said: “Our hands carry a lot of bacteria, so when it comes to stimulating our partner internally with them, it’s important to make sure that your hands and nails are clean as possible to avoid cause infections.
“Also keep your nails trimmed to avoid cutting your partner.
“A great alternative is to incorporate a toy – try pleasuring your partner with a g-spot vibrator that mimics the shape of a curved finger to perfectly stimulate the g-spot, like the Moregasm Plus Boost Vibrator.
Friction is generally not a good thing during sex as it opens you up to more risk of injury with the sensitive skin being tugged at that can cause tears and friction burn.
Scotty recommends hand jobs as a popular way of pleasuring your partners with penises, and though saliva does come in handy, it has a habit of drying up too fast, so your best bet is to invest in some lube to keep things slippery and safer, like a Silky Waterbased Lube.
