Elsevier

Urology

Volume 73, Issue 1, January 2009, Pages 109-114
Urology

Male Sexual Dysfunction
Horseback Riding: Impact on Sexual Dysfunction and Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Men and Women

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.urology.2008.07.058Get rights and content

Objectives

To determine whether subjects engaged in horseback riding are more likely to be affected by sexual dysfunction and lower urinary tract symptoms than those engaged in sports with less perineal impact.

Material and Methods

Surveys evaluating the presence of and the risk factors for sexual dysfunction and urinary symptoms were distributed among members of equestrian clubs, swimming clubs, and individual horseback riders and swimmers. About 327 surveys were distributed by hand at horse shows and swimming pools. A total of 2000 surveys were sent by direct mail to random members of 1 national equestrian organization and 1 national swimming organization. We also evaluated bicycle habits as a possible confounding factor.

Results

There was no significant association between horseback riding and lower urinary tract symptoms (P = .1759) and sexual dysfunction (P = .1793) in males. The same applies to the association of horseback riding and lower urinary tract symptoms (P = .5036) and sexual dysfunction (P > .05) in females, although there was a trend toward a protective association between horseback riding and stress incontinence (P = .0567). Years of bicycling (P = .04) and hardness of the bicycle seat (P = .02) were associated with an increased prevalence for lower urinary tract symptoms in women.

Conclusions

Regular participation in horseback riding is not significantly associated with increased prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms or sexual dysfunction, although it may be associated with decreased prevalence of stress urinary incontinence. Bicycle riding may be associated with higher prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms in women.

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Material and Methods

The Institutional Review Board at the University of California, San Diego approved this study. We implemented a cross-sectional study design as an efficient and cost-effective design to perform a preliminary exploration for an association with the potential to generate additional hypotheses for more structured research.

Epidemiologic surveys were distributed to adult members of equestrian clubs and swimming clubs from 10/98 until 3/01. We distributed 327 surveys by hand at horse shows and pools

Descriptive Statistics

Our study group included 110 males (31 equestrians and 79 swimmers) and 275 females (173 equestrians and 102 swimmers). Sufficient subjects (at least 5 per variable) were available to perform a multivariate analysis controlling for a large number of variables in each case. The mean age for male horse riders was 52.9 years, and for female horse riders was 40.3 years. The mean age for male swimmers was 43.5 years, and for female swimmers was 38.7 years.

Of the male subjects, 5 (4.5%) were affected

Comments

We present a cross-sectional survey–based study of the effect of perineal impact sports on genitourinary function in males and females. Our study is unique because, to our knowledge, it is the first to study a high-impact perineal sport (equestrians) using a low-impact perineal sport (swimming) as a control, evaluating both sexual and urinary parameters in men and women.

Horseback riding was not associated with an increased incidence of sexual dysfunction in males. Age was the only factor that

Conclusions

Horseback riding has no measurable effect on lower urinary tract symptoms or sexual functioning in men or women. Equestrian sports may decrease the risk of urinary incontinence in women. Hardness of bicycle seats and years of bicycling may affect the prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms in women.

References (15)

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