How much does sex really contribute to health - and what is the most dangerous position?

Data collected from 1956 to the present show what effect sex has on fitness, what are the common injuries to watch out for, and also how the "doggy style" position affects the spine.

The conclusions, at least some of them, will probably surprise you

Walla!

health

17/05/2022

Tuesday, 17 May 2022, 08:18 Updated: 08:41

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It's no secret that sex is considered one of the simplest and most fun ways to activate the body.

We haven’t tested, but we guess most people would prefer it over weightlifting at the institute or sweating in the open air, and for most of us, it doesn’t feel like hard work that requires effort at all.

The question of how much sex really contributes to fitness fascinates many people, so it is understandable why it has been studied extensively even in diverse academic institutions around the world.

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To the full article

Now, a new and first-of-its-kind study conducted by Spanish researchers from the University of Almeria, tries to sort out all the data collected on the subject over the years, to explain as reasonably as possible - whether, how and how much sex really affects our physical fitness.

The study in question is a systematic review that examined 18 previous studies conducted between 1956 and 2020. It included data on 349 people - 264 men and 85 women.

"Medium-intensity exercise."

Couple having sex in the kitchen (Photo: ShutterStock)

When it comes to sex, every person does it differently and there are lots of factors that affect the contribution to health - whether it is duration, intensity, postures and more.

In general, Spanish researchers have seen that in many cases, sex is considered "moderate-intensity exercise," just like jogging, leisurely swimming, or cycling.

In the studies examined, people from different backgrounds and with diverse sex habits participated, although more men agreed to participate in them.

The studies were also conducted using different methods, but what they all had in common was that they were not satisfied with just the familiar questionnaires, but asked people to have sex, while the experts monitored their physical indicators - including pulse, blood pressure and blood oxygen level.

Perhaps this explains the low responsiveness among women.

The researchers, we add, also examined the pressure on the muscles and joints during and after the activity.

So how many calories do you actually burn?

Before we know the conclusions of the Spanish study, it is important to dwell on a statistic that greatly affects the contribution of sex to health - the duration of the act.

We have already said that sex habits look different in every person, and another study on the subject shows how wide this range is.

The study included data on 500 couples who were asked to measure their act time, with the figure ranging from 33 seconds to 44 minutes, with an average duration of 5.4 minutes.

Of course the logic is that the longer you "hold on" the more calories you will burn, but Spanish researchers from the University of Almeria emphasize that on average, couples burn only about 100 calories in sex.

For comparison, a single slice of bread has an average of about 264 calories.

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The Spanish researchers also found that the heart rate increases on average from 90 to 130 beats per minute during intercourse, while during orgasm a record of 170 beats per minute can be recorded on average.

Again, for comparison, at rest, the heart rate of healthy people ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute.

Dangerous and Safe Poses: Not What You Thought

When you have sex, of course you do not do it mainly to burn calories, and fitness is probably not the most important thing for you in this event.

Along with pleasure, sex has many significant health benefits, but if we are not careful, it can also adversely affect us.

In this context, it is not only about sexually transmitted diseases or unwanted pregnancies, but also unexpected orthopedic problems.

This topic has also been reviewed in Spanish research, and these conclusions may surprise you.

Not the most dangerous.

Couples have sex (Photo: ShutterStock)

Let’s start with the unsurprising news: Spinal and lower back injuries were the most common in sexual intercourse, as a result of increased and repeated use of the leg muscles.

What did manage to surprise (us at least) is that the most dangerous pose according to the study is the missionary pose and hit boring.

Experts explain that this position is dangerous for both sides, because it causes significant pressure on the spine and lower back.

And what is the most "healthy" position for your body?

Believe it or not, scholarly academics actually recommend "Doggy Style" to avoid injuries and strain on the skeletal system.

In addition, they emphasize that shoulder injuries are also common during sexual intercourse, as both partners often try to adjust to the partner, which causes them to lock their shoulder and put pressure on it.

And yes, in case you were wondering, this is also true of the "big spoon" if you are blessed with a partner who wants to cuddle at the end.

However, the researchers also cautioned and stressed that not many studies have been conducted in an orderly and thorough manner on this important topic.

Many of them focused on the effect of sex on men, and no one examined homosexual relationships for example.

In addition, somewhat puzzlingly, most of the research on the subject has been published in the distant past and very little has been done in the last decade.

The researchers stressed that this is an opportunity for more scientists to use the latest technologies to more accurately measure how one of the most important and enjoyable actions in our lives - actually affects health.

• health

• Sex and sexual function

Tags

• sex

• Fitness

• intercourse