Sex & Back Pain: Injury-proofing the Bedroom

Having a back injury like a herniated disc can mean lots of pain, pain that keeps us from doing the things we enjoy. Of course, that means everything, including sex. It’s as natural as breathing, but a bad back can be made worse without a bit of guidance for your bedroom romps.

At my practice, Living Well Medical, in SoHo NYC, I’ve had patients who were concerned that they might worsen their condition by getting intimate, and it’s a valid concern. Frankly, I’ve had patients with such stories to tell, and the usual response on the patient’s part is a bit of embarrassment and hesitation. No worries, that’s what this blog post is for. Help prevent a blown out back or tweaked spine with these few helpful hints. And don’t let the title fool you, there’s no such thing as injury-proof, so if you do get hurt, consult a doctor right away.

And now on to business.

Lowering the likelihood of back pain is all about positioning and movement. With the help of a few handy household items like pillows or blankets/towels, you can alter a position for maximum support and lowered impact on the back. Let’s get more specific.

The “missionary position” as it’s known can be tough on the back whether you’re the partner on top or bottom. For the bottom partner, a simple trick is to bend the knees which can maintain proper spinal alignment. For more support, a pillow or rolled towel under the small of the back can keep the spinal arch proper. As for the top partner....well, if the top is having back pain, it’s probably a better idea to try another position, like lying on your side and being more gentle. Missionary just isn’t that good of an idea for the top partner.

One of the better, more...ergonomic positions is kneeling with the other partner sitting in your lap. Both partners can maintain the right curvature of the spine and control body position a bit more. To help you keep the right posture, find a nice, sturdy chair.

Unfortunately, in some cases, if the pain is bad enough, it might just not be in the cards to try and spice up your sex life. That’s when you’ll want to see a doctor. If you have back pain and need help, give my office a call at 212-645-8151. We’ll do our best to get you back to normal...and back in the bedroom.

- Dr. Shoshany, NYC Chiropractor