Can women also suffer from bicycle seat neuropathy? 女性にもサイクリングによる会陰部の感覚障害が起こるのか？

　これまで3回にわたってCyclingとErectile Dysfunction（ED）の関連について過去の論文を検証してきました。残念ながら、論文を読み進めるほどに、自転車に乗る男性にEDや陰茎、会陰部の感覚障害が多く認められるという私にとっては信じたくない事実がより明白になっていきました。

そんな傷心の私の頭に一つの大きな疑問が浮かびました。女性はどうなの？と。

女性には陰茎や陰嚢がなく構造的には男性に比べてシンプルではありますが、男性と同様にサドルに乗ることによって内陰部動脈の血流が阻害されることが想像されます。

男性の場合ほど多くの論文がないのですが、一本だけ何とか見つけることが出来ました。これは自転車競技に参加するBicyclistについてランナーを比較対象にして会陰部の知覚障害を評価する論文で2006年に報告されていました。

48名の週に4回程度自転車に乗る女性と22名の週に5回程度走る女性について、比較しています。年齢の中央値（歳の順に並べて真ん中の人の年齢）は33歳。
陰部のvibratory thresholds（VT）の測定値を比較しているようで、VT値が低ければより敏感に振動を関知し、逆にVT値が高ければ知覚が低下していることを示唆します。会陰部のいくつかの部位についてVT値を測定した結果、bicyclistの女性達はrunnerの女性に比べてVT値が高かったのです。すなわち、何からの会陰部の知覚低下にcyclingが寄与している可能性が示唆されたわけです。


As I wrote previously, the correlation between cycling and ED seems ovious.  There is a simple question came across in my mind...how about women??

   There was one interesting article published in 2006.  It was toTo evaluate the effects of bicycling on genital sensation and sexual function in women.

Guess et al. J Sex Med. 2006 Nov;3(6):1018-27.   Genital sensation and sexual function in women bicyclists and runners: are your feet safer than your seat?

AIM:

To evaluate the effects of bicycling on genital sensation and sexual function in women.

METHODS:

Healthy, premenopausal, competitive women bicyclists and runners (controls) were compared.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

(1) Genital vibratory thresholds (VTs) were determined using the Medoc Vibratory Sensation Analyzer 3000. (2) Sexual function and sexually related distress were assessed by the Dennerstein Personal Experience Questionnaire (SPEQ) and the Female Sexual Distress Scale (FSDS).

RESULTS:

Forty-eight bicyclists and 22 controls were enrolled. The median age was 33 years. The bicyclists were older, had higher body mass indices (BMIs), were more diverse in their sexual orientation, and were more likely to have a current partner. Bicyclists rode an average of 28.3 +/- 19.7 miles/day (range 4-100), 3.8 +/- 1.5 days/week, for an average of 2.1 +/- 1.8 hours/ride. The mean number of years riding was 7.9 +/- 7.1 years (range 0.5-30). Controls ran an average of 4.65 +/- 2.1 miles/day (range 1.5-8) and 5.0 +/- 1.2 days/week. On bivariate analysis, bicyclists had significantly higher VTs than runners, indicating worse neurological function at all sites (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis found significant correlations between higher VTs and bicycling at the left and right perineum, posterior vagina, left and right labia. Increasing VTs at the clitoris, anterior vagina, and urethra were associated with age. In bicyclists, there were no correlations between VTs and miles biked per week, duration of riding, or BMI. Composite SPEQ scores indicated normal sexual function in all sexually active subjects. Neither group suffered from sexually related distress.

CONCLUSION:

There is an association between bicycling and decreased genital sensation in competitive women bicyclists. Negative effects on sexual function and quality of life were not apparent in our young, healthy premenopausal cohort.