ABSTRACT
Exercise helps keep a man sexually fit, but Dr. Irwin Goldstein, a Boston University impotency specialist, says that bicycling is one workout to avoid. When a man uses a standard bike seat, his weight flattens the main penile artery temporarily occluding the blood flow required for erections. Goldstein believes that, over time, this pressure can permanently damage the vessel. He also detected -using X-rays, ultrasound and arterial pressure readings- a reduction in blood flow as high as 66% when a patient sat on a skinny bike saddle. Also some experts believe prolonged sitting on a bicycle seat could compress the arteries and nerves to the testicles, causing the overheating of the testicles and lower sperm conut. Add to this, the constant rubbing and pressure on the area of perineum from the bike saddle, these can diminish sperm production. To sonographically investigate whether infertile on-road bikers have a higher prevalence of scrotal abnormalities compared with that in non bikers. A reproductive health assessment study. National Hepatology and Tropical Medicine Research Institute [NHTMRI]. Forty-six infertile male on-road bikers [mean age, 30.5 years; age range, 24-37 years] and 46 infertile non-bikers [mean age, 24 years; age range, 21-45 years] were examined for scrotal findings at ultrasonography [US]. Only male subjects with a history of extensive on-road biking [> 2h/d 6/wk] were assigned to the group of on-road bikers, whereas the control group did not engage in bicycling. In addition to clinical evaluation, US examination of the scrotum was performed by using a linear-array transducer operating at a frequency of 8.0 MHz. Forty [86.96%] on-road bikers had abnormal findings at scrotal US. Abnormal findings at US included varicoceles 34/46 [73.91%], hydroceles in 16/46 [34.78%], spermatocele in 2/46 [4.35%], testicular micro-calcifications in 2/46 [4.35%] and epididymal cysts in 4/46 [8.70%]. In the control group abnormal findings were noted in 34/46 [73.913%]. Abnormal findings at US included varicoceles in 24/46 [52.174%] hydroceles in 12/46 [26.086%], and spermatocele in 2/46 [4.35%] The overall difference in the number of scrotal abnormalities in bikers compared with the number in nonbikers was significant. US show a higher prevalence of testicular disorders in those on-road bikers compared with non-bikers. The quality and the high percentage of testicular abnormalities in bikers could be an indication of a developing reproductive health problem. The nose of the bicycle saddle exerts excessive pressure to the perineum, which appears to affect the semen quality. Men who ride bicycles many hours a day should be concerned about the pressure exerted on the perineum. They should take rest breaks off the bicycle saddle when possible. They should also consider replacing their bicycle saddle with a design that does not have a protruding nose or replacing their bicycle with one that has a recumbent design. Whereas alternative saddle designs may decrease pressure applied to the perineum, the overall health effects of long-term use of these saddles is unknown and it needs to be evaluated