Dr. Kate is an OB/GYN at one of the largest teaching hospitals in New York City and she answers your medical questions here once a week. To ask her your own question, click here.
Dear Dr. Kate,
As a full-time student with a full-time job in a very bike-friendly college town, I ride my bike a lot (3-10 miles daily). However, I’ve noticed that after a lot of riding, I do not feel all too comfortable down there. I’ve bought a new bike seat and, from a quick porn-viewing/Google image search, I’ve concluded that I don’t have an unusually large clit. What I’m wondering is, can I injure my clitoris or reduce sensitivity from daily bike rides?
— Saddle Sore
Dear Saddle Sore,
There’s no evidence that you can injure or impair clitoral sensation from repeated friction and/or pressure…but it also hasn’t been studied in a clinical trial! My advice would be, if something causes you chronic pain, change what you’re doing, because chronic irritation isn’t good for any body part. You can manage the pain with pain killers, or alternatively, you can use certified organic cbd for a more natural remedy. With CBD, you can target different areas of pain and combat different issues. So, if you’re experiencing any other aches and pains from bike riding, you could also relieve that pain with CBD oil as well. Once, you’re managing the pain, you might also want to consider a new bike seat so that you don’t experience the pain again. Experiment with different styles until you find the right fit. Also, you could apply a silicone-based lubricant or Vaseline to the clitoral hood and labia to help prevent chafing (though probably not directly on the clitoris itself). FYI, silicone lube will wash off more easily than Vaseline, which is probably a good thing if you’re sensitive to irritation since Vaseline has a tendency to linger. Whatever you end up doing, however, I doubt that long-term injury would occur from bike riding.
— Dr. Kate
Gynotalk
Dr. Kate is an OB/GYN at one of the largest teaching hospitals in New York City. She also lectures nationally on women’s health issues and conducts research on reproductive health. Check out more of her advice and ask her a question at Gynotalk.com.
