The number of middle-aged men requiring treatment for sex injuries has increased by four times in just five years, a leading osteopath warns.
Slipping in the shower is the main cause of such accidents as couples are becoming increasingly adventurous, resulting in wrist fractures, ankle sprains and even hernias, according to Stephen Makinde, clinical director of the ‘Perfect Balance’ clinic in Harley Street.
Around 80 per cent of the non-sporting injuries Mr Makinde treats are caused by overly amorous couples, a spike he believes is due to people being less ashamed to admit their sexual experiences, rather than blaming their injuries on ‘DIY or fishing’.
Mr Makinde, 37, said: ‘Honesty can make the difference between someone being treated for two or three weeks, or being treated just once or twice to completely resolve a condition.
‘It’s obviously a taboo area and people might find it hard being open about their private lives. But for us there’s no real difference between an ankle you’ve rolled over playing squash or an ankle you’ve rolled over in the bedroom.’
The number of men requiring treatment for sex injuries has increased by four times
‘There’s a new willingness to admit the cause of the injury’
Mr Makinde said: ‘We’ve noticed a real increase in sex-related injuries.
‘It used to be that injuries associated with sexual activity used to account for a small percentage of the non-sporting cases we treated – around 20 per cent. But in the last five years that’s now increased to around 80 per cent.
‘Most patients are middle-aged males, roughly in their mid 50s, but we do see women who’ve experienced such injuries, too.
‘And while the reasons for the spike aren’t immediately clear, it’s certainly something to be aware of if you do enjoy a healthy sex life.
He said: ‘When it comes to sex, we see everything from neck injuries to wrist fractures, ankle sprains and, of course, back problems. Hernias are common, too, close to where the adductor muscles of the pelvic region become strained.
‘With the back, we see everything from facet joint locks – where the back spasms and locks in a particular position – to full-blown disc prolapses and sciatic pain.
‘I suspect that there’s a new willingness to admit the cause of the injury, rather than a patient simply lying and saying, “I did it doing DIY or fishing…”
Honesty allows more efficient treatment
Mr Makinde said: ‘Honesty can make the difference between someone being treated for two or three weeks, or being treated just once or twice to completely resolve a condition.
‘Being armed with all the facts gives you an appreciation of the mechanical stresses the patient is putting on their bodies during those activities.
‘It’s obviously a taboo area and people might find it hard being open about their private lives. But for us there’s no real difference between an ankle you’ve rolled over playing squash or an ankle you’ve rolled over in the bedroom.
‘Just having an understanding of how you did it gives us a much better understanding of how to treat it and then rehab it properly.
He added: ‘The work of physiotherapists, chiropractors, osteopaths, acupuncturists and massage therapists fail because they don’t have the full story.
‘It’s only when there’s a full appreciation of the situation that a remedy can be found. That’s the secret, particularly in complex cases.’