New findings suggest that it’s not extreme or adventurous bedroom behavior that leads to injuries, but rather the most common, “vanilla” sex positions people assume are much safer.

We’ve all heard of them, the horror stories whereby unfortunate souls have to make the mortifying trip to ER after getting unthinkable objects lodged in compromising areas, all in the name of sexual kinks and experimentation. Yet, what if we were to tell you these cases are rarer than you think, with the boring and the beige “sexual bread and butter” far more likely to land you in a hospital waiting room?

What does the research suggest?

Research carried out by Joy Love Dolls examined data from over 1,000 people in Europe and the US who had experienced sex-related injuries. The results showed that familiar positions are responsible for a surprising number of trips to the Emergency Department at your local hospital.

Missionary, often considered the safest option, turned out to be the most problematic for men. It was responsible for nearly 20% of male injuries and was the leading cause of fractures, alongside back pain and muscle strain. Women also experienced issues with this position, with 16.3% of injuries linked to it, including 24% of soreness and 21% of tearing.

Sex expert Scotty Unfamous explained why this happens, saying, via The Sun: “Although it’s one of the most popular positions for sex, this fan favorite is the most common way that intimate injuries occur, as it can cause some wear and tear to your joints.”

He also advised: “If you experience discomfort from how you are positioned during missionary sex, try incorporating cushions or a rolled-up towel/blanket to provide some support where you need it most, like under your hips, knees, back or shoulders.”

Despite research, escort says missionary is her client's go-to

Despite the wide variety of positions available, this news concurs with Australian escort Lilith Lodge’s assessment of what most of her clients still prefer. She told Metro: “Most clients are very basic and standard in what they want. It's not super common, definitely not a weekly event, to have clients ask for something outside of what I feel is 'normal'. It's pretty much just missionary.”

She added: “It can be very uncomfortable and not enjoyable for my clients to do crazy positions, unless they're a really young guy. Sometimes they'll ask for missionary with my feet up behind my head, (which not everyone is flexible enough to do), but that's about it.”

Overall, the research suggests that what people consider “safe” or routine may actually carry more risk than expected, making communication and awareness key to avoiding injury.

Featured Image. Credit: Maria Korneeva/Getty

While people often assume that injuries happen during more adventurous or experimental sexual encounters, the findings suggest the opposite.

It’s actually the most common, “vanilla” sex positions - the ones seen as safe, straightforward, and “standard” - that are more likely to result in harm.

According to a study by Joy Love Dolls, which analysed data from over 1,000 people in Europe and the US, everyday positions are responsible for a significant number of sex-related injuries.

Among them, missionary stands out, not just as a favorite, but as the most dangerous, particularly for men.

Missionary position lands couples in a painful spot

The research found that missionary accounted for nearly 20% of male injuries and is the leading cause of fractures, as well as back pain and muscle strain. Women are also affected, with 16.3% of injuries linked to the position, including 24% of soreness and 21% of tearing.

Sex expert Scotty Unfamous explained why such a widely used position can cause problems, saying: “Although it’s one of the most popular positions for sex, this fan favorite is the most common way that intimate injuries occur, as it can cause some wear and tear to your joints.”

He also suggested simple ways to reduce the risk, adding: “If you experience discomfort from how you are positioned during missionary sex, try incorporating cushions or a rolled-up towel/blanket to provide some support where you need it most, like under your hips, knees, back, or shoulders.”

Prospective A&E trips don't deter couples

Despite the risks, the position remains a firm favourite among couples. Australian escort Lilith Lodge confirmed that most clients prefer sticking to the basics.

She said: “Most clients are very basic and standard in what they want. It's not super common, definitely not a weekly event, to have clients ask for something outside of what I feel is 'normal'. It's pretty much just missionary.”

She added: “It can be very uncomfortable and not enjoyable for my clients to do crazy positions, unless they're a really young guy. Sometimes they'll ask for missionary with my feet up behind my head, (which not everyone is flexible enough to do), but that's about it.”

Overall, the findings suggest that the position many couples consider their go-to may come with unexpected risks, proving that even the most familiar habits in the bedroom shouldn’t be taken for granted.

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The thought of breaking one’s penis will make men reach instinctively for their crotch, wincing with sensory empathy, so Brazilian researchers have taken it upon themselves to review which sex position is most likely to result in a trip to A&E with an injured shaft.

A study by the University of Campinas has highlighted which sexual positions may carry a higher risk of penile fracture, sometimes described colloquially as “breaking the penis”, based on patient data collected over more than a decade.

The sex position that resulted in the most penile injuries

Researchers analysed 44 suspected cases, confirming 42 of them (95.4%), with patients averaging 34.5 years old and followed for several years afterward.

The injury, while uncommon, is known to cause considerable distress and can lead to complications if not treated quickly. The study notes that many patients experience a classic set of symptoms, including an audible crack, sudden loss of erection, and serious pain.

Looking at the causes, the researchers found that heterosexual intercourse was responsible for most cases (66.7%), followed by penile manipulation (14.3%) and homosexual intercourse (9.5%).

Among heterosexual encounters, “woman on top” was identified as the most frequently associated position, accounting for half of those cases. The study concludes: “Woman on top” was the potentially riskiest sexual position (50%). The next most common was “doggy style,” which made up 28.6% of cases.

The researchers suggest that certain dynamics in these positions may increase the likelihood of injury, particularly when movement is less controlled. However, they also emphasised that prompt medical treatment significantly reduces long-term complications. According to the findings: “Immediate surgical treatment warrants long-term very low morbidity.”

What else did the study find?

The study also examined outcomes after treatment. A small number of patients experienced complications such as urethral injury (14.3%) or erectile dysfunction (4.8%), but overall, long-term issues like pain, deformity, or urinary problems were rare.

In the introduction, the researchers noted that penile fracture is “a relatively uncommon clinical condition” that can cause embarrassment, sometimes delaying patients from seeking help. This delay, they warned, “can lead to an impairment of sexual and voiding functions.”

Featured Image. Credit: wakila/Getty Images

While it's inherently natural and the reason why we're all here alive and kicking, sex sure can be complicated. As anyone who has ever dabbled in the horizontal jog will surely attest, you're not guaranteed to get off every time, and regardless of how attracted you are to your current partner, you're not always going to be in the mood for it either.

While these are all things that can be worked around, other sexual activities can have more disastrous consequences. Certainly, if you're in a long-term relationship, there's a good chance that your sex life will start to feel routine, and eventually rather stale. And to reignite the fire, many couples decide to mix up their sex life - swapping out missionary position for something decidedly more risqué.

But with all good things comes danger, and sex, unfortunately, isn't exempt from this rule.

The most dangerous sex position for your penis has been revealed and unsurprisingly it's cowgirl. I'm sure everyone's familiar with this popular move, but in case you're uncertain - it's when a man lies on his back and his partner gets on top, riding him akin to one of those mechanical bulls you always see in movies but never in real life.

This is the riskiest position to do the deed in because penises, when erect, point upwards. This, combined with the fact that there's a lot of downward pressure on it during the move (and in all of the other variations of it) means that the penis is at a greater risk of breakage. Yes, I know, even typing that out made me shudder.

A study published in the journal, Advances in Urology, discovered that almost half the number of people in three hospitals in Brazil with penile fractures had gained the injury after attempting cowgirl position.
"When woman is on top she usually controls the movement with her entire body weight landing on the erect penis, not being able to interrupt it when the penis suffers a wrong-way penetration, because the harm is usually minor in women with no pain, but major in the penis," the researchers explained.
They continued, "On the contrary, when the man is controlling the movement, he has better chances of stopping the penetration energy in response to the pain related to harm to the penis, minimising it."

"Penile fracture is a relatively uncommon clinical condition that frequently causes fear and embarrassment for the patient, hypothetically resulting in a delayed search for medical assistance, which can lead to an impairment of sexual and voiding functions."

Well, there you have it gentlemen, next time you try to spice up your sex life, maybe go easy in cowgirl position - or you know, avoid it altogether.

In related news, new research reveals the incredibly easy thing everyone can do to have better sex.

Health experts have warned people about the dangers of this one particular sex position that can cause a penis to fracture.The warning comes after a man from Indonesia turned up at a local hospital with a swollen and bruised penis which was reportedly looking like an eggplant when doctors took a look at it.He stated that he had been having sex with a woman who had been getting down and dirty in the reverse cowgirl position when he heard a "loud popping sound."For those of you who may not know what that is, it's when a woman is on top, facing away from her partner while she pleasures him with the lower half of her body.Credit: Witthaya Prasongsin/GettyDoctors soon realized that the patient had fractured his penis as a result of this sex position and rushed him in for emergency surgery, where they did their best to repair his manhood.The medics at the facility have now issued a warning that an injury of this nature can occur when an erect penis hits their partner's perineum or pubic bone during intense sex, which can cause it to get injured due to its speed and weight.While there are no bones in the penis, the injury is still known as a "fracture."The tunica albuginea part of the penis, which surrounds the area is made up of collagen and can buckle under severe pressure and can cause it to snap.Credit: Thomas Barwick/GettyRush University Medical Center urologist Laurence Levine, MD, told Cosmopolitan.com that the injury can be really painful."Usually there’s no bleeding coming out through the skin, it’s an internal fracture of the jacket of tissue around the erectile cylinders — that blood then leaks out of the erectile cylinders and fills the skin, and therefore gets progressively more swollen and can get very misshapen as well," Levine said,"The characteristic appearance of the penis will be what’s called the eggplant penis, where the penis just looks like a purple eggplant; a very irregular, swollen structure," they added.A 2014 study of 42 penile fracture cases showed that of the 28 of them that had occurred through vaginal intercourse, with 14 of them happening during woman-on-top sex."Our hypothesis is that when the woman is on top, she usually controls the movement with her entire body weight landing on the erect penis, not being able to interrupt it when the penis suffers a wrong-way penetration," the researchers wrote. "[W]hen the man is controlling the movement, he has better chances of stopping the penetration..."If you or anyone you know is suffering from this type of injury, then please seek medical advice immediately.Featured Image Credit: Ljubaphoto/Getty