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Men who go mountain biking run a high risk of injuries to the
scrotum that could affect their fertility, a new study suggests.
Austrian researchers studied 45 male mountain bikers and found
that 96% had scrotal abnormalities.
The abnormalities found included:
- Calcium deposits
- Spermatoceles (sperm-containing cysts)
- Twisted veins
These abnormalities were seen in only 16% of 31 men who had gone
biking, but not off-road.
In addition to the abnormalities, half of the men reported that
they had scrotal tenderness or discomfort.
As further investigation into this phenomenon, investigators are
now getting sperm counts from the men in the study.
Biking, regardless of the terrain, has previously been linked
to impotence in men, which is believed to result from the damage
to blood vessels and nerves caused by the pressure from the bicycle
seat. However, with mountain biking, the terrain often results in
more severe effects on the scrotum.
Researchers speculate that the off-road biking damages the epididymis,
which are the tightly coiled tubes folded against the back of each
testis where sperm are stored and mature.
The Lancet October 21, 2000;356:1414.
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