Five best sex positions if you have arthritis

Do you suffer from the symptoms of arthritis, or have you been diagnosed as suffering from it?

For avoidance of doubt, integrative physician, Dr. Andrea Pennington, says the following are the symptoms of arthritis: fatigue, joint pain, joint tenderness, joint swelling, joint redness, joint warmth, joint stiffness, loss of joint range of motion, limping, and joint deformity.

In some cases, both sides of the body may be affected, with the attendant loss of joint function. The sufferer may also become anaemic and feverish.

If you suffer three or more of these symptoms, please see the doctor.

But while you faithfully take your medications, life must continue as usual, and enjoying sex is also a part of living.

Experts agree that living with debilitating joint pain and fatigue can make sex feel like an unpleasant chore. But there are ways round the problem.

To start with, the key to maximising pleasure and alleviating pain is to plan ahead a little bit. “If, like many arthritis sufferers, you find that your pain is worse in the mornings, then make time for sex in the afternoon or evening, after you’ve had a chance to walk around and be active.

“This helps your joints to be more limber, so when it’s time for sex, you’ll be less stiff,” Pennington says.

Finally, being strategic about the sex positions you choose will help too. Doggy-style and standing-up sex might put a lot of pressure on your joints, but there are plenty other styles you can try out. Pennington says these five are the best for relieving joint pain during sex…

• Missionary: Let the person who is suffering from arthritis lay on his/her back. This gives your swollen knees a break. You can put cushions or pillows underneath your hips or knees to alleviate pressure.

• Spooning: Lay on your side and let your partner enter you from behind. This position is gentle on both your hips and knees. This is a particularly good position if both of you suffer from joint pain or arthritis.

• Woman on top: If being on your back with your partner on top creates too much pressure, switch places so that you can control the movement and speed. Keep your legs close together to alleviate discomfort, but if you tend to suffer from bad hip pain, you may want to avoid this one.

• Sitting: If the man is the one suffering from arthritis, having him sit in a chair while you gently sit on his manhood, wrapping your legs around him. This will take pressure off his knees and hips.

• Facing each other: Similar to spooning, having both of you lying down facing each other with your leg over your partner’s side is gentle on your knees and back.

The bottom line: Be open with your partner. Don’t be shy if you need him or her to slow down or change positions to alleviate joint pain or pressure during sex. The best position for you is whatever works! It might take a few tries, but that’s part of the fun, Pennington says.