How to Navigate Sex as a Paraplegic Couple

According to Men’s Health, about 13% of Americans have a disability that results in limited mobility. If you or your partner is paraplegic, recovering from a spinal cord injury, or experiencing limited mobility in another way, you no doubt have worries and anxiety about pursuing an active and fulfilling sex life. While these worries are valid, a spinal cord injury is not the end of active sexuality…it is only a new way of engaging with intimacy.

What’s the Best Way to Have Sex as a Paraplegic?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to the best way to have sex after a spinal cord injury. The right way to pursue intimacy will depend on your and your partner’s mobility capabilities, medical needs, sexual orientation, intimate preferences, and more. Keep communication open and ongoing, and don’t be afraid to consult your doctor and care team with questions or concerns. Having satisfactory and enjoyable sex is a basic part of the human experience, and your team can work with you and your partner to ensure you can achieve your desired lifestyle.

Tips for Sex with Spinal Cord Injuries

Plan Ahead

Spontaneity can be exciting, but when you or your partner has a spinal cord injury, it can also be dangerous, uncomfortable, and risky. Disabled or interabled couples should always plan ahead for intimate encounters to ensure the health and safety of all involved. The benefits of strategizing dates beforehand include:

• Targeting days when pain or other symptoms are less severe for a more enjoyable experience
• Ensuring the date location is accessible for wheelchairs or other mobility devices
• Allowing you to gather any necessary accessibility sex devices, such as swings, chairs, straps, or vibrators
• Coordinating with medical appointments, medication schedules, and other specific-to-you considerations

Try These Sexual Positions for Limited Mobility

Whether you’re learning about a new partner’s limited mobility or are experiencing a new spinal cord injury, it can be easy to get lost in focusing on the positions and activities you cannot do. However, limited mobility can also be an opportunity to experiment with new or modified sexual positions:

• The partner with limited mobility sits in a chair while the other sits in their lap, facing one another.
• One partner leans on a positioning device or pillows with the other positioned behind them.
• One partner lays flat on their back with the other positioned in front of them, possibly using a disability sex chair to provide support and guide motions.
• Have one partner on all fours on the floor with the other positioned behind them, again using an intimacy aid for stability and motion control.

Explore endless possibilities as you learn your and your partner’s best positions. Don’t be afraid to try something new, and always communicate to ensure comfort levels are maintained and boundaries are respected.

Incorporate Accessibility Equipment & Disability Sex Aids into Intimate Moments

A healthy, vibrant, and active sex life builds intimacy with your partner, releases endorphins, and increases your confidence in day-to-day life. One way to make paraplegic sex more accessible is by incorporating sex aids into your intimate encounters. After you’ve communicated with your partner about your interest in sex accessibility aids, you can explore your options together and find something that excites you both.
IntimateRider is here to help. At IntimateRider, we are committed to making sex safe, accessible, and enjoyable for everyone, regardless of physical ability. As a company founded by a C6-7 quadriplegic, we understand the challenges and joys of navigating intimate relationships when you, your partner, or both of you have a disability. We offer:

• The original IntimateRider chair and High Back IntimateRider chair to provide a natural thrusting motion, support, and security during sex
• RiderMate and RiderMate Deluxe to deliver positioning and support while trying out new positions
• Mobility aids and accessories to make using, transporting, and experimenting with your IntimateRider products easy and fun
• Extensive resources and in-depth blog posts to discuss advice, tips, and information about navigating sex while disabled
• And much more!

All IntimateRider products are available for purchase from our exclusive dealer, Living Spinal. While visiting the Living Spinal store, you can find other accessibility aids designed to improve your life and mobility after a spinal cord injury. Contact us today to learn more, and call 619-810-0010 to speak with a Living Spinal representative directly.