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Table of Contents

For a Herniated Disc

For Spinal Arthritis

For Sacroiliac Joint Pain

If you have back pain, adjusting sexual positions (or trying new ones) can help you enjoy intimacy with your partner without undue pain.

Certain positions are better suited for sex if dealing with spinal conditions like aherniated disc,facet joint pain,spinal arthritis, andsacroiliac joint pain. Moreover, it is possible to have sex while protecting your back from injury and pain following spinal surgery.

This article describes some best positions for sex when faced with these common spinal and lower back problems.

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Couples with sore backs in bed

For the “top” (insertive) partner with a disc problem, one of the best options is to switch to the supine position in which you lie on your back with your partner on top. To further protect thelumbar (lower) spine, place a rolled-up towel or pillow under your back to retain the natural arch.

Take your time and work with your partner to find the right amount of arch. Keep away from extreme positions, and make further adjustments if any movement causes pain.

Modifying the Missionary Position for Bad Backs

Sexual Positions for Spinal Arthritis

With spinal osteoarthritis, pain is generally felt during spinal extension (the arching of your back) due to the compression of the space between the vertebra.

The doggy-style position may also be suitable for the bottom partner as long as the lower back and core muscles are stabilized, and the top partner doesn’t thrust too aggressively.

Sexual Positions for Sacroiliac Joint Pain

The sacroiliac joint is the joint that connects thesacrum(tailbone) to the wing-likeiliumbones of the pelvis. Sacroiliac joint pain is generally one-sided—either the right side or left—and is typically worsened with spinal extension or when weight-bearing pressure is placed on the hip or buttocks.

The best way to deal with sacroiliac joint pain during sex, whether as the top or bottom partner, is to bend the knee of the painful side. This takes stress off the joint and allows for freer movement during sex.

For example, the bottom partner can lie on their side—with the painful side up—and wrap their leg around their partner. Or, the top partner can keep one knee on the bed and the other in a seated position while engaging in doggy-style sex.

Sex With Sacroiliac Joint Pain

Sexual Positions After Spinal Surgery

If you’rerecovering from back surgery,it can take time before you can comfortably engage in sex without pain or possible re-injury to your back. This is why it is important to ask your surgeon when it is safe to engage in sex and which positions are best suited for you. Sure, it can be awkward to ask, but spinal surgeons are generally well-versed in this.

The position that is best suited for you can vary based on where on the spine the surgery took place and whether the approach was anterior (entered from the front of the body) or posterior (entered through the back).

Depending on these and other factors, you may be advised to start with the missionary position as the top partner, supporting your body weight with your arms, or to have sex while standing with your partner bent over a chair or table.

A “spooning” position, in which each partner is laid comfortably on their sides, can be a good position for both a top or bottom partner following back surgery.

As with any back or spinal problem, don’t rush things, communicate with your partner, and stop if any sexual position causes pain.

3 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Yoon JY, Kim JW, Kang MH, An DH, Oh JS.The effects of an exercise with a stick on the lumbar spine and hip movement patterns during forward bending in patients with lumbar flexion syndrome.J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. 2015;28(2):359-64. doi:10.3233/BMR-140528Goode AP, Carey TS, Jordan JM.Low back pain and lumbar spine osteoarthritis: how are they related?.Curr Rheumatol Rep. 2013;15(2):305. doi:10.1007/s11926-012-0305-zJonely H, Brismée JM, Desai MJ, Reoli R.Chronic sacroiliac joint and pelvic girdle dysfunction in a 35-year-old nulliparous woman successfully managed with multimodal and multidisciplinary approach.J Man Manip Ther. 2015;23(1):20-6. doi:10.1179/2042618614Y.0000000086

3 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Yoon JY, Kim JW, Kang MH, An DH, Oh JS.The effects of an exercise with a stick on the lumbar spine and hip movement patterns during forward bending in patients with lumbar flexion syndrome.J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. 2015;28(2):359-64. doi:10.3233/BMR-140528Goode AP, Carey TS, Jordan JM.Low back pain and lumbar spine osteoarthritis: how are they related?.Curr Rheumatol Rep. 2013;15(2):305. doi:10.1007/s11926-012-0305-zJonely H, Brismée JM, Desai MJ, Reoli R.Chronic sacroiliac joint and pelvic girdle dysfunction in a 35-year-old nulliparous woman successfully managed with multimodal and multidisciplinary approach.J Man Manip Ther. 2015;23(1):20-6. doi:10.1179/2042618614Y.0000000086

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Yoon JY, Kim JW, Kang MH, An DH, Oh JS.The effects of an exercise with a stick on the lumbar spine and hip movement patterns during forward bending in patients with lumbar flexion syndrome.J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. 2015;28(2):359-64. doi:10.3233/BMR-140528Goode AP, Carey TS, Jordan JM.Low back pain and lumbar spine osteoarthritis: how are they related?.Curr Rheumatol Rep. 2013;15(2):305. doi:10.1007/s11926-012-0305-zJonely H, Brismée JM, Desai MJ, Reoli R.Chronic sacroiliac joint and pelvic girdle dysfunction in a 35-year-old nulliparous woman successfully managed with multimodal and multidisciplinary approach.J Man Manip Ther. 2015;23(1):20-6. doi:10.1179/2042618614Y.0000000086

Yoon JY, Kim JW, Kang MH, An DH, Oh JS.The effects of an exercise with a stick on the lumbar spine and hip movement patterns during forward bending in patients with lumbar flexion syndrome.J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. 2015;28(2):359-64. doi:10.3233/BMR-140528

Goode AP, Carey TS, Jordan JM.Low back pain and lumbar spine osteoarthritis: how are they related?.Curr Rheumatol Rep. 2013;15(2):305. doi:10.1007/s11926-012-0305-z

Jonely H, Brismée JM, Desai MJ, Reoli R.Chronic sacroiliac joint and pelvic girdle dysfunction in a 35-year-old nulliparous woman successfully managed with multimodal and multidisciplinary approach.J Man Manip Ther. 2015;23(1):20-6. doi:10.1179/2042618614Y.0000000086

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