It may be the season of loving and giving, but doctors have warned against embracing this spirit too enthusiastically – at least where sexual relations are concerned. They have discovered that the Christmas period is associated with a significantly increased risk of penile fractures – a medical emergency in which the erection-producing regions of the penis snap, usually as a result of forceful bending during over-enthusiastic sexual intercourse.
“This injury tends to occur during wild sex – particularly in positions where you’re not in direct eye contact [with your partner], such as the reverse cowgirl,” said Dr Nikolaos Pyrgides, a urologist at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, who led the research.
The fractures are often heralded by an audible crack, followed by severe pain, rapid loss of erection and severe swelling and bruising. “When [patients] present to their doctor their penis often looks like an eggplant,” Pyrgides said.
Suspecting that the intimacy and euphoria of the festive season might be a risk factor for this type of injury, Pyrgides and his colleagues examined hospital data for 3,421 men who sustained penile fractures in Germany between 2005 and 2021.
The study – the first to explore seasonal patterns for this type of injury – found that such injuries were indeed more common over Christmas. In fact, “if every day was like Christmas, 43% more penile fractures would have occurred in Germany from 2005 on”, Pyrgides said.
The research, which was published in the British Journal of Urology International, also found the risk increased at weekends and over the summer holidays. However, New Year’s Eve was not associated with an increased incidence of penis injuries.
“It would be interesting to see data from other countries, but in Germany, Christmas week is widely celebrated, while New Year’s Eve tends to be a bit quieter,” Pyrgides said.
Hospital admissions for penile fractures remained relatively consistent during the Covid-19 pandemic, including during lockdown periods. The average age for sustaining such injuries was 42.
“Most penile fractures occur in unconventional scenarios, such as during extramarital affairs or when sex is performed in unusual locations,” said Pyrgides, adding that such scenarios were possibly more likely when men were approaching midlife.
He advised couples to be aware of the risk of injury, and exercise caution in the run-up to Christmas. “If it does happen, you should present to your doctor as an absolute emergency, because if you are not treated you could suffer long-term complications,” he said.
Elf and safety: Common Chris-haps
Penile fractures are not the only injuries associated with the festive season:
Christmas trees
The Christmas tree is one of the most common sources of accidents, with approximately 1,000 Britons sustaining tree-related injuries each year, according to a report by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and L’Oréal. Make sure chairs or ladders are stable before standing on them to reach the upper branches, and take care when retrieving Christmas decorations from storage: a survey of 2,000 Britons commissioned by the National Accident Helpline (NAH) found that one in 50 had fallen out of the loft while doing so.
Fairy lights
Each year about 350 Britons sustain burns, electric shocks or other injuries from fairy lights, the RoSPA said. Take particular care around water: between 1997 and 2010, 26 people were electrocuted while watering their Christmas tree with the lights switched on.
Turkey trauma
The NAH survey also found that nearly half of adults had injured themselves while preparing Christmas dinner. One in ten reported having spilled hot fat on themselves, while one in five claimed to have cut themselves while preparing vegetables.
Champagne corks
The carbon dioxide in a bottle of champagne is under two to three times the pressure of the air in your car’s tyres, and can shoot a cork out of the bottle at up to 50mph. If one hits you in the eye it could rupture an eyeball or detach a retina, the RoSPA warns.
Swallowed baubles
A US analysis of data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System – which collects emergency room admission data from a representative sample of US hospitals – found that between 1997 and 2015, 22,224 children attended hospital after swallowing Christmas objects, such as small baubles or toy parts.
Button batteries are a particular risk, according to the RoSPA, because saliva can react with them to produce caustic soda, which burns the throat or stomach.
Heart disease
Deaths from heart disease peak around Christmas and new year, with one US study identifying a third more cardiac deaths in Los Angeles County during December and January compared with the June-September period. Further research suggested deaths peaked on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day – possibly because of delays in seeking treatment.
Santa injuries
Though rare, a separate analysis of NEISS data found that between 2007 and 2016, three children reported to ER after “falling off Santa’s lap”, while another injured herself while running away from a Santa impersonator because she was scared. If extrapolated to the entire US population, this would equate to roughly 277 Santa-related injuries during the study period.
