If you think that sex is flawlessly perfect every time, you need to think again. Sex is awkward. Sometimes, you ram your teeth into your partner's mouth when you go in for a kiss. Sometimes, you knock heads. Sometimes, you might even accidentally pass some gas. Hey! It happens to everyone. Seriously.
We have proof. A recent survey of 800 people in the U.S. and Europe found that 99% of the respondents have had at least one awkward sexual encounter. The data was collected by Superdrug Online Doctor, who set out to learn the most common awkward sex experiences and what causes them. Good news: If you've fallen out of bed during sex, broken something, dropped someone or been dropped, accidentally hit your partner, or accidentally peed a little bit, you're not alone.
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About 45% of men and women said they had fallen out of bed during sex, about 18% of women had accidentally bruised their partners, and about 31% of women have accidentally knocked artwork from the walls. While some of these awkward moments are just that — awkward — some likely required a trip to the ER. Often, people feel weird talking to their doctors about sex injuries. So if you're ever in that situation, know that sex injuries are pretty common. That means that your doctor has probably dealt with a strained hip, broken bone, or deep cut that resulted from sex, so there's no need to be shy.
So what if you tried that risky sex position and it didn't work out? You're not the first. In fact, the survey found that many of the people who reported sex injuries were hurt when they attempted a new sex position. Lack of coordination was the number one cause respondents reported for their injuries, followed by lack of flexibility, and then lack of stamina.
If you've also been hurt trying a new position, you might want to live by the adage "try, try again." Or, you might want to give up. Both are valid options. Lots of people surveyed said they avoided the position that made sex awkward the first time — positions such as: 69 standing up, doggy style, anal sex, reverse cowgirl, and spooning. While it's totally valid to say, "Hey, we tried it once, never again," sometimes it just takes a little more research for next time. It's pretty easy to protect yourself against pain during anal sex, for example, as long as you know what you're doing.
For all those awkward moments that don't require a hospital trip — the bumped heads and accidental bruises — try to laugh it off. There's no reason a little bit of awkwardness has to ruin your sex life.