{"id":33137,"date":"2021-02-26T15:21:40","date_gmt":"2021-02-26T14:21:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lelo.com\/blog\/?p=33137"},"modified":"2026-02-17T06:51:18","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T05:51:18","slug":"disabled-sex-and-sex-with-limited-mobility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lelo.com\/blog\/disabled-sex-and-sex-with-limited-mobility\/","title":{"rendered":"Disabled Sex: How to Have Great Sex with Limited Mobility"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Sex and disability is a topic that is not often discussed. It is rarely\u2014if ever\u2014addressed in sex education courses, and few doctors are comfortable talking about sexual issues with disabled patients.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Part of the reason for this is because disabled persons are <\/span>often stereotyped as asexual<\/a><\/span>. This stems from the fact that people tend to have <\/span>pretty narrow and heteronormative views<\/span> about what \u201ccounts\u201d as sex, often defining it strictly as penile-vaginal intercourse\u2014but it\u2019s also due to a lack of education and awareness.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s important for us to start talking more openly about sex and disability for multiple reasons. First, disabilities are common. In fact, <\/span>1 in 4 adults in the United States<\/span><\/a> has some form of disability, with the most common being mobility issues, which affect more than 1 in 7 people.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Second, anyone who lives long enough will eventually develop a disability, whether through age-related changes in the body, chronic illness, or accidents. Even if you\u2019re able-bodied now, having a better understanding of disabled sex will help you to more successfully navigate your intimate life in the future.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Third, sex is good for our health<\/a>, <\/span>both physically and psychologically<\/span>. It\u2019s a form of exercise that can improve mood, enhance our sense of meaning in life, and deepen the connection we have with our partners. Why should anyone be denied the pleasures and benefits of sex simply because they have a disability?<\/span><\/p>\n

In this article we\u2019re going to explore sexuality and disability in the context of wheelchair users and answer some of the most common questions people have about this. For sexuality resources dealing with other forms of limited mobility (such as mobility issues related to arthritis and chronic back pain), check out <\/span>this article<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How do people in wheelchairs have sex?<\/h3>\n

A lot of people mistakenly assume that if you\u2019re in a wheelchair, whatever is between your legs necessarily doesn\u2019t work; however, this couldn\u2019t be further from the truth. It\u2019s important to recognize that the reasons people use wheelchairs are many and varied, so don\u2019t make assumptions about what someone in a wheelchair is or is not physically capable of or what they enjoy in bed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere are so many sexual assumptions people have about the disabled body that are entirely inaccurate,\u201d says Andrew Gurza, a disability awareness consultant and host of the <\/span>Disability After Dark podcast<\/span>. \u201cSome people with paralysis do have function of the genitals, some do not. Even if their genitalia doesn\u2019t work in conventional ways, that doesn\u2019t mean they aren\u2019t enjoying themselves.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

What this means is that persons with limited mobility might engage in vaginal and\/or anal intercourse, oral sex, or anything else that\u2019s on the menu for able-bodied persons, from using sex toys to kink\/BDSM. For others, intercourse might be off the table, but other things are possible.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Whether your partner is able-bodied or disabled, don\u2019t make assumptions\u2014instead, communicate<\/a>. Ask each other about your sexual wants, needs, and boundaries\u2014and be sure to listen.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat people should be asking is, <\/span>\u2018How does sex and disability feel?\u2019<\/span><\/i> This gives the disabled person the opportunity to share with you so much more than just the mechanics,\u201d says Gurza.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wheelchair sex positions<\/h3>\n

A lot of people might assume that a wheelchair necessarily limits the positions you can try during sex, but that\u2019s false. A wheelchair can actually lend itself quite well to modified versions of a number of \u201cclassic\u201d sex positions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, the feasibility of a given position will depend on whether one or both partners have disabilities, the specific type(s) of disability involved, and the comfort level and preferences of the partners. Some people might prefer to have sex in their chair, while others might prefer to move to the bed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s therefore a <\/span>very<\/span><\/i> tall order to come up with a comprehensive guide to wheelchair sex that is inclusive of all potential possibilities, so just consider this to be a starting point:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n