Wow, here’s a helluva lot of information regarding dangerous sex positions that we were definitely not ready for. While switching up your sex positions can spice up your relationship and is just generally a fun thing to do, carrying out the act in an erroneous manner can bring you more pain than pleasure. This does not mean that you stick to the same old missionary – if Alexander the Great had not taken risks, he wouldn’t have been such a big deal in our history classes, right?

Because we’ve got your back always, here’s a list of the most dangerous sex positions.

Woman/Man on top

Also known as the ‘cowgirl’ in some cultures, this is a sex position in which the man lies on his back or sits while his partner straddles him and rides his erection. The US National Institute of Health released a study stating that this position puts most men’s penises in danger as there isn’t enough lubrication and because the force behind the thrust can lead to penile fractures. When in motion, the sex position usually involves the one on top using his or her entire body weight.

Reverse Cowgirl

This sex position involves the partner sitting on top of the man in reverse while leaning back with both hands placed on the man’s chest. W24 quotes a study from the US National Center for Biotechnology Information which states that an erect penis can become hyper-extended if too much downward pressure is put on it.

Doggy style

If done at the wrong angle or with too much force and without sufficient lubrication, the popular doggy-style sex position can lead to vaginal or anal tearing.

Oral Sex

Oral sex or fellatio is when the sexual organ is stimulated using the mouth or tongue. Scoopwhoop quotes a 2007 study published in the International Journal of STD and AIDS which suggests that nine per cent of the people involved in the study were infected with chlamydial conjunctivitis because their partner ejaculated in their eye. Again, while the use of a condom is always recommended, what many people do not know is that STDs can also be transferred via oral sex if a person has gum infections, cuts, sores or ulcers in their mouth. It also goes without saying that one should absolutely not indulge in oral sex, or any sex for that matter, if their partner has any sort of genital sores or warts – at least until it is marked as safe by a doctor.

The Missionary

Who would have thought that even the most boring of sex positions could also be termed risky? The woman can suffer from cervical bruising and abrasions in case she has a short vaginal canal. Done wrong and without any prior research, it can also lead to urinary tract infections.

The Chef

The spontaneous counter-top sex position falls under the list of ‘most dangerous sex positions’ because it could cause injury if the man doesn’t aim right and hits the edge of the countertop with his penis instead.

The Pearl Necklace

This sex position involves the man’s erection and the woman’s breasts. Sex therapist, Dr Kat Van Kirk told Vice: “I’ve seen a few penile fractures, not just with the pelvic bone, but when guys are in the process of trying to give a pearl necklace … Sometimes they’ll put so much force against the woman’s sternum that it can fracture [the penis], and if you’re not using any lube, the friction can cause some problems too.”

Basically, you’re safe as long as you know what you are doing. In case you get to the action without having done your research, things can go downhill pretty fast if you get what we mean.