# will anal sex cause fecal incontinence?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-anal-sex-cause-fecal-incontinence/233222
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [March 9, 2004, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-anal-sex-cause-fecal-incontinence/233222 "2004-03-09T02:23:24Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@seaworthy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seaworthy)
#### Post date: [March 9, 2004, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-anal-sex-cause-fecal-incontinence/233222/1 "2004-03-09T02:23:24Z")
I can understand how people that shove large objects in their butt (like butt plugs and bowling pins) might have problems later on, but isn’t the average penis roughly the same size and shape as a large turd? Will having anal sex now make me lose control of my bowels later on?
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### Author:  [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)
#### Post date: [March 9, 2004, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-anal-sex-cause-fecal-incontinence/233222/2 "2004-03-09T03:12:43Z")
[http://www.sfsi.org/ask-us/ask232.html](http://www.sfsi.org/ask-us/ask232.html)
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### Author:  [@elfbabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfbabe)
#### Post date: [March 9, 2004, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-anal-sex-cause-fecal-incontinence/233222/3 "2004-03-09T03:16:42Z")
[Allsexguide.com](http://Allsexguide.com)’s section on anal sex [says no](http://www.allsexguide.com/questions_about_anal_sex.htm).
“Ask The Fat Broad” on [Scarletletters.com](http://Scarletletters.com) [says the same](http://www.scarletletters.com/current/atfb_end.shtml).
Just don’t go stuffing things up there without appropriate preparation and lubrication, and you should be fine.
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### Author:  [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)
#### Post date: [March 9, 2004, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-anal-sex-cause-fecal-incontinence/233222/4 "2004-03-09T05:08:40Z")
A contrary view here. Someone I know (it’s not me, _really!_) was involved in the swinging scene for a few years and engaged in group sex that frequently involved anal. Since that time she has had trouble with fecal incontinence.
Although the sex was consensual, I have reason to believe that it was occasionally rough, and may have involved some force. So that could have caused damage that more gentle entry would not.
Of course, it may just be coincidence that incontinence followed anal sex in this case. But I maintain that a flat statement that “anal sex never causes incontinence” is questionable at best.
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### Author:  [@boofy\_bloke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boofy_bloke)
#### Post date: [March 9, 2004, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-anal-sex-cause-fecal-incontinence/233222/5 "2004-03-09T23:27:32Z")
Wouldn’t pelvic floor exercises assist in strengthening the anal sphincters, thereby reducing/eliminating incontinence?
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### Author:  [@UWmite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UWmite)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2004, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-anal-sex-cause-fecal-incontinence/233222/6 "2004-03-10T02:21:17Z")
I’ve been told that fecal incontinence is a sign of sexual abuse in young boys, but I don’t know if that extends to adults engaged in consensual anal sex as well.
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### Author:  [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2004, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-anal-sex-cause-fecal-incontinence/233222/7 "2004-03-10T02:49:21Z")
Nope. Lots of people have all sorts of sexual fun with their butts for years and years with no ill effects. Start with sex toys, if you’re new to it, and make sure you only use things with a flaired base. (Unless your idea of a fun time involves ending up in the emergency room. Hey, I won’t judge you for it!)
Hey, aren’t you the one who brewed beer from her pee? You must lead a pretty wild life. 🙂
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### Author:  [@The\_Skipper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Skipper)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2004, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-anal-sex-cause-fecal-incontinence/233222/8 "2004-03-10T03:41:27Z")
I thought the second story about the family dog fucking the wife and her pretending not to know it was happening, all the while thinking it was her husband, was very touching and thought provoking. I must go meditate on the cosmic implications…
[http://www.sfsi.org/ask-us/ask232.html](http://www.sfsi.org/ask-us/ask232.html)
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### Author:  [@toque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toque)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2004, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-anal-sex-cause-fecal-incontinence/233222/9 "2004-03-10T04:43:35Z")
> [@The Skipper](#):
>
> I thought the second story about the family dog fucking the wife and her pretending not to know it was happening, all the while thinking it was her husband, was very touching and thought provoking. I must go meditate on the cosmic implications…
>
> [http://www.sfsi.org/ask-us/ask232.html](http://www.sfsi.org/ask-us/ask232.html)
That letter is suspiciously similiar to one appearing in “Savage Love” a while back: [http://www.thestranger.com/1999-03-25/savage.html](http://www.thestranger.com/1999-03-25/savage.html)
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### Author:  [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2004, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-anal-sex-cause-fecal-incontinence/233222/10 "2004-03-10T08:16:18Z")
Hey, SFSI doesn’t ask the questions, they just answer them. On the whole, I’m impressed with the organization.
Re the OP, I think the standard advice is to take your time, don’t force things and use lots of lube. Remember too that not all lubes are the same, so there might be a little to study up on there as well.