Long considered to be a very macho profession namely the driving of big machines like articulated lorries and forklift drivers may not be so macho after all. A number of sexual function researchers say that by sitting at the wheel for hours on end, could cause an effect on the erectile function of a man and that extensive driving of these machines maybe a cause of impotence and erectile dysfunction.

To date no scientific evidence of erectile dyfunction being caused by driving has been proven but a senior researcher from an Australian University is keen to show a connection between them and prove the theory that driving can cause impotence. Research had previously done on the connection between driving machines and the capacity in men to reproduce and many of the research data compilers had noted that the men also complained about erectile dysfunction. As this was not the remit of the previous research it was not sufficiently and precisely documented.

Other research into lower back problems experienced by forklift drivers also noted comments from the men that they thought that the driving was having an effect on their ability to maintain and produce erections. Typically this sort of work is very much a man's world and so these problems are often not discussed and admitted which can prolong the problem and cause extensive harm to self esteem and confidence.

The proposed research program will endeavour to show a link between extensive driving of big machines and erectile dysfunction and to be able to monitor whether the vibration caused by the big engines is the culprit. Other research noted that men who drove big machines often experienced pain in the testes. The remit of the research is to include many different driving types like train drivers, cab drivers and farm workers to gain a broader overview of the problem.

The research will enable a list to be put together of the most risky driving professions for erectile dysfunction and may even change the way the machines are made and how long they can be operated by one person. It is likely that the study will show forklift operators to be at the top of the list due to the fact that forklifts tend not to have much shock absorbing potential. Forklifts are notorious for causing extensive lower back pain in their operators, far more than most machines.

While not jumping to any conclusions the researchers opined that the men exposed to the biggest vibrations will ultimately experience the most erectile dysfunction. The research will form the subject of a PhD dissertation and will consist of a control group along with the drivers of big machines.

The big size of Australia means that trucking is a big business and thousands of men are involved in driving across the vast distances. Over a million men suffer from erectile dysfunction in Australia and the research if proven could be of immense interest to unions and trucking bosses. The challenges are to get the truckers talking about the notoriously sensitive problem and to link it specifically to driving and to ensure that the erectile dysfunction is not being caused by other things.