It might have emancipated women from the drudgery of the 'Missionary Position', but it seems that men are paying a painful price for revolution in the bedroom.

"Woman on top" is the most dangerous sex position, according to a new scientific study.

Scientists have found that the position, dubbed "cowgirl", is responsible for half of all penile fractures in the bedroom.

The research also revealed that the "doggy-style" position, with women on all fours, is behind 29 per cent of afflictions.

In contrast, the traditional "man on top" is responsible for just 21 per cent.

Doctors and academics looked at patients attending three A&E units with suspected "penile fractures" over a 13 year period.

Half of them reported hearing a crack before experiencing pain, with some also suffering swelling.

Their average age was 34 and some of the men waited up to six hours before seeking medical help.

The research concluded: "Our study supports the fact that sexual intercourse with 'woman on top' is the potentially riskiest sexual position related to penile fracture.

"Our hypothesis is that when woman is on top she usually controls the movement with her entire body weight landing on the erect penis, not being able to interrupt it when the penis suffers a wrong way penetration, because the harm is usually minor in woman with no pain but major in the penis.