The best sex positions for bad knees take the weight off your knees: lie down, stand at the bed's edge or sit in a sturdy chair. To ride with bad knees, keep your feet on the floor and ride a partner sitting on a chair or the bed edge, or lie flat on top and grind.
Any genders, any pairings, whoever's knees are sore: top, bottom or both.
What’s in this guide
- What makes a sex position easy on bad knees
- Best sex positions for bad knees at a glance
- How to ride with bad knees
- Positions when the bottom has bad knees
- Positions when the top has bad knees
- When you both have bad knees
- Knees up, planking and other positions people ask about
- Oral sex without kneeling
- Anal sex and pegging with bad knees
- How to take pressure off your knees during sex
- Sex after knee surgery or a knee injury
- When knee pain means stop
- What the research says about sex and bad knees
- Gear that takes the weight off your knees
- Bad knees and sex FAQ
- The bottom line on sex with bad knees
What makes a sex position easy on bad knees
Sex with bad knees comes down to four checks (our advice):
| Check | Ask yourself | Easier on knees |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | Is anyone kneeling, squatting or propped on bent knees? | Lying, sitting or standing |
| Bend | How far does a knee fold under weight? | Legs long, or bent with no weight |
| Twist | Is anyone pivoting on a planted knee? | Turning the whole body |
| Surface and time | Hard floor? Long hold? | Mattress, padding, short holds |
No study has tested positions for knees (the research), so let your knees vote. Sore hips or back too? Backs differ, so let yours vote as well. If opening your legs wide hurts, start with spooning: no kneeling, legs together.
Best sex positions for bad knees at a glance
Knee-friendly sex positions and where the weight goes (our advice; no study has ranked positions for knees):
| Position (also called) | Easiest on | Where the weight goes | Props |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chair or bed edge ride (lap ride, seated cowgirl) | Rider, seated partner | Rider's feet, partner's lap | Sturdy armless chair, no wheels |
| Reverse ride, feet down | Rider | Rider's feet and hands | Chair, a wand |
| Lie down and grind (flat cowgirl) | Rider | Partner's body, rider's forearms | Pillow under the bottom's hips |
| Supported missionary | Bottom | Bottom's back; the top kneels | Pillow or wedge under hips |
| Edge of the bed (butterfly) | Both | Bottom's back, top's feet | A wedge |
| Flat doggy (prone bone) | Bottom; top if lying flat | Bottom's front, top's forearms and toes | Pillow under hips |
| Spooning | Both | The mattress | Pillow between knees |
| Scissors (side by side, face to face) | Both | The mattress | A wand |
| Standing, bent over the bed | Both, if standing is OK | Both partners' feet | Bed at hip height |
| Knees up, supported | Bottom | Bottom's back; knees bend, no weight | Pillows behind thighs |
| Planking (lying flat on top) | Top | Top's forearms and toes | A toy |
| Swing | Both | The swing, top's feet | Skip with unstable knees or balance |
| Sit-down grind or ride | Solo or watched | Chair seat and feet | Grinding pad or suction-cup dildo |
| 69 on your sides | Both | The mattress | Pillows under heads |
How to ride with bad knees
To ride with bad knees, get your feet on the floor: straddle a partner sitting on a sturdy chair or the bed edge, or lie flat on top of them and grind instead of kneeling.
The rider's rule (our advice, for any rider): feet down, butt supported, grind more than you bounce.
Ride from a chair
Sit your partner on a sturdy armless chair without wheels and straddle them, feet flat on the floor. Hold their shoulders and lower yourself slowly, since sitting down is the deepest bend here. Then sink onto their cock, strap-on or toy and grind your clit against their pubic bone, or your cock against their belly.
Ride from the edge of the bed
Same ride, softer seat: they sit on the bed edge, feet down, and you straddle them facing in or away. Soft mattresses wobble, so go slower.
Reverse, feet on the floor
Face away, feet wide, hands on their knees, and grind while they hold a vibrator from our wand collection on your clit or cock.
Lie down and grind
They lie back, pillow under their hips. Lie on top with them inside you, legs stretched back, and grind in small circles while they thrust up, staying on your forearms so they can breathe easily. The Kink List's grinding and dry humping entry has more.
If you still want to kneel
Kneel on the mattress on thick pillows, lean onto your hands, rock rather than bounce, and switch often (why padding matters).
Skip the squat
Squatting folds your knees all the way under your full weight, and with a torn meniscus, MedlinePlus says aftercare may mean changing activities to avoid squatting and twisting. Want it harder? Let them thrust from the chair.
Ride a toy hands-free
Set the VibePad 2 on a chair seat and grind, or stick a suction-cup dildo like the Dr. Mason 9 Inch Dildo to a smooth, flat chair seat (the listing says its cup grips smooth, flat surfaces), add lube and lower yourself slowly. Use a chair that can't roll.
Positions when the bottom has bad knees
Bottoms with sore knees: stay on your back, side or front, or stand (our advice).
Missionary with support
Hips up on a pillow or wedge, legs long or feet flat: your back takes the weight. The top kneels, though, so pad their knees or use the bed edge.
Edge of the bed
Lie back with your ass at the edge, legs on their shoulders, while they stand. Too low for them? A wedge like the Bedroom Bliss XL Love Cushion lifts your hips.
Flat doggy
Lie face down, pillow under your hips, while they lie over you, legs straight, weight on their forearms. Turn your head to the side so you can breathe easily.
Spooning
Both on your sides, them behind you, a pillow between your knees, and their hand on your clit or cock, or a couples vibe worn inside you.
Standing, bent over the bed
Fold forward onto the bed, forearms down, while they stand behind you, knees fairly straight. If standing aches, keep it short: the NHS's first tip for a sore knee is to put as little weight on it as you can.
Positions when the top has bad knees
Tops, you don't have to kneel to fuck well (our advice).
Stand at the bed edge
They lie back at the bed edge and you stand between their legs, hands free. If heights don't match, lift their hips with a wedge rather than squatting.
Lie flat on top
Lie full length on them, legs straight, weight on your forearms and toes, chest off theirs so they can breathe. It's shallow and grindy, so add a toy.
Sit or lie back and let them ride
Sit on a chair or the bed edge and let them ride you with their feet down, or lie back, legs long, while they ride or grind. Your knees carry nothing.
A swing, with care
A free-standing swing like the Throne Adjustable Sex Swing With Stand holds your partner at hip height while you stand. But if your knees or balance feel unstable, skip the sex swing, a nurse practitioner advises on the Arthritis Foundation's podcast.
Strap-on wearers with bad knees
Skip kneeling behind them: strap a dildo to your thigh with the Sportsheets Ultra Thigh Strap On, sit or lie back and let them ride your leg, or stand at the bed edge in a harness from our strap-on collection.
When you both have bad knees
Two sets of cranky knees? Lie down together, or use the furniture (our advice).
Spooning and side by side
Spooning is the default. Face to face on your sides, legs tangled, lets you kiss while you fuck.
Chair and bed edge combos
Whoever can stand takes the bed edge. For a chair ride, the partner with stiffer knees sits in the chair and the one who bends more easily rides, feet down.
Scissoring and grinding
Facing each other on your sides, weave your legs until pussy meets pussy, cock meets cock, or either meets a thigh, and grind.
Hands and toys lying down
Some nights, skip penetration: our mutual masturbation guide has positions, a compact wand like the Magic Wand Mini Rechargeable (cordless, three intensity levels, a soft silicone head) brings the buzz, and the Kink List covers vibrator play with a partner.
Knees up, planking and other positions people ask about
What the knees up position is
The knees up sex position is missionary with the bottom on their back and their knees drawn toward their chest, tilting the hips for deeper penetration. The knees bend a lot but carry no weight.
How to do knees up with sore knees
Our advice, if the bend aches:
- Hold behind your thighs, not your shins.
- Let pillows or your partner's arms hold your legs.
- Rest your ankles on their shoulders, legs nearly straight.
- Lower your legs between rounds.
- Top's knees sore? Use the bed edge so they can stand.
With a new knee, hospital guides steer away from positions where the knee bends a lot, so ask your surgeon first.
Knees to chest, planking, bended knee and on your knees
- Knees to chest: knees up taken further, the deepest bend here. Try the eased versions first.
- Planking: the top lies flat on the bottom, legs straight.
- Bended knee: a loose name for lying back with your knees bent; feet flat on the bed keeps it mild.
- On your knees: all fours or a kneeling blowjob, full weight on bent knees. Swap in flat doggy or oral without kneeling.
Oral sex without kneeling
Going down doesn't mean getting down on your knees (our advice).
Going down from the edge of the bed
Lie on your belly between their legs, a pillow under your chest, and eat them out. Or they lie back with their ass at the bed edge and a wedge under their hips while you sit on a chair and lean in. More in how to eat pussy.
Blowjobs sitting down
They stand while you sit on the bed edge and lean in, one hand on their cock or strap-on so you set the depth and pace. A tap on their thigh means stop, since your mouth is busy.
69 on your sides
Head to toe on your sides, pillows under your heads: nobody kneels, everyone can breathe, and a tap on a thigh means stop. More on sixty-nine in the Kink List.
Facesitting without kneeling
On the Face Rider Queening Chair, the sitter sits on a padded open seat instead of kneeling while their partner lies beneath, head and neck in a removable sling. The catch: the person underneath has to get down to the floor and back up, which can be hard on knees too.
Keep the sitter's weight on the seat and agree a stop tap first, so the person underneath can breathe and signal at all times. More in our facesitting guide.
Anal sex and pegging with bad knees
Anal doesn't need all fours: try flat doggy, spooning (gentlest, since the bottom backs on and sets the depth), the bed edge with the top standing, or standing bent over the bed (our advice).
Use plenty of lube: JO H2O is water-based, so it's fine with any toy material and with latex condoms, and starts at $12.95. Any toy that goes in your ass needs a part that stays outside, like a flared base or a handle, and wash up or change condoms before anything moves from your ass to a pussy or mouth. More in our pegging guide, the anal training guide and the Kink List's anal sex entry.
How to take pressure off your knees during sex
Why do your knees hurt after sex? Usually kneeling, or deep bends under your weight (our read, not a diagnosis). Pain that doesn't improve within a few weeks needs a doctor; a knee that's badly swollen, locks or gives way needs urgent care (when to stop).
Pad it and keep it short
Mayo Clinic names ongoing pressure from kneeling, especially on hard surfaces, as a cause of knee bursitis, and its advice is padding and breaks. Kneel on the mattress on a pillow, keep it short, and shift your weight the moment your legs start to tingle. If the tingling or numbness doesn't fade, or keeps coming back, talk to your doctor.
Let the happier knees do the moving
An academic orthopedic department's guide (UW Medicine) suggests positions you can slide out of fast, and letting the partner with happier joints do most of the moving.
Rock, don't bounce
Grinding keeps your knees still while your hips work; bouncing loads them again and again (our advice).
No deep squats or twists
Turn your whole body rather than pivoting on a planted knee, and skip squats (here's why).
Agree a stop signal
Before you start, agree a word or a tap that means "stop, my knee," plus a tap for when a mouth is busy. Either of you can stop anytime. The American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (AAHKS) gives people with new joints a rule worth borrowing: go slow, and stop if you feel pain or aren't sure.
Bring it up simply: "My knee's cranky tonight, let's try the chair." The arthritis charity Arthritis UK (formerly Versus Arthritis) says to tell your partner what's uncomfortable and what feels good. Your partner may be just as scared of hurting you. A yes, no, maybe list or the free Kink Test helps with the bigger talk.
One hard no: nothing that blocks breathing. Whoever is underneath can breathe freely and signal stop at any time.
Set up the room
- Props: arthritis nurses on the Arthritis Foundation's podcast say to prop yourself with pillows or rolled towels (no acrobatics needed), and if something really hurts your knees, don't do it.
- No numbing: one hospital guide (UMass Memorial Health) warns against taking strong medicine that masks warning pain before sex.
A knee-friendly night, step by step
- Agree a stop word and tap, and go ahead only on a clear yes from both of you.
- Set up pillows, wedge, chair and lube.
- Warm up lying down.
- Start easy: spooning or the bed edge.
- Check in: "Still good?"
- Switch before it aches, or finish with hands and toys.
- Aftercare: cuddle and swap notes. Good sex with bad knees means no payback the next morning.
Sex after knee surgery or a knee injury
Sex after knee replacement or a knee injury runs on your surgeon's or physical therapist's rules, not ours.
After a knee replacement
MedlinePlus says your surgeon will tell you when sex is OK again. From there, hospital guides for people with a new knee steer toward positions where the knee stays fairly straight and carries no weight, like lying on your back or side or standing and leaning on something, and away from kneeling, deep bends and bearing down on the new knee (Alberta Health Services). Lying back? Support the leg so the knee stays fairly straight. Guides disagree on which side to lie on, so ask your surgeon or physical therapist.
Why kneeling is the sticking point
A 2021 review of 36 studies and more than 12,000 patients (Knee Surgery and Related Research) found that most people couldn't kneel after a knee replacement. Citing earlier work, the authors list pain, worry about damaging the new knee and never being shown how among the reasons. The AAHKS calls kneeling one of the biggest concerns after a knee replacement, so build your sex life around positions that don't need it, and bring it up with your surgeon.
Want to try? One hospital (London Health Sciences Centre) says to kneel only if it's comfortable and only on something soft and padded, not for long, and to avoid sudden moves.
After a meniscus tear or other injury
With a torn meniscus, MedlinePlus says aftercare may mean changing activities to avoid squatting and twisting, and it lists kneeling, twisting or over-bending the knee among the ways these tears happen. So skip deep squats and pivots, and ask your doctor or physical therapist before anything that loads the knee. A knee that locks or gets more unstable needs a call to your provider.
Who to ask
Ask your surgeon, doctor or physical therapist, and raise it yourself rather than waiting to be asked. An occupational or physical therapist can help you adapt positions to your joints, one of the Arthritis Foundation podcast's hosts, an occupational therapist, points out.
When knee pain means stop
None of these is a diagnosis.
| Do this | If you notice | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Stop, change position or call it a night | Knee pain during a position | AAHKS, Arthritis Foundation |
| Shift your weight | Pins and needles or numbness while kneeling | nidirect |
| Pad it and take breaks | Kneeling for long, especially on a hard surface | Mayo Clinic, NHS Wales |
| See a doctor | Knee pain that doesn't improve within a few weeks | NHS |
| Get urgent care | A very painful knee; can't move it or put weight on it; badly swollen or changed shape; locks, gives way or clicks painfully; red, hot knee with a fever | NHS |
| Call your provider | With a meniscus tear: the knee locks and won't straighten, gets more unstable, or swelling or pain increases | MedlinePlus |
| Call your surgeon | After a knee replacement: calf pain or swelling, chest pain, trouble breathing, a fever over 101°F, redness, swelling or discharge at the incision, pain your medicine doesn't touch | MedlinePlus |
| Ask first | Any sex after knee surgery or a knee injury | MedlinePlus, AAHKS, Arthritis UK |
Severe chest pain or trouble breathing: call 911.
What the research says about sex and bad knees
You have company: about 1 in 5 US adults, 53.2 million people, say a doctor has told them they have arthritis, including nearly half of adults 65 and older (CDC, 2019 to 2021).
| Study | Who | What it found | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nilsing Strid and Ekelius-Hamping, 2020 (BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders) | 20 people in Sweden with hip or knee osteoarthritis | Most said pain limited their sex lives; some found lying on top or spreading their legs wide hard; none had been asked about sex by a health professional | Small; 20 of 196 eligible took part |
| Harmsen and colleagues, 2020 (Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research) | 866 knee replacement patients, Netherlands | About half hoped to get back to sex; two in five of them said those hopes weren't met; many positions involve kneeling or squatting, the authors note | Hopes, not pain or frequency |
| Nadeem and colleagues, 2021 (Knee Surgery and Related Research) | 36 studies, more than 12,000 knee replacement patients | Most couldn't kneel; citing earlier work, the authors list pain, worry about damaging the new knee and never being shown how among the reasons | Daily-life kneeling, not sex |
| Rodriguez and colleagues, 2021 (Orthopedics) | Hip and knee replacement patients | Before surgery, two in three said arthritis caused physical problems with sex; among the minority who said surgery made sex worse, fear of damaging the joint was the main worry | Hip and knee mixed; small |
| Harmsen and colleagues, 2023 (Journal of Orthopedics and Orthopedic Surgery) | Knee surgeons surveyed by Dutch researchers | Almost all who answered set no specific limits on sex after a knee replacement but expected some discomfort with bending and kneeling; advice varied a lot | Low response rate |
| Lindau and colleagues, 2007 (New England Journal of Medicine) | 3,005 US adults aged 57 to 85 | 73% of those 57 to 64 and 53% of those 65 to 74 were sexually active; allowing for age and overall health, people with arthritis were about as likely to be active as those without | 2005 to 2006 data; not about knees |
Surgeons' advice varies, so your own surgeon's advice beats any list, ours included. And sex doesn't retire.
What nobody has studied: no study has tested which sex positions are easiest on bad knees, after a knee replacement or otherwise. Hospital diagrams and every tip on this page are practical advice, so let your knees, and your surgeon or physical therapist, have the final word.
Not sure what you're into yet?
Our Kink Test has a card for grinding and dry humping. Swipe yes, maybe or no, get your kink archetype, then invite a partner to see only what you both want. Free, private, no sign-up.
Take the Kink TestRead about grinding and dry humping in the Kink List
Gear that takes the weight off your knees
No cushion fixes a knee; good gear changes heights and angles so you kneel less, or not at all. Browse all our sex furniture.
| Pick | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| XL Love Cushion | Lifting hips so the top can stand | $243.95 |
| Love Toy Cushion with Dildo Hole | Riding a toy hands-free, or propping hips | $194.95 |
| Sportsheets Ultra Thigh Strap On | Strap-on wearers who can't kneel | $43.95 |
| VibePad 2 | Grinding while sitting on a chair | $139.95 |
| Kinky Couch Sex Chaise Lounge | Furniture that holds the angle | $718.95 |
| We-Vibe Sync 2 | Vibration in spooning and side-lying sex | $169.95 |
1. Bedroom Bliss XL Love Cushion: the bed-edge lift
Under the bottom's hips at the mattress edge, this firm, high-density foam wedge lifts them toward a standing partner's height, so the top stands instead of kneeling (our advice). The wedge is 29.5 by 19 by 10 inches, and both covers come off for the wash. $243.95.
2. Love Toy Cushion with Dildo Hole: ride or prop
A foam saddle with a pocket 4.5 inches wide and deep that holds a dildo, vibrator or wand for hands-free riding, or props your hips for entry from behind. The listing notes that softer surfaces cushion the knees, so use it on the bed with pillows under your shins, and keep rides short. Our suggestion: lie face down over it, wand in the pocket. $194.95.
Get the Love Toy Cushion here.
3. Sportsheets Ultra Thigh Strap On: no kneeling behind anyone
It moves the dildo to your thigh, so you can sit or lie back while your partner rides your leg. The 6-inch-wide neoprene band fits about 17 to 32 inches around, and its reinforced 1.75-inch O-ring takes a flared-base dildo you buy separately. It also straps around a pillow or an arm, or a knee (skip that one). $43.95.
Get the Ultra Thigh Strap On here.
4. VibePad 2: grind sitting down
Set it on a chair seat, as the listing suggests, and grind with your feet on the floor. Two vibrating waves run 7 modes each, a licking tongue adds 7 more, and the smaller wave warms up, for a pussy and clit or balls, taint and ass. The remote reaches about 32.8 feet. Waterproof (no rating given), USB rechargeable. $139.95.
5. Kinky Couch Sex Chaise Lounge: the angle-holder
A curved chaise that holds angles a flat bed can't. Our suggestion: recline the bottom over the curve, hips raised, and stand to fuck them; the listing also suggests straddling it standing. Cuffs and two support pillows come in the box, the vegan PU leather wipes clean, and the frame is rated to 440 pounds. $718.95.
6. We-Vibe Sync 2: buzz while you lie together
It's worn during sex, buzzing inside the wearer while their partner feels the vibration as well, a natural fit for spooning and side by side, since nobody has to hold it (our suggestion). Adjustable shape, 10-plus vibration modes, remote or app control, and IPX7 waterproof, so it's submersible. $169.95.
Bad knees and sex FAQ
What is the best sex position for bad knees?
Our first pick is spooning: you both lie on your sides with a pillow between your knees, and nobody kneels. If one of you can stand, the edge of the bed comes next, with the bottom lying back and the top standing.
How to ride dick with bad knees?
Keep your feet on the floor. Ride your partner while they sit in a sturdy chair or on the bed's edge, or lie flat on top and grind instead of bouncing. If you do kneel, use pillows on the mattress and keep it short.
Is cowgirl bad for your knees?
It can be: in classic cowgirl, or woman on top, the rider kneels with their weight on bent knees, and bouncing adds to it. The chair, bed-edge and lying-down versions take the kneeling out. No study has measured this, so let your own knees decide.
Is doggy style bad for your knees?
On all fours, it can be, since the bottom kneels and usually the top does too. Flat doggy, with the bottom face down and a pillow under their hips, takes it off the bottom's knees, and standing at the bed edge takes it off both.
What sex positions should you avoid with bad knees?
Cut long kneeling, deep squats, bouncing and twisting on a planted knee (our advice). After a knee replacement, hospital guides steer away from kneeling, deep bends and bearing down on the new knee. With a torn meniscus, MedlinePlus says aftercare may mean avoiding squatting and twisting.
What is the knees up sex position?
It's missionary with the bottom on their back and their knees drawn toward their chest, tilting the hips for deeper penetration. The knees bend a lot but carry no weight. To ease it, hold behind your thighs or rest your ankles on their shoulders.
Can you have sex after a knee replacement?
Yes, once your surgeon says it's OK: MedlinePlus says your surgeon will tell you when. Hospital guides for a new knee show positions where the knee stays fairly straight and carries no weight, like lying on your back or side, or standing while leaning on something.
Can you kneel during sex after a knee replacement?
Some people can, but it's hard for most: a 2021 review of 36 studies in Knee Surgery and Related Research found that most people with a knee replacement couldn't kneel. One hospital says to kneel only if it's comfortable, only on something soft and padded, and not for long. Ask your surgeon first.
Why do my knees hurt after sex?
Usually from pressure: kneeling, or deep bends under your weight (our read, not a diagnosis). Mayo Clinic links knee bursitis to ongoing pressure from kneeling, so pad it and take breaks. See a doctor if pain doesn't improve within a few weeks; get urgent care if it's badly swollen, locks or gives way.
How do you take pressure off your knees during sex?
Lie down, sit or stand instead of kneeling, and pad anything you do kneel on. Keep holds short, switch often, rock instead of bouncing, and let the partner with happier knees do the moving. Agree a stop word or a tap before you start.
Do sex wedges and pillows help with bad knees?
They help with positioning, not with your knees themselves. A wedge under the bottom's hips at the bed edge lets the top stand instead of kneeling, and pillows let you prop yourself up without your weight on your knees. See our gear picks.
How do you give a blowjob or go down on someone with bad knees?
Stay off the floor. For a blowjob, sit on the bed edge or a chair while they stand. To eat pussy, lie on your belly between their legs with a pillow under your chest, or sit on a chair while they lie back at the bed edge.
What positions work when both partners have bad knees?
Spooning and lying face to face on your sides, since you both rest on the mattress. If either of you can stand, use the bed edge; if either of you can sit, try a chair ride with the rider's feet down.
What are the best sex positions for knee arthritis?
Start with the lying, sitting and standing picks: spooning, the bed edge, flat doggy and chair rides (our advice). The arthritis charity Arthritis UK says that if a position strains your joints, try another, and use cushions, pillows or furniture for support.
Can you have sex with a torn meniscus?
Only once your doctor or physical therapist says it's OK. MedlinePlus says aftercare for a meniscus tear may mean avoiding squatting and twisting, and kneeling and over-bending the knee are among the ways these tears happen. If you're cleared, stick to lying-down positions, and call your provider if it locks or feels more unstable.
The bottom line on sex with bad knees
Bad knees change the angles, not the fun: weight on your feet, back, side or a chair, padding under any kneeling, grinding over bouncing, and pain as your stop sign. After surgery, your surgeon or physical therapist decides.
Next, read about face-sitting and queening on the Kink List, ride something from our grinding toys, or browse couples toys.
Sources: Alberta Health Services, AAHKS, MedlinePlus, NHS, Mayo Clinic, NHS Wales, nidirect, Arthritis UK, Arthritis Foundation, UW Medicine, London Health Sciences Centre, UMass Memorial Health, CDC and the studies in the research table.
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Maya Sterling, AdultLuxe editorial. Read our editorial standards.