https://metro.co.uk/2026/06/18/ballbusting-torturous-fetish-exploding-popularity-among-men-28826656/
Getting hit in the testicles may sound like the worst case scenario for most men, but there are some who find it secretly pleasurable.
Known as ‘ballbusting’ (bb), this kink is, you guessed it, all about having pain inflicted on your balls.
If you’re thinking there’s no way that’s sexually pleasurable, here’s the kicker: it ranks in the top 10 kinks for porn site Clips4sale in 2026, sitting ninth in the table.
This data is particularly for gay male content, however sex experts Gigi Engle and Becky Crepsley-Fox explain it’s popular among men of all sexual orientations.
In fact, the dedicated ballbusting Reddit thread sees 162,000 weekly visitors eager to watch men have their testicles hit, kicked, twisted and stood on.
It sounds rather unpleasant, but if you’re intrigued, we have the gory details.
What on earth is ballbusting?
‘Ballbusting is a kink that involves impact, restraint, and sensation play – it’s all focused on the balls,’ Gigi Engle, author of Kink Curious, tells Metro.While it’s hard to pinpoint exactly when it became popular, Gigi explains it gained visibility with the rise of online fetish communities and porn in the late 90s and early 2000s. ‘It’s been picking up steam ever since then.’
It falls under the umbrella of BDSM, and draws on pain and endurance play, with countless methods of infliction available.
‘It can consist of squeezing or tapping on the balls, consensual impact play with implements like hands or paddles,’ Gigi says. ‘Electroplay with toys designed for low level shocks on the testicles works, as well as c**k cages.’
Sexologist Becky Crepsley-Fox adds even more methods of ball torture.
‘It’s essentially a form of c**k and ball torture that can come in the form of kicking or stomping, punching, using bare hands and feet, or implements like heels or gloves,’ she tells Metro.
The kicking element actually stems from the practice of tamakeri in Japan, which focuses specifically on ball kicking, Becky explains.
Why do people find ballbusting pleasurable?
There are two parts to this: the physical and the mental.Let’s start with the physical. ‘The genitals are among the most nerve-dense areas of the body, which makes them uniquely sensitive to both pleasure and pain’, Becky explains.
‘In an aroused state, that sensitivity is amplified. The same nerve endings that carry pleasure signals are also responsible for pain, and in the right setting the brain can struggle to distinguish cleanly between the two.’
But of course, getting walloped in the testicles can be a turn on in the mind, too. For Gigi, a big part of it is the power exchange between the dominant partner inflicting the punishment, and the submissive partner taking the punishment.
‘People may be drawn to the submission, humiliation, and endurance of being able to withstand this ball torture,’ Gigi explains. ‘This is why it works well for fem-doms.’
For Becky, testicles are the most vulnerable part of the male body, culturally loaded with ideas about masculinity, power, and identity.
‘For men who enjoy receiving, there’s often a profound element of surrender in it, offering up the most guarded part of yourself to someone you deeply trust is the ultimate act of submission,’ she says.
How do people know they like ballbusting?
Many men confessed on Reddit they’d become indoctrinated into the kink by accident after getting an unintentional knock to their genitals.
One man shared: ‘I was wrestling around with a female friend of mine… she went to kick my leg and I turned the wrong way and BAM, square in the balls.
‘I dropped like a ton of bricks, mostly from the surprise of it, but while on the ground I had to stay a little longer as I got hard as a rock and tried to hide it. Nobody else knew, but that was the beginning of my ballbusting fetish.’
Another added their ex roommate accidentally clipped their testicles with her foot while playing video games.
‘Already had a crush on her, and I learned that getting kicked in the nuts by a gorgeous woman doesn’t hurt at all,’ he added. ‘Just feels good for me. I moaned, then apologised… hooked ever since.’
One even recalled discovering their kink in a game of badminton. ‘I got a shuttlecock to the balls and yup, had to “take a break” and it wasn’t just because of the pain,’ he said.
The risks, and how to practice ballbusting safely
Gigi explains that this kink certainly doesn’t come without risks.‘You can get bruising, swelling, nerve damage, testicular rupture, reduced fertility and even medical emergencies which require immediate treatment,’ she warns. ‘If there’s any swelling or discolouration, go to A&E.’
If you’re keen to give ballbusting a test drive, the sex expert says you need clear communication, consent, and a solid understanding of the male anatomy.
‘Learn your stuff before you engage with this,’ she adds. ‘Start slowly and don’t escalate the intensity and sensations quickly. Check in as you move up in severity.
‘If anyone is experiencing pain, numbness or swelling that’s a sign of injury, and you want to stop what you’re doing. If you’re careful and go slowly, you should be fine
