HEALTH: What's the average penis size — and does it matter?

Long story short: A guy’s penis is a yardstick of masculinity and in this horse race, as in many, bigger is better. And since everyone wonders about it, and many fret about it — what’s big? If your phallus is more than 5.2 inches long, you’re technically living large considering that a study of 15,521 men

found that to be the length of the average erect penis. The research also found that average penis length when flaccid is 3.5 inches, but no one cares about that unless they’re in a Life Drawing class. BTW, measure with a ruler from the pelvic bone to the tip of the erect manhood for an accurate reading.

Beyond bragging rights, “penis size is not terribly important to most partners’ sexual satisfaction,” Debby Herbenick, Ph.D., an associate professor at Indiana University and Kinsey Institute fellow, told the Daily News. “At either extreme there can be too little sensation for a receptive partner or intercourse may be too painful. But for the vast majority of men, penis size is not as relevant to satisfaction as some might think.” Indeed, other research found that the majority of women prefer a fatter, shorter penis to a long, skinny one. Presumably that’s because it better rubs them the right way.

Herbenick, who wrote the book on sexual pleasure, “Because It Feels Good,” suggests not just keeping eyes on the size but on factors you can’t measure with a ruler. “The more important influencers of sexual satisfaction,” she said, “include emotional connection, intimacy, love, and/or communication about sex.” Seriously.