When clothing becomes a health risk

August 18, 2017 | by Alison Sage, D.O.
Categories: Healthy Driven Life

Being a slave to fashion is not only time consuming, it can be hazardous to your health.

Skinny jeans and high heels may look good, but they sure don’t feel good after a while. The discomfort caused by too-tight pants or too-high heels can indicate serious damage to your body.

Some of the top fashion offenders include:

  • Skinny jeans. Newsweek details the case of a woman who wore skinny jeans while she helped someone move, frequently squatting to pick items up. The tight jeans caused her feet and lower legs to go numb. She landed in the hospital, where the pants were cut off and she was diagnosed with muscle and nerve damage. Doctors believed the tight pants helped restrict the blood flow to her lower legs and feet, causing her nerves to swell. Still want to follow this fashion trend? Look for skinny jeans or pants with some stretch to ensure your blood circulation remains functional. 
  • Neckties. Besides being uncomfortable, wearing a tie too tightly around your neck could cause problems with your vision. One study found a too-tight tie may increase intraocular pressure, which could make you more likely to develop glaucoma.
  • High heels. Teetering on high heels puts your feet at an unnatural angle, which throws your body out of alignment, the American Osteopathic Association reports. This can lead to pain not only in your feet, but your lower back, shoulders and neck as well. Choose low heels or flats — your whole body will feel better.
  • Heavy bags. Lugging a bag that’s too heavy can wreak havoc on your muscles and joints. That goes for kids and backpacks, too. Go through your bag and take out anything you don’t really need. Choose bags with wide straps. And, while you’re carrying it, switch arms periodically.
  • Flip flops.Flip flops don’t provide much support, and can lead to heel pain or plantar fasciitis. You don’t have to forgo the go-to summer footwear altogether, though. The American Podiatric Medical Association offers some great dos and don’ts.
  • Shapewear. Prolonged wear of corsets, waist-trainers and other shape wear is uncomfortable — and can make it hard to eat or breathe. Cutting off circulation (like with too-tight skinny jeans) is bad, too. Make sure you wear shapewear for limited amounts of time, and look for products with some give and stretch.

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