are crossing your legs really that bad? im sitting up straight now

Do you unconsciously cross your legs when you sit down?

This seems to be a very common posture. Some people believe that this position makes them feel more relaxed and comfortable; some women also see this way of crossing legs as a sign of elegance and sensuality.

Some people have reached a state where they can cross their legs anytime and anywhere without thinking, like the man below who can ride a bike with one hand while wearing slippers and crossing his legs?!

Dude, you can do it!

Experts from the Rotterdam University Medical Center found that when people cross their legs, it can effectively stretch the piriformis muscle and relieve stiffness. However, crossing legs more often can cause some harm to our health.

1. Temporary increase in blood pressure

Crossing legs can affect the return of venous blood from the feet and legs to the heart due to compression. At this time, the return of blood decreases, and blood pressure rises. But this increase in blood pressure is temporary; when you stop crossing your legs, your blood pressure will drop accordingly. Therefore, people with high blood pressure should avoid crossing their legs frequently.

2. Causes varicose veins and edema in the lower limbs

Crossing legs can cause strong local compression of the veins, making venous blood flow less smooth. As a result, you may feel numbness, swelling, or even pain in your calves.

3. Leads to back and neck pain

When you cross your legs, the position of your pelvis and above will be slightly twisted, causing pelvic imbalance and putting some pressure on the spine, leading to spinal distortion. Because crossing legs requires support from one leg, it increases the pressure on the spine to maintain body balance with one leg. As shown in the figure below:

​

4. Increases the risk of arthritis

Although crossing legs won't immediately cause arthritis, it increases the pressure on the internal structure of the joints. For those who already have some wear and tear or degeneration in their cartilage, it increases the risk of osteoarthritis.

5. May cause reproductive system diseases and worsen menstrual pain

Prolonged leg crossing can cause poor blood circulation in the female pelvic area, leading to an increase in local temperature, creating a warm and humid environment that allows bacteria to multiply. Additionally, women with a history of menstrual pain may find that prolonged leg crossing worsens their condition.

At the same time, for men, excessive heat can damage sperm, thus affecting male reproductive health.

6. O-shaped legs?

Actually, you don't need to worry too much about this. First, everyone crosses their legs differently; second, when you cross your legs,the ligaments on the outer side of the knee joint do get stretched,but the force of this stretch is very small and can be basically ignored.

You must have heard or read in some articles that crossing your legs is equivalent to chronic self-harm!

But in fact, prolonged sitting is the main culprit. Many people like to cross their legs because their bodies need to adjust their sitting posture, and crossing legs indeed makes them feel more comfortable and natural. It is important to note that you can cross your legs, but try not to do so for more than 10 minutes at a time. If you habitually cross your legs, it is recommended to not cross them too tightly or switch to a lower chair, which can help curb the desire to cross your legs to some extent.

At the same time, after sitting for half an hour, you should stand up and walk around. Occasionally shaking or patting your legs can also promote venous blood flow, relieve soreness and fatigue, and prevent the risk of thrombosis and varicose veins.

*Images in the article are sourced from the internet. If there is any infringement, please inform us for removal*