There are few postures one adopts while sitting, ignorantly not realizing it’s bad for the body. This includes one most common posture, sitting cross-legged. A common feminine sitting gesture that seems graceful and elegant but not medically right for the body, as the experts have found. Here is an explanation about why sitting cross-legged is hazardous for the body:
Numbness in the leg muscles
Sitting in a cross-legged position for a long time causes pressure on the peroneal nerve located on the back of the knee. As this nerve is the source of sensation to the legs and feet, there is a strong possibility of getting numbness, along with the pins or needles sensation. If this happens, massaging that area is the way out of that painful situation.
Nerve Palsy
Sitting cross-legged constantly for hours together affects the feet in such a way that one can’t lift the toe even. This numbness and foot drop happens, as this condition is known as peroneal Nerve Palsy caused by pressing of nerve. The front part of the toe becomes weak or paralyze because of the nerve injury, in all possibilities sitting for long hours cross leg over leg.
Increase in Blood Pressure
Sitting cross-legged causes the jump in the blood pressure. Probably why doctors ask you to sit straight when measuring your blood pressure. Longer hours spent on sitting cross-legged can cause heart problems, diabetes, and even cancer as the researchers in Langone Medical Center in New York City have found out.
Varicose Veins
The medical community is not uniform in their views and findings of varicose veins being caused by cross-legged posture. But they agree on one point that varicose vein condition worsens with this cross-legged posture if the cause for that. The blood taking capillaries can burst when you put one leg atop another for a considerable length of time.
Spoils the Posture
Remaining tied up cross-legged for a long time spoils the posture for good. The shoulders drop as you lean forward, giving it an awkward shape to the body. The muscles and bones are affected by the pain and the hip and waist area encounter discomfiture. Neck and lower back pain are prevalent in such cases. More than that, the confidence in a person gets shattered as the posture tells the tale.
The Right Way to Sit
Therefore, sit straight royally with unfolded legs, feet flat on the ground, and straight back. Moreover, try to sit less and move more. If you have a desk job then walk for 5 minutes every 55 minutes. Incorporate physical exercises in your daily routine. Right posture and movement will carry you far; begin now before it gets late.
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