The Elegant Position
Sitting in a cross legged position has often been associated with elegance. It is touted as the lady-like sitting posture and almost all the women sit in this position without knowing that it is responsible for serious health problems
The Harmful Effects
Therefore, we have decided to tell you the truth about the harmful effects of sitting in this position
High Blood Pressure
Various studies have been done and it proves that when you sit for a long time with your legs crossed the blood pressure in your body increases. You might have noticed that most women suffer from high BP
Peroneal nerve paralysis
Furthermore, sitting in one position for long hours can also cause Peroneal nerve paralysis. Also known as palsy, this condition is more susceptible while you sit in cross-legged position
The Reason
Let’s understand the reason behind this. The reason being a larger quantity of blood that gets pumped from our heart. When we sit crossed leg, blood is sent from the knee to the chest thereby increasing the blood pressure.
Read on to know why the blood pressure rises!
Why the blood pressure rises?
The blood pressure rises because the isometric exercise of the leg muscles (exercise when your joints don’t move and muscles don’t change in length) increases the resistance to the blood flow.
Spider Veins
Another complication that is associated with sitting in this position is that increases the chances of developing “spider veins”. As we know, there are tiny valves in the blood vessels that prevent blood from flowing in the wrong direction.
However, when your legs are crossed, the pressure on the veins increases and impedes the blood flow, causing the vessels to narrow and weaken and allowing the backflow of blood. This can cause pooling of blood in the legs which leads to swelling of the veins
Pelvic imbalance
It also increases the chances of pelvic imbalance. Sitting in the cross-legged position for long hours elongates the outer thigh muscle and shortens the inner thigh muscle thereby putting the joints at risk of moving out of place.
Furthermore, a recent study has also shown that sitting in this position enhances the chances of developing lower back and neck pains, a stooped posture and also causes discomfort in their hips.
Hence, always avoid sitting in this position