Uh Oh: Science Says Skinny Jeans Are Bad for Your Back
We’ve all heard the saying, “Beauty is pain,” and there’s certain items in our wardrobe that this totally applies to: sky-high heels, for example. Or corsets (which, incidentally, Emma Watson forwent for her role in Beauty and the Beast) and super-heavy earrings (ouch — our ears hurt just thinking about them).
The one item we DIDN’T realize was affecting our health, however, are our beloved skinny jeans. According to a new study from the British Chiropractic Association (BCA), the denim style is THE number one cause of back or neck pain from clothing, followed by oversized bags worn on one side of the body, coats with large fluffy hoods, high-heeled shoes, and (gulp!), spring’s newest “It” shoe, the mule.
According to BCA chiropractor Tim Hutchful, that’s because of the lack in range of motion afforded to us with skinnies. “They restrict free movement in areas such as hips and knees, affecting how we hold our bodies,” he said on the BCA website. Hutchful said the same goes for asymmetric hemlines and oversized hoods and sleeves. Yikes!
What’s more, he said that many of his patients aren’t even aware it’s an issue, or if they did, they didn’t seem to care: The study showed that 33 percent of women had no idea about the havoc their wardrobe choices were wreaking, while 28 percent knew full well what they were doing, but did it anyway. “I am always surprised at how many of my patients are unaware that their clothing choices and accessories can affect their back health and posture, and equally, how many decide that their outfit choice outweighs their pain,” Hutchful said.
That’s not to say that you have to ditch your favorite blue jean silhouette for good. As Hutchful advises, “Moderation is best. Try and limit the number of times you wear skinny jeans or high heels every week, so you’re giving your body a break” in favor of smarter choices, which include baggy trousers, straight leg jeans, or maxi skirts.
We can certainly get down with that — spring (AKA primo maxi season) IS right around the corner, after all.
Will you slow your roll on skinny jeans after this news? Let us know over @BritandCo.
(h/t Teen Vogue, photos via Astrid Stawiarz + Justin Sullivan/Getty)
