Sit Properly: Why you must avoid sitting crossed-legged

It’s quite intimate to sit. It’s common for people to sit comfortably with their legs crossed at the ankle or knee, but whichever position you choose, it’s unhealthy. According to a study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, sitting cross-legged can worsen hip misalignment, when one hip is higher than the other. Several research also contends that knee crossing is worse than ankle crossing. Let’s examine how sitting with your legs crossed affects your body. Also read: Sitting for long hours at home or office? 5 tips to stay active Misaligned pelvis, head, spine and shoulders The longer someone sits cross-legged, the more likely it is that their pelvic muscle lengths and bone arrangement will change over time. Good and Well website quoted pelvic floor therapist Heather Jeffcoat, DPT, founder of FeminaPT and Fusion Wellness in LA as saying, “Sitting with your legs crossed creates a torsion, or oblique pull, in your pelvis. If you have low back or hip issues, this can exacerbate those problems.” Long-term straining of the gluteal (bum) muscles on one side can weaken them and cause the pelvis to fall out of alignment. Sitting with the legs crossed might lead to a misalignment of the spine and shoulders because of the way the human skeleton is connected. As the spine adjusts to keep your centre of gravity above your pelvis, the head position may fall out of alignment as a result of changes in the neck’s bones. Due to one side of the body being weaker than the other, your neck may also be impacted. Greater trochanteric pain syndrome, a prevalent and uncomfortable condition that affects the outside of the hip and thigh, can also be brought on by it. Also read: How digital transformation is enabling health equity Crossing at the knees is worse than the ankles It can raise the risk of blood clots by altering the rate at which blood travels through the blood arteries in the lower limbs, as per research published in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism. Sitting in this position might raise your blood pressure since your heart has to work harder to prevent blood from accumulating in your veins. Higher risk of compression and injury The peroneal nerve, also known as the fibular nerve, in your lower leg is susceptible to compression and injury when you are sitting with your legs crossed, according to research. This generally shows up as a weakness while attempting to lift the little-toe side of the foot as well as the more alarming foot drop, where the entire foot hangs down. It should be noted that this is typically very temporary and things get back to normal within a few minutes. Also read: How corporate individuals can keep mental health in check Sperm production affected Crossing legs could affect sperm production because the temperature of the testicles must be two to six degrees Celsius below that of the rest of the body, reported The Conversation. Sitting causes the testicles to warm up by two degree Celsius, and crossing your legs can raise the temperature of the testicles by up to 3.5 degree Celsius. Additionally, research indicates that a rise in testicular or scrotal temperature can lower sperm quantity and quality. Beneficial for some For those who have one leg longer than the other, sitting cross-legged can help to correct the height of the two sides of the pelvis, resulting in better alignment, according to a small 2016 study published in PLoS One journal. In comparison to sitting with legs forward, sitting with legs crossed appears to decrease the activity of several muscles, especially the oblique muscles (those located just below the skin where you place your hands on your hips). Your core muscles may be able to unwind as a result, preventing overuse. Moreover, there is evidence that sacroiliac joint stability is increased by sitting cross-legged (responsible for transferring weight between the spine and legs). The lotus position, a well-known yoga or meditation posture, involves sitting on the ground with your legs crossed. With inputs from The Conversation Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.