In the old days it used to be draconian devices such as whalebone corsets; today it is the tummy control panty and all its different versions that women need to beware of. According to Richard Bricknell, director at the Bristol Physiotherapy Clinic, tummy control panties pose many of the same health risks and have the same unpleasant side effects as corsets.
The dangers of tummy control panties
These items of vanity tend to compress the lower stomach. This pushes stomach acids up the gullet, causing heartburn and even ulcers – in rare cases even esophageal cancer. If a woman already has problems such as irritable bowel syndrome or reflux, these tight pants could worsen the symptoms.
And that’s not all. There are more problems because these items of clothing artificially compress the diaphragm.
This prevents the diaphragm from descending fully while breathing and may cause panic attack, stress incontinence and hyperventilation.
Yeast infections tend to flourish in dark, moist conditions created by tight underwear.
It isn’t just tight underwear; even the G-string or thong may cause you problems. Cystitis and other infections could result from bacteria migrating forward.
Synthetic materials could prevent air circulation and lead to rashes, itching, thrush and other problems.
Tight jeans could aggravate a hernia, cause leg pain and heartburn.
Then there are the problems caused by too tight shoes: bunions, foot infections and hammertoes are just some of the problems. Trapped nerves and foot pain are some of the other likely problems.
Other reasons to avoid tight clothing
Quite simply wearing things that are too tight look bad. Too tight jeans give you that unenviable muffin top appearance, wearing a tight shirt can cause the buttons to gape open unintentionally. Wearing tight clothing can actually make one look bigger and not smaller.
Very tight clothes can actually impede proper blood circulation, which can lead to all kinds of problems. Back pain is another chronic problem that could owe itself to tight clothing. Low waist, tight, hip-hugging jeans can compress the nerves in your back and can restrict the movement of the hipbones causing pain.
Back acne is another problem that tight clothing could be responsible for. This happens because the skin doesn’t get to breath normally and wastes that would be excreted via sweat are trapped within the pores. Women who have back acne may notice that the acne tends to sprout along the line of the bra strap for instance.
