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HUFFINGTON
02.02.14
ASTRID STAWIARZ/GETTY IMAGES
down,” she says. “If you postpone
urinating, it can cause stress incontinence, where you leak, or it
can exaggerate stress incontinence
with people who already have it.”
YOU CAN DEVELOP TINGLING,
NUMBNESS AND PAIN IN YOUR LEGS.
Sitting in shapewear can lead to a
reversible condition called meralgia paresthetica, which is when the
peripheral nerve in your thigh is
compressed. This leads to tingling,
numbness and pain in your legs, all
of which can come and go or become
constant. “It’s like putting these giant rubber bands around your upper
thighs and tightening them when
you sit,” Dr. Erickson says. (She’s
also seen this condition in those who
wear too-tight pantyhose and pants.)
This rubber band effect can also
decrease your circulation and lead
to blood clots. When you sit in
shapewear, Dr. Erickson explains
that those genetically prone to
varicosities can develop varicose
veins and lymph congestion, which
manifests as swollen ankles.
YOUR MUSCLES WILL SUFFER
IF YOU RELY ON SHAPEWEAR FOR
GOOD POSTURE.
“Shapewear is not a substitute for
having strong muscles,” Dr. Erickson
says. It’s important to develop muscle tone, because it’s those muscles
that hold your posture in perfect
alignment. Many people use shapewear as a crutch to avoid using those
muscles, Dr. Erickson says.
And don’t be fooled into thinking that shapewear works like a
medical back brace. “Shapewear’s
a little different in that it’s not
therapeutically designed — it’s cosmetically designed,” she explains.
PLUS, SH UtT"4