Skinny Jeans Too Tight for Your Health?

How tight is too tight?

Could your clothing be affecting your health? Meralgia paresthetica is a condition caused by the compression of the femoral cutaneous nerve resulting in loss of sensation in the thigh. This nerve runs close to the surface of the skin from the pelvis over the side and front of your thigh. If compressed it can cause tingling, burning, and numbness in its area of distribution. Previously constriction of this nerve was a concern for a select few: workers wearing heavy tool belts, pregnant women, or obese individuals. But recently, with the skinny trend on the rise, the incidence of this peripheral nerve entrapment has increased to include healthy women with a skinny jean habit.  

When wearing your skinnies the restrictive denim can crush the femoral cutaneous nerve and slow conduction of sensation to the brain. Wearing high heels - a choice fashion accompaniment to skinny jeans - tilts the pelvis forward and only increases pressure on the nerve making the situation worse. Fortunately this condition does not usually leave permanent damage. The nerve affected is purely a sensory nerve and no muscle control is lost.

Did Debbie Harry suffer
from this condition as she
rocked the original tight
denim of the 70's?

If you suspect that your favorite skinnies might be hindering your nerve conduction, consider trading them in for a style with more stretch. Bless-ed be are we who live in the era of stretch denim. Yay for jeggings! Our suffering is likely less than that of our predecessors - like Debby Harry - who only had access to 100% cotton denim. Oh, how those few percentages of lycra may have helped the neurological health of millions!

You could also consider trading the skinnies for another style - I hear overalls are hot again this spring!

If your symptoms persist after modifying your attire, seek advice from a health professional. A massage therapist can assist in the recovery of meralgia paresthetica with the skillful use of myofascial release and manual lymph drainage.

See you in the clinic,
Dana

Meralgia paresthetica in the news!

Sources

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfl4He3NC9s
• http://www.nbcnews.com/id/30870617/#.UUV4fxmlyoE
• http://orphansshop.blogspot.ca/2009/04/brief-history-of-skinny-jeans-1980s.html
• https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggLiwXwP9ONJqgAJK0LVex1vap63SXoGI5lB5XolR00GMFK7IabJN7UtEw7_ASM-PGf-KrN37aTKZ4kyqgRm_maMNosDdm0xEFBz2qRuocuqly3sg-YJrrHGtJKCnS9U787gdhF5Uibfm0/s1600/Debbie+Dingwalls+BW+19.jpg
• http://meralgiaparesthetica.wordpress.com/ 
• http://beatifnik.wordpress.com/category/fashion/