In our last two IntegratedBlog posts, we looked at the problems of handbags and shoes that contribute to joint pain problems throughout the body and we made some recommendations on what alternatives are better for your health. This week, we get after those skinny jeans and where we see potential for painful health issues.

You’re probably laughing a little and thinking, “Ok, doc, my jeans are contributing to phantom pain?” Well, not necessarily, but the possibilities are quite striking- for men and women alike.

In 2015, a woman was actually hospitalized on account of muscle damage from repeatedly squatting while wearing really tight jeans.¹ Extremely tight clothing can cause meralgia paresthetica– a condition characterized by tingling, numbness and burning pain in your outer thigh. The cause of meralgia paresthetica is compression of the nerve that supplies sensation to the skin surface. These symptoms commonly occur on one side of your body and might intensify after walking or standing.

People who wear Spanx (an undergarment that intentionally restricts size) or people who wear tight, skinny jeans are most susceptible to this condition.Though not directly related to the spine, it’s something that chiropractors see a lot and we treat, because people think the pain is coming  from their spine, so they suspect sciatica. But in reality, it’s their little jeans!

At Chattanooga Integrated Medicine Center we are all about the whole person, not just your chiropractic and joint health. We aim to stop all types of pain in its tracks, but also to educate about nutrition and clinical exercise and to help prevent health issues for the entire body.

Call us for an appointment today!

423-499-0003

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1.    June 22, 2015, Updated June 22, 2015, 1:38 PM EDT / Source: TODAY, By Meghan Holohan.