Your Wardrobe Could Be Hurting Your Health

We may look good, but some of our outfits have side-effects that are bad for our health.

Clothing protects us from the elements, communicates who we are, and can lend us confidence. But some clothing can hurt our health over time, especially the clothing we wear to the office.

Many people who have office jobs must dress professionally, which often means suits, heels, and lugging around a lot of baggage.

But while we may look professional, these items could have long-term effects on our health. Here is some popular attire that could be hurting us.

Neckties

Men, listen up, how tight you’re doing your neckties could be preventing blood flow to the brain. A study uncovered that men who wear their neckties to slight discomfort had 7.5 percent less blood flow to the brain compared to men who wore an open-collared shirt. This is particularly dangerous for men who have high blood pressure as it can increase the risk of stroke or artery rupture. Furthermore, tight neckties have been attributed to greater pressure in the eyes, which can lead to changes in vision along with a higher risk of glaucoma.

High Heels

Heels force your body weight to the balls of your feet. Furthermore, heels put added stress on the spine, back, and knees, which can lead to joint pain and tendonitis. Plus, the higher the heel, the higher the drop, which further worsens problems. Heels can also lead to toe deformities like bunions, hangnails, and hammertoes. Instead of rocking a sky-high heel, opt for a one-inch heel or a wedge, which better balances body weight.

Heavy Bags

Carrying laptops, personal items, lunches, and other work-related documents can be straining, especially if you’re supporting all these items on a single shoulder strap. This can lead to chronic back pain and pull you out of alignment.

Instead, opt for a backpack with support straps or a wheel bag you can roll with you.

Thongs

Although thongs are a go-to underwear to remove panty lines, they can transfer harmful bacteria, which can lead to infections. If you must wear thongs, ensure you’re wearing them briefly and not daily by swapping between different cuts of underwear.

Shapewear

Constantly wearing shapewear to appear thinner is putting added compression on your gut and intestines, which can increase gas, bloating, and indigestion. It can also affect the thighs by causing numbness, burning, and tingling—a condition known as meralgia parasthetica caused by too much pressure on the nerves.

Shapewear can also contribute to vaginal infections, as this clothing often does not allow for breathing of the skin, which can lead to bacteria growth.

Skinny jeans

On casual Friday, you may be allowed to wear jeans to the office, but when jeans are too tight, they can reduce circulation to the legs like shapewear.

There have been cases of women being sent to the hospital as a result of nerve damage caused by too-tight skinny jeans. Ensure your skinny jeans are the right size along with having adequate stretch to allow proper mobility.

Devon Andre has a Bachelor of Forensic Science from the University of Windsor, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Pittsburgh. He is a staff reporter for Bel Marra Health, where this article was originally published.