Although skinny jeans and other tight-fitting pants are considered stylish in today's fashion-conscious society, these articles of clothing are associated with health risks. The purpose of this article is to discuss the 'tight jean syndrome.'
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Skinny jeans, straight leg jeans, and other tight-fitting denim pants are in style, especially among today's fashion-conscious females. Combine those skinny jeans with a fashionable top and some cute sandals, and you've just pieced together a trendy summer look that will be sure to turn plenty of heads as you stroll across the street.
Even though skinny jeans are definitely stylish in this day and age, the tight-fitting denim might be placing peoples' health at risk. Repeatedly wearing tight clothing has been known to compress the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve, which is a sensory nerve that travels from the abdomen through the thigh.
According to Weil (2012), the compression can cause numbness, tingling, and a burning pain in the legs above the knees, a condition called "meralgia paresthetica," also known as "tingling thigh syndrome" and now sometimes termed "tight jean syndrome."
The cardinal symptoms of meralgia paresthetica include tingling, numbness, pain and hypersensitivity in the upper legs. Moreover, some women describe feeling a floating sensation with associated weakness.
Women who continue to wear tight skinny jeans despite experiencing symptoms are at risk for developing permanent damage to the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve. According to Hsu (2012), wearing high heels with skinny jeans, a combination many women take on to lengthen the appearance of their legs, worsens symptoms because the heel tilts the pelvis in a way that increases the pressure of the skinny jeans.
However, tight jeans are not always the culprit, because conditions such as weight gain, trauma, diabetes mellitus, and pregnancy can all compress this nerve. In addition, females who wear fashionable skinny jeans are not the only members of the population who are at risk for developing the 'tight jean syndrome.' Middle-aged males with prominent beer bellies who attempt to squeeze into tight jeans or slacks also risk compressing the nerve.
Skin-tight pants might also result in digestive issues such as heartburn, indigestion, and abdominal distention. Men who are trying to impregnate their wives and/or girlfriends should be cautious because tight jeans can place them at risk.
In the past doctors have also warned men trying for a baby to avoid wearing skinny jeans because the tight-fitting denim can cause the testicles to overheat, lowering their sperm count (Weil, 2012).
Tight jean syndrome is a growing problem, but it will usually resolve after six weeks of wearing looser-fitting clothing. Always remember that it is better to be comfortable than to look cute.
