You might want to pick a new posture while seated.
Crossing your legs might lead to some major health defects and impact numerous parts of the body, according to the Conversation.
In addition to misaligning your hips, crossing legs can also increase risks of blood clots as the flow of blood changes from the motion, according to research.
Crossing at the knees is worse than doing so at the ankles as well. It increases blood pressure because blood begins to pool — leg crossing is tied to the damage of blood vessels as well.
Both the spine and shoulders can become misaligned and, in the pelvis, muscle lengths can be changed over the long term as well.
A person’s head position can also lose its alignment because of changes from the center of gravity over the pelvis.
The risk of scoliosis also heightens after a length of time as does the threat of greater trochanteric pain, which sharply effects the outer hip and thigh.
It can also lead to nerve damage, particularly for compression of the peroneal nerve located in the lower leg.
For men, crossing the legs can also impact sperm count. No, not from squishing everybody together but instead by a change in body temperature, according to the outlet.
Testicles must remain between two and six degrees Celsius beneath standard body temperatures, but while a man’s legs are crossed the heat can rise by as much as 3.5 Celsius. The bottom line impact can mean fewer little swimmers in the vicinity.
Though, there are a few benefits to leg crossing in certain cases. A 2016 study in the National Library of Medicine shows that those who have one leg longer than the other can use crossing their legs while seated to help their bodies’ alignments adjust.
It can also reduce the activities of oblique muscles in a healthy manner that decreases over-exertion. Other joints can also enjoy more stability from the passive practice.