Office Location: 1817 S Main Street, Suite 10 SLC, UT 84115 | Phone 801 . 859 . 4142
Align Integration & Movement
  • Home
  • Work with Me
    • Request an Appointment
    • Rates & Insurance
    • Orthopedic & Pelvic Health Physical Therapy
    • Visceral Manipulation
    • Biofield Tuning®
    • Restore Room: Enhance your healing with Whole Body Vibration & The Vitalizer Chi Machine
    • Microcurrent Point Stimulation Therapy
    • NeuroKinetic Therapy™
    • Nutritious Movement™
    • Workshops
    • Testimonials
    • Resources
  • Blog
  • About Me
    • About Me
    • My Philosophy
  • Store
  • Podcast

Skinny Jeans and Your Pelvis

7/20/2015

7 Comments

 
Tight jeans decrease blood flow in the pelvis.
If you follow the news or stay updated with current events via Facebook or Twitter, you probably read the story about a woman who sustained nerve damage in both of her legs after helping her friend move.  This woman wore skinny jeans and spent most of her day in a squat position cleaning out cupboards. By the end of the day her feet felt tight and numb and she couldn't walk, she kept losing her balance and falling.  Apparently the jeans had to be cut off of her due to the swelling, and it took her 4 days in the hospital to recover.  

When our body can't move freely and our tissues are compressed, this will lead to decreased blood flow, decreased nerve conduction and decreased tissue hydration.  Over time this can lead to lymphatic congestion, stiff joints, poor circulation and pain. Tight pants also affect how we are able to sit, bend and squat.  Have you noticed how you sit in yoga pants versus jeans or pants?  
sitting in a posterior pelvic tilt
Here I am in tight pants. In the pic on the left I am sitting like I normally want to do: tucked and posteriorly tilted with my pelvis. The red line shows the tilt of my pelvis. On the right, I am trying to sit as best that I can to neutral with my pubis and ASIS vertical. The blue line shows how far I am from neutral.
sitting with a neutral pelvis
Here I am in loose pants. In the pic on the left again I am sitting in a posterior pelvic tilt. In the pic on the right I have positioned my pelvis to neutral (I am a little off on this as shown by the blue line. Don't judge, my mobility is a work in progress).
Chronic positioning of the pelvis into a posterior tilt can lead to all sorts of bad things like:
  • Changes in pelvic organ position.  A tipped uterus can cause painful menstruation, urinary frequency and urgency.  For more info on this click here. 
  • Changes in muscle and connective tissue.  Tissue adapts to how it is used, so habitual chronic positioning sets the stage for potential low back issues, SI pain, decreased hip mobility, tight and weak pelvic floor, hip flexors, hamstrings and calves.
  • Meralgia paraesthetica, pain and numbness on the front of the thigh.
  • Digestive issues: abdominal pain, bloating, heartburn, indigestion.
Please consider how your pants might be affecting your pelvic health.  Even if you wanted to try to sit with a neutral pelvis, your jeans may not allow you to get there.  Sometimes it is the simple changes that get you moving in a healthy direction.

Neutral Pelvis in Sitting

Neutral Sitting

Untuck Your Pelvis

Susan McLaughlin is a physical therapist who specializes in the management of pelvic floor and orthopedic dysfunctions. She is the owner of ALIGN integration|movement in Salt Lake City, UT.  Helpful tips and other self care strategies can be found at www.alignforhealth.com.
7 Comments
Melissa
7/22/2015 12:34:00 pm

Oh my gosh, I love this post! You are one of the great geniuses of the world.

Reply
Susan
7/28/2015 11:15:44 am

Thank you!

Reply
Hannah link
10/6/2015 09:11:07 am

Scary! But very helpful, because when you sit at a desk for most of the day it's important to know how to untuck your pelvis. Great post!

Reply
Susan
10/6/2015 11:17:42 am

Hannah,

Thank you for your comments, and thank you for reading! Susan

Reply
Susan
8/7/2017 03:22:37 am

Thanks for this amazing website Susan, and all the information you are giving, which is now being applied :-)

Reply
Dalbir Singh
10/31/2019 09:17:31 am

Can you please tell me the effect of jeans on existing lower abdominal pelvic adhesions ... should I be wearing jeans?

Reply
Kid Crayon link
12/4/2023 05:03:27 am

Very nicee blog you have here

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Susan McLaughlin,
    Physical Therapist

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    FEEL GOOD SERIES:
    Movement videos for download

    Picture

    Products I love:

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Props for home:

    Disclosure: I only recommend programs and products that I would use myself.  If you use these links to purchase something, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.  Thank you.  

    Categories

    All
    Alignment
    Back Pain
    Breathing
    Chronic Pain
    Core Stabilization
    Fascial Health
    Foot Health
    Healing The Nervous System
    Hip Pain
    Knee Pain
    Lower Extremity
    Neck And Upper Extremity
    Pelvic Health
    Postpartum Healing
    Pregnancy
    Psoas Release
    Self Care
    Shoulder Girdle
    Shoulder Pain
    Si Joint Pain
    Spine
    Thoracic Mobility
    Transversus Abdominis
    Treatment For Si Dysfunction
    Walking
    Wrist

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    November 2022
    May 2022
    November 2021
    April 2021
    December 2020
    September 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    February 2020
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    June 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    March 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012

Office:  1817 S Main Street, Suite 10 | SLC, UT 84115
Located in the Forrester Office Complex
Client Portal Sign In


ALIGN integration | movement, PLLC.  All rights reserved.
@2012-2023
​Medical Disclaimer        Privacy Policy & Terms of Use
Good Faith Estimate
​

Contact:  Susan McLaughlin, PT 801.859.4142
[email protected]