Take a moment to adjust your posture and ensure that you are sitting comfortably. Observe your legs without altering their position. Are they crossed? If yes, are you a right or left crosser? According to recent research, approximately 62% of people cross their right leg over their left, while 26% do the opposite, and 12% do not have any preference.
Crossing legs while seated impacts posture
The typical way people cross their legs is at the ankle and at the knee. Despite the comfort it provides, crossing your legs may have negative impacts on your health and posture.
According to research, sitting cross-legged can cause the hips to become misaligned, with one hip positioned higher than the other. Additionally, it alters the velocity of blood flow through the blood vessels in the lower extremities, leading to an elevated risk of blood clot formation.
Researchers point out that crossing one’s legs at the knees is more detrimental than at the ankles. This sitting position leads to a rise in blood pressure since blood accumulates in the veins, necessitating additional effort from the heart. As a result, the possibility of harm to the blood vessels increases. This is the reason it is recommended that one maintain their feet flat on the floor while having their blood pressure taken.
Sitting cross-legged can lead to misalignment of the head position
Sitting cross-legged for extended periods and on multiple occasions can result in lasting modifications in muscle lengths and bone arrangements in the pelvis, potentially leading to misalignment of the spine and shoulders due to the interconnection of the skeleton. Moreover, alterations in the bones of the neck caused by the spine trying to maintain a centre of gravity above the pelvis can potentially result in a misaligned head position.
Asymmetry in the body caused by one side being weaker than the other can also impact the neck. Poor posture and strains caused by sitting cross-legged can also result in muscle imbalances in the pelvis and lower back. Additionally, the pelvis may be misaligned because of extended gluteal muscles stretching on one side leaving them weaker.
