Today in skinny jeans: Now they’re dangerous

Attention all skinny jean wearers: Stop what you’re doing and take off your pants. Well, maybe wait until you get home — but then take off your pants. Your super tight and constricting skinny jeans could be causing you harm.

According to a report published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, squatting in skinny jeans for a long period of time might do more damage than a simple, yet highly embarrassing crotch split. The most recent victim of the skinny jean’s wrath is a 35-year-old woman who ended up at Royal Adelaide Hospital in Australia after experiencing severe numbness in her ankles. Doctors believe the woman developed a condition called compartment syndrome, which is the result of increased pressure within a confined body space, that was made way worse by her skinny jeans. She had spent many hours squatting while emptying cupboards during a house move, and by the evening, her ankles were so weak she was unable to stand up. 

The woman’s feet were extremely swollen, and even though her feet were warm and their blood supply wasn’t affected, she had lost some feeling. As the pressure built in her lower legs, her muscles and nerves were damaged.

Other cases like this have been reported, but the chances of compartment syndrome happening to most people is slim.

Priya Dasoju, professional adviser at the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy told BBC News, “As with many of these warnings, the very unfortunate case highlighted is an extreme one. There’s no need to ditch the skinny jeans just yet, simply avoid staying in the same position for too long and keep moving throughout the day. If you do suffer any prolonged pain you should of course seek help, but no-one should be alarmed by this warning or change the cut of their jeans.”

Because this is such an isolated incident, there’s really no need to panic. It still doesn’t hurt to take off your pants though, because taking off your pants after a long day (or a short day, let’s be real) is the best. So, while skinny jeans might make people happier, as we reported a couple weeks ago, they can also be a little risky.

The takeaway? If you’re going to wear skinny jeans, probably don’t squat. And if you’re moving, probably don’t wear skinny jeans.

(Featured image via)