Is it bad to sit with your legs crossed?

Question

Does sitting with your legs crossed cause spider veins or other problems?

Answer 1

Short answer: No it's pretty harmless!

Circulation: crossing your legs only compresses a small circumference of the leg which your rather well designed body can easily cope with by diverting blood around

Varicose veins: Varicose veins develop due to progressive failure of valves in the veins. This process occurs due to the weight of blood upon them, which is maximal when standing, so sitting cross legged is fine.

Nerve injury: Dead legs sustained from prolonged cross-legged sitting are due to the nerves being short of blood flow over the compressed segment, it would need to be continuous firm pressure for over 2 hours to start to cause any permanent problems - and who sits for over two hours without adjusting their position? ....The answer is people who are drunk or smashed on drugs or collapsed with a medical problem, these can have prolonged compression on one part of the body (even lying still for a few hours) and kill off some of the compressed tissues (pressure sores) - but that is kind of shooting off-topic.

DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis) - flow rates in the deep calf veins are inevitably reduced when sat cross legged, and reduction in the rate of blood flow is a risk faactor for blood clotting, but it is enormously unlikely to result in a DVT unless you have other major risk factors, especially as with frequent changes in position, the blood flow is frequently returned to full flow rates.

Answer 2

I was told by an educated woman that I should be suspicious and avoid women that cross there legs. Apparently, the crossing of legs sends subliminal messages of sort to some people in some cultures that indicate something other than just wanting to relax. Perhaps it is a respect issue. In the US, it is fashionable and cool to cross ones legs. After all, we all want to be cool and project a higher status than what we really are! As for spider veins and other probs, I think not. As a matter of preferrence, I choose to sit naturally without undo stress placed on any part of my body. I have noticed that some senior citizens do not cross there legs.

Answer 3

Yes, It's Bad For Your Hips. Sitting With Your Feet Flat On The Floor Is The Way To Go.Crossing Your Legs Throws Your Hips Out Of Line,Which Can Be Painful Later In Life.

Answer 4

Crossing at the knees does increase the risk of spider and vaicose veins. Cross at the ankles instead.

Answer 5

according to my doctor, sitting with a person's legs crossed, can be a contributing factor in poor circulation...... and yes, also, according to one of those varicose vein specialists, it also contributes to those spider veins and then to the varicose veins.

Answer 6

Apparently it causes varicose veins, circulation problems and spinal problems. Once in a while should be fine but when you start feeling pain, uncross your legs.

Answer 7

I heard it could give you spider veins

Answer 8

I believe I have a small patch of rough skin on both legs where I cross them, I do think it effects your skin.

Answer 9

It is bad for your back. Well, that's what my chiropractor used to tell me. If she saw me in the waiting room with my legs crossed she'd slap (not hard..) my knee and tell me it bad for the back.

Answer 10

We loose flexibility as we get older, so keep crossing those legs! Who knows when you someday won't be able to!