Why your bra could be a pain in the neck: Ill-fitting underwear joins list of hats and belts that hurt those who wear them

Millions of Brits are injured every year - by their clothes, it emerged yesterday. Research revealed around one in two adults suffer aches, pains or injuries from handbags, bras, belts, hats or other items of clothing. Other 'dangerous' attire includes hairbands, sunglasses, thongs - and even wallets, which when placed in front pockets can cause numbness in the thigh and groin.

 

Ouch! The bra has been named one of the 'dangerous' items that can cause injury to British women if it is ill-fitting

The true extent to which modern fashions are leaving millions of us black and blue emerged from data published by the British Osteopathic Association. Kelston Chorley, Head of Professional Development at the BOA, said: 'Patients are often surprised when it is pointed out to them that their bag, shoes or other items of clothing may be to blame.’

'People always want to look up to date and wear the current fashion even if it is not best suited physically to them. They are prepared to “suffer and endure to look right.” ‘Poor fitting bras are a common source of mid back pain, or pain and stiffness in the neck and shoulders, often accompanied by headaches. Women with larger beasts need to ensure that they are well supported with well-adjusted shoulder straps that off load and spread the weight from the back fastener. Spending long periods in the car seat with a wallet in the rear pocket will force you to sit off set to the pedals, increasing the chance of a low back condition. Having a wallet in your front trouser pocket when driving can give rise to reduced groin circulation and can lead to testicular pain and groin problems.'

Research carried out by the BOA found half of us have experienced some kind of pain from a particular item of clothing. Many have suffered discomfort in their neck, back or shoulders from regularly carrying a heavy bag, with four in ten women blaming a heavy handbag. It also emerged around six in ten women have been affected by wearing a bra that didn’t fit well. One in five have experienced friction injuries from wearing thongs. One in ten men have suffered numbness in their groin area as a result of carrying a wallet while wearing jeans that didn’t allow enough room. And one in five have endured painful ‘jogger’s nipple’ - rubbing or chaffing under their shirt.

 

They might be an 'essential' part of a summer wardrobe, but it appears Britons cannot be trusted to sport sunglasses as so many injure themselves

On top of that one in eight adults said they’ve experienced headaches from a hat they didn’t realise was too tight. And one fifth have endured pain from sunglasses causing pressure around their head. Tight or ill-fitting belts can also be painful with patients experiencing numbness as well as a burning sensation along the outside part of their thigh, leading to hypersensitivity to heat in the shower or bath. The additional weight a heavy bag adds puts is another problem as it can cause unnecessary pressure on our backs and shoulders which can severely damage our mobility in the longer term.

Thongs are known to often cause nasty friction burns. Overly tight hats cause vascular compression and sunglasses which when too tight can cause neck extension, headaches and neck pain. The BOA also warned ballet pumps are almost as dangerous as high heels, while flip flops can result in claw toe, toe pain / rigid toes and Hallux limitus. British Osteopathic Association member Hector Wells said: 'Our clinics see tens of thousands of people coming in complaining of aches and pains which, on further examination, are found to originate from their clothing. It might be a surprise to see hats and other commonly worn items causing damage. There are the traditional osteopathic things that give back pain, the classic is the ‘wallet back’ when the pelvis sits on the wallet and overtime the back twists.’ 'ESD (electro static disease) due to man-made fibre clothes giving electric shocks on the contact with desk level furniture, the fat cells of the leg are killed and the leg gets a hollow at the spark point. The common ‘Builders Bum’ is associated with jeans, these restrict the pelvis, especially when wet and allow the back to get cold.'

 Source: Daily Mail UK  

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