Sitting on your legs while working at a desk is a bad habit that lots of people do, but it can have some serious consequences on your health.
We spoke to Dr. Michael O McKinney, a medical doctor specializing in musculoskeletal health, who revealed five reasons why you should never do it.
Why you should never sit on your legs while working
1. Restricted blood flow
First, he told The Focus that sitting on your legs folded under you compresses blood vessels, which decreases blood flow to the lower half of your body.
“Paresthesia, such as pins and needles, may occur due to this narrowing of the blood vessels supplying the area to a smaller lumen version over time,” he said.
A prolonged interruption of fluid flow through the blood vessels could then lead to further chronic circulatory issues.
2. Nerve compression
“Sitting cross-legged puts pressure on the peroneal nerve, which runs along the outside of your knee joint,” the doctor continued.
This pressure can cause numbness, tingling sensations in the leg and even temporary damage to the nerves.
If allowed to persist for long periods, this will eventually lead to serious complications including muscular weakness.
3. Poor posture and spinal alignment
Sitting on your legs also causes you to slough forward, which strains your spine and lower back unnecessarily.
“False posture can exacerbate or produce musculoskeletal disorders like chronic lower back pain, disc problems, and overall spinal misalignments,” McKinney explained.
4. Joint stress
When seated in a cross legged position, more tension is exerted onto your knee and ankle joints too – leading to even more issues.
You are more likely to develop conditions like osteoarthritis from regular joint pain, especially if you sit that way frequently.
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, a condition that causes joints to become painful and stiff, the NHS explains.
5. Muscle imbalance
Finally, when you sit on your legs, your muscles become imbalanced and some are overworked while others remain underused.
“Such an unevenness affects their overall mobility as well as stability, thus leading to enhanced chances for injuries,” the expert concluded.
How to improve your desk posture
MedlinePlus recommends the following tips to improve your posture while sitting and prevent pain, injuries, and other health problems:
- Switch sitting positions often
- Take brief walks around your office or home
- Gently stretch your muscles to relieve muscle tension
- Don’t cross your legs
- Keep your feet on the floor, with your ankles in front of your knees
- Make sure that your feet touch the floor, or if that’s not possible, use a footrest
- Relax your shoulders, they should not be rounded or pulled backwards
- Keep your elbows in close to your body
- Make sure that your back is fully supported with a pillow or backrest
- Ensure your thighs and hips are supported and parallel to the floor
Dr. Michael O McKinney is a licensed medical doctor who graduated from the Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine and is currently practising in Jacksonville, Florida.
