Did you know that in Spain the percentage of working people with back discomfort or pain due to bad posture rises to 84%? This is precisely what emerges from the report on ‘Prevention of psychosocial risks carried out by the International University of Valencia (VIU). Data that once again reminds us of the importance for our health of having good postural hygiene throughout the day.

But this time we want to talk to you about a very specific sitting posture. A habit often associated with the female gender, but which is also common among men. In case you haven’t already guessed, we are referring to the custom of sit cross-legged.

A position that apparently can be very comfortable, but the reality is that no matter how tempting this position is, studies show that it could be associated with certain health problems.

In fact, researchers from the University Medical Center of Rotterdam concluded that men and women sitting cross-legged increased the lengthening of the piriformis musclelocated below the hip joint.

An elongation that researchers relate to the increase in pelvic joint stability just like when the abdominal muscles are tense.

So… Is it good or bad to sit cross-legged?

The truth is that after discovering the few pros and numerous cons associated with this crossed-legged posture, which can even be aggravated in situations of sedentary lifestyle and overweightthe best advice is to avoid sitting cross-legged for too long.

Remember the importance of keeping your body active and dedicating at least one or two hours a day to walk or exercise. If your job forces you to sit for too many hours, try to take short periods of rest every half or an hour and thus take advantage of moving and stretching your legs.

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