Tight attire may lead to fungal infections
We are sometimes misled to think that dressing in tight attire is actually dressing-to-kill, but we are putting our health at risk. The 21st century wardrobe contains its own wealth of dangers to health, from skin irritations to posture problems, writes Patience Atuhaire.
We are sometimes misled to think that dressing in tight attire is actually dressing-to-kill, but we are putting our health at risk. The 21st century wardrobe contains its own wealth of dangers to health, from skin irritations to posture problems, writes Patience Atuhaire.
“Tight clothes increase sweat and moisture on the skin. The chances of concentration of bacteria and fungi on someone’s body are very high. The result of this is usually heat rash and even ringworms, which can affect both children and adults.
There is also a likelihood of more serious diseases like candidiasis,†says Dr Fred Kambugu, a skin specialist with Mulago hospital.
Clothing that clings to our skin is also hazardous. Dr. John Ssali points out, “This kind of clothing blocks normal air circulation around the body. When one sweats, the sweat does not evaporate as in normal circumstances, causing skin irritation.â€
Clothes that restrict natural movement present serious posture problems. Very tight skirts can result in people moving unnaturally, making the body tense and prone to pain.
“These clothes limit the length of one’s stride and eventually one has to tilt at an angle to move properly. This affects one’s gait. Little movement of the leg joints causes abnormal blood circulation and hence pain,†comments Dr Mutyaba of Sure Health Clinic.
While we worry about the upper-body clothing, we need to think about our feet as well. By wearing tight shoes, we are not far away from danger. Dr Mutyaba says these shoes affect one’s normal standing position and cause pain to the feet.
“If the shoes are so tight that they squeeze the feet, there can be some inflamed painful corns that force one to try very hard to stand in a way that avoids the pain. This is not good at all for someone’s normal body position. The tightness on the feet causes blisters and changes the shape of the feet. For some people, the big toes curve outwards (halux valgus),†he says.
The tight high heels also gradually lead to aches in the feet because the feet are always half-raised and not in their natural position. The higher the heel, the more feet instability in that any slight trip over will most likely dislocate the ankle joint. These shoes also exert more pressure on the foot joints and this can become chronically painful.
Flat shoes, which don’t have any cushion, can equally contribute to backache because every time you take a step you apply a lot of pressure to your feet. If there is no support, the pressure is transferred to the spine putting it out of balance. It is comfortable to wear slightly raised heels to protect your spine and legs.
“The most recommended shoes are those moulded to fit the shape and size of the foot. These are well curved to the foot arcs and are good for preventing pain and prevent calcaneal spurs (bony out growth under the heel bones),†Dr Mutyaba says.
“Tight clothes increase sweat and moisture on the skin. The chances of concentration of bacteria and fungi on someone’s body are very high. The result of this is usually heat rash and even ringworms, which can affect both children and adults.
There is also a likelihood of more serious diseases like candidiasis,†says Dr Fred Kambugu, a skin specialist with Mulago hospital.
Clothing that clings to our skin is also hazardous. Dr. John Ssali points out, “This kind of clothing blocks normal air circulation around the body. When one sweats, the sweat does not evaporate as in normal circumstances, causing skin irritation.â€
Clothes that restrict natural movement present serious posture problems. Very tight skirts can result in people moving unnaturally, making the body tense and prone to pain.
“These clothes limit the length of one’s stride and eventually one has to tilt at an angle to move properly. This affects one’s gait. Little movement of the leg joints causes abnormal blood circulation and hence pain,†comments Dr Mutyaba of Sure Health Clinic.
While we worry about the upper-body clothing, we need to think about our feet as well. By wearing tight shoes, we are not far away from danger. Dr Mutyaba says these shoes affect one’s normal standing position and cause pain to the feet.
“If the shoes are so tight that they squeeze the feet, there can be some inflamed painful corns that force one to try very hard to stand in a way that avoids the pain. This is not good at all for someone’s normal body position. The tightness on the feet causes blisters and changes the shape of the feet. For some people, the big toes curve outwards (halux valgus),†he says.
The tight high heels also gradually lead to aches in the feet because the feet are always half-raised and not in their natural position. The higher the heel, the more feet instability in that any slight trip over will most likely dislocate the ankle joint. These shoes also exert more pressure on the foot joints and this can become chronically painful.
Flat shoes, which don’t have any cushion, can equally contribute to backache because every time you take a step you apply a lot of pressure to your feet. If there is no support, the pressure is transferred to the spine putting it out of balance. It is comfortable to wear slightly raised heels to protect your spine and legs.
“The most recommended shoes are those moulded to fit the shape and size of the foot. These are well curved to the foot arcs and are good for preventing pain and prevent calcaneal spurs (bony out growth under the heel bones),†Dr Mutyaba says.