As science continues to grow its understanding of the effects that everyday life can have on our health, and as society overall becomes more and more conscious of the importance of looking after ourselves, we are constantly hearing that this is bad for us, or that is good for us. But surely something as innocuous as tights couldn’t possibly be affecting our health?
Infections
It may come as a shock, but not only can tights be bad for your feet, they can affect them in many different ways. One reason for this is that many tights are made using nylon. While nylon may look and feel fine, it is a material that doesn’t breathe. This means heat and damp get trapped inside, and create the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. This can lead to a number of infections, such as the well-known athlete’s foot, or infections of the toenails, abscesses, and even cellulitis.
Friction
Tights can also lead to a lot of friction for the skin on the legs. While this may seem harmless enough, it can lead to problems such as rashes, corns, and callused skin. With the aim of tights usually being to provide a nice aesthetic, it seems counterintuitive that we would use something that increases the likelihood of these problems.
Natural Position
Another major problem with tights is that they often pull the feet, and in particular the toes, out of their natural position. This effect is exacerbated if the person wearing the tights is also wearing high heels, tight shoes, or a form of ill-fitting footwear. This can lead to problems like bunions, hammer toes, ingrown toenails, and fallen arches, to name a few.
We have discussed the importance of choosing the proper shoes many times before, but tights are rarely viewed the same way. In reality though, despite the fact that they are a soft material, they can have a detrimental effect on the shape of your feet.
While tights may not be the worst thing for your body or even your feet, they are something that few people consider at all. And yet they are worn all the time, usually throughout a person’s lifetime. While it is okay to wear tights, it is best to avoid wearing them all the time. It is also a good idea to avoid the very cheap brands, as these really tend to pose more of the above problems than some of the more expensive brands. Like so many things health-related, just being aware of the reality and conscious of your actions will help you keep your feet healthy.