Wellness  

4 Harmful Effects Of Waist Trainers

By Michael Bamidele

04 October 2019   |   7:01 pm

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A waist trainer is a high-compression shaping garment that worn around the midsection to slim the waistline. Endorsed by celebrities and fitness coaches, it is believed that if you wear them on a regular basis for a set amount of time, your body will eventually retain the shape and reduce the size of your waist…

4 Harmful Effects Of Waist Trainers. PHOTO: Health And Fitness Training

A waist trainer is a high-compression shaping garment that worn around the midsection to slim the waistline.

Endorsed by celebrities and fitness coaches, it is believed that if you wear them on a regular basis for a set amount of time, your body will eventually retain the shape and reduce the size of your waist consequently giving you that much-desired hour-glass shape.

However, health practitioners warn of the harmful effects of wearing waist trainers.

Skin Irritation

Having a waist trainer so tightly fastened to your skin over a prolonged period of time can result in chafing and in turn, discomfort. Itchiness usually happens after you take off your waist trainer, although not everyone experiences it. It is caused by sweat and heat when wearing your waist trainer.

Breathing Issues

Besides putting pressure on your stomach, the added pressure and unnecessary tightness can make it harder to breathe and can result in you passing out. And no, it will not be glamorous when you pass out at your desk at work, no matter how good you think you look doing it.

Basically, the entire internal network of your body is being pushed in order to fit into the shape of the waist trainer. This restricts your diaphragm and reduces the amount of oxygen you can take in which reduces the effectiveness of vital functions of your body.

Acid Reflux

Through the compression of your mid-section, your stomach can also be pressed in this process which can result in indigestion and heartburn, also known as acid reflux. If this acid reflux becomes chronic, it can develop into gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD), which can result in permanent damage to the lining of your oesophagus as the stomach acid burns your oesophagus.

Damage To Your Internal Organs

Wearing waist trainers can result in permanent internal damage. Speaking on the harmful effects of waist trainers, Dena Barsoum, MD, board-certified physiatrist in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation noted that;

“There’s a reason our bodies have the shape that they do. Waist trainers compress everything in the abdomen; not just your muscles and skin, but your intestines, stomach, liver, spleen and kidneys, and all of those need space to function.”