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Tue 24 Jul 2007
THE list of things we worry about when we get dressed is endless: if it's not how big our bum looks in the latest micro-mini, then it's how to conceal a muffin-top when wearing skinny jeans. With such potential sartorial disasters hovering in our wardrobe, the last thing on our mind is the risk clothes and accessories pose to our health and safety.
Yet most of us have at some time slipped on the stairs while rushing around in stockinged feet or taken a tumble when a skirt hasn't stretched as far as our legs would like it to. The list of potential fashion-related health hazards is as long as the scarf which led to the unfortunate demise in 1927 of American dancer Isadora Duncan, when it got caught in the wheels of the open-topped car in which she was travelling, dragging her to her death.
Even those of us less flamboyant in our accessorising can put ourselves at risk in vehicles: almost half the women questioned in a recent insurance company study admitted choosing shoes to match their outfit, rather than for safe driving.
And, even if we avoid an accident, we often risk our long-term health for the sake of keeping up appearances. New research from the College of Optometrists shows that people in this country are far more concerned with the fashion status of their sunglasses than whether they can protect the eyes against harmful UV rays.
Read on to discover more potential dangers lurking in your wardrobe - and how to avoid them.
YOUR JEANS
If you've tried and failed to squeeze yourself into a pair of skinnies, then look on the bright side: Kate Moss might look gorgeous in her figure-hugging denims, but even with her tiny hips there's every chance those tight-fitting trousers could leave her with nerve damage.
The condition, meralgia paresthetica, is usually triggered by pregnancy, diabetes or obesity. However, a Canadian doctor has found that pressure around the waistband of hipsters can have the same effect, pinching a nerve under the hipbone, which may cause tingling and burning sensations in the thigh.
DAMAGE LIMITATION: There's never been a better time to swap the skinny jean stranglehold on your legs for this season's slouch styles instead. "Tight-fitting clothes ... can cause your muscles and joints to work overtime, leading to discomfort," says Tim Hutchful of the British Chiropractic Association (BCA). "Compromise with looser styles or tight, elasticised clothes, such as leggings, which stretch easily while providing light support."
YOUR BRA
If you are among the two out of every three British women estimated to be wearing the wrong size of bra, not only are you failing to show off your assets to their best advantage, but you are also likely to suffer breast discomfort and, more seriously, your posture, breathing, circulation and even bowel health will all be under strain.
Push-up bras can be a particular cause of problems. According to the British School of Osteopathy (BSO), squeezing yourself in to a too-tight bra restricts breathing and will reduce the movement of the ribs and diaphragm. These then massage the organs in the abdominal cavity each time you breathe and in extreme cases can contribute to irritable bowel syndrome and constipation.
Well-endowed women without the right support can also find themselves in pain, with an aching back caused as they to stoop forward or arch their back to compensate for the compressive load on the spine.
DAMAGE LIMITATION: Don't get stuck in a rut with your size. Women can wear six different bra sizes over their lifetime due to weight fluctuations, pregnancy and the effects of gravity. It's normal for boob sizes to yo-yo, according to Dr Stephen Sandler from the BSO. "Women's breasts can swell by half a size during their period, but few women alter their bra in tune with their cycle," he explains. "Get measured when pre-menstrual and mid-cycle and switch between the sizes to suit."
YOUR HANDBAG
When stylists declared a supersize tote made the bum look smaller, we all got carried away. But chiropractors have recently reported a soaring number of "heavy-handbag related injuries" from overloading the oversize accessories we use for proportion distortion.
Women carry twice as much in a handbag today as their mothers did. Hauling around the equivalent weight of a small child in make-up, water, keys, gadgets and books, all balanced on one side of the body, can cause painful injuries. Warning signals may be subtle to begin with, such as minor muscle neck strains, but this can eventually lead to shoulder tendonitis and tingling sensations down the arms.
DAMAGE LIMITATION: If you can't quit the big-bag habit, then wear it well. "Avoid holding a bag with long straps in the crook of your arm or down by your knees as this loads the body asymmetrically," says the BCA's Hutchful. "The closer the bag is to your body, the better."
He also suggests that you spring clean your tote every week to minimise the clutter weighing you down. Gentle exercises such as shoulder shrugs and circles can also help prevent your bag from becoming a pain in the neck.
YOUR SUNGLASSES
In Hollywood, statement shades are really a force-field to protect celebs from the gaze of the public, rather than the sun's harmful UV rays.
But, while being precious doesn't damage your health, if you're going to join the year-round obsession with wearing shades, then make sure they're up to scratch because wearing non UV-absorbing lenses actually does more damage than not wearing sunglasses at all.
This is because behind a tinted lens, the pupil opens wider, allowing more UV light than normal in. This reduces the eye's natural protection against temporary but uncomfortable sunburn-like conditions. Long-term exposure may contribute towards cataracts later in life.
DAMAGE LIMITATION: Don't want to sacrifice style or break the bank to invest in the best for your health? No problem - you can easily find sunglasses on the high street carrying the CE mark and labelled with British Standard BS EN 1836:1997, which ensures a safe level of UV protection.
Also, cover up your shades before you chuck them into the bottom of your handbag - the Eyecare Trust says scratched lenses scatter the sun's light, which could cause glare around the damaged area. Keep them in a case to avoid wear and tear; clean regularly with a mild detergent and water and dry with a micro fibre cloth - not paper - to prevent scratching the lens.
YOUR PANTS
Come back VPLs, all is forgiven ... a German doctor has warned thongs that are too tight or made from badly stitched material can injure sensitive skin. Dr Thomas Gent from the Association of Gynaecologists in Hamburg believes friction damage from the underwear's string section can aid the spread of bacteria and cause fungal infections.
Experts also think wearing skimpy synthetic materials may create the perfect warm and damp environment for irritations such as thrush to thrive.
DAMAGE LIMITATION: It's no wonder sales of maxi-pants have ballooned as women turn their backs on the thong-style instrument of torture. Trends for cutesy boy-style shorts and French knickers get the thumbs-up for sex appeal and are better for your health at the same time.
To prevent thrush from recurring, it's important keep the area well-aired - you could join the latest celebrity league of no-knicker girls, or simply buy well-fitted cotton undies, which keep you cool and dry where it counts.
YOUR SHOES
Following in the footsteps of Naomi Campbell's legendary 1993 catwalk fall while wearing a pair of Vivienne Westwood skyscraper platform shoes is the stuff nightmares are made of. But killer heels can damage much more than an ego - stilettos in particular throw body weight on to the ball of the foot, causing the formation of ugly bunions, corns and calluses and hammertoes.
Such shoes also force you into a position which causes stresses further up the body, leading to pain in the knees, hips and spine.
Likewise, if they don't support the arch of the foot, even seemingly sensible flat shoes can cause foot strain.
DAMAGE LIMITATION: If you put your foot down at the thought of burning your Blahniks, then we don't blame you. Luckily a few small steps can make a big difference to high-heel survival.
"For everyday events, heels shouldn't be more than four to five centimetres high," says Anne McLean from the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists. "Squared- and rounded-toe shoes with a strap are best for comfort and security."
And it's wise to save high heels for special occasions and limit wearing them to between three and eight hours. "Calf stretches once you kick your shoes off will keep feet supple and retain a good range of movement," adds McLean.
