Keeping legs crossed frequently and other 'bad' habits may trigger risks for various types of heart conditions, FOX News reports.
Specifically, sitting with legs crossed at the knee is said to bump up blood pressure, a study published in the journal of Blood Pressure Monitoring claims. "Frequent crossing of legs also puts stress on the hip joints and can cause pooling of blood in the legs when the veins are compressed," says Dr. Stephen Sinatra, cardiologist and author of The Great Cholesterol Myth. "This could predispose you to inflammation of the veins of the lower legs and possibly a blood clot."
Sinatra suggests a way for people to avoid crossing their legs for no longer than ten to 15 minutes by simply getting up and walking for every half hour or so. Other than avoiding crossing the legs, it is also recommended by experts that people stand with their knees unlocked. "All of our joints are stabilized by activation of the surrounding muscles," says Dr. David W. Kruse, an orthopedic specialist with Hoag Orthopedic Institute.
"When you stand with knees locked, you are no longer efficiently using the muscles that surround the joint. Consequently, forces to the joint are increased." Dr. Kruse suggests that people should stand with their knees slightly best. When it comes to sleeping on your stomach, experts also suggest this shouldn't be done because it puts the neck in a tilted back position which can lead to pain and numbness in the upper extremities. Dr. Richard Lee, a spine surgeon at Hoag Orthopedic Institute says: "Simply change sleeping positions such that the neck is no longer tilted backward during sleep."
