Some people have gotten into the habit of pulling in their belly, so much so that they do it without even realizing it. But an article from The Conversationwritten by a professor of the University of Lancaster, Adam Taylor, recalls why it is not a good idea.
When you pull in your belly, it’s like wearing a corset, recalled RTL in an article published in 2022. The muscles that support the organs located in the small pelvis (such as the bladder for example) are abused. But they are not the only ones concerned: bringing in the lower abdomen changes the entire balance of the bust, from breathing to posture. One can develop appendages, from the pelvis to the neck.
Top and bottom compression
Adam Taylor summarizes this with the so-called “hourglass” syndrome, which can be caused by continuously tightening the abdominal belt, but also by abdominal pain, illness, posture problems.
He gives a simple image to illustrate the disorder: a tube of toothpaste on which we will press only in the center (like an hourglass). In fact, the pressure is distributed at the top and bottom of the tube. For the body, it’s the same: the stomachthe diaphragm and the lungs are compressed on the one hand, the bladder, the rectum and the uterus are on the other hand. The author emphasizes risks of the type of urinary or fecal leakage, as a result.
Sources: RTL, The Conversation
