WHAT NOT TO WEAR (FOR YOUR HEALTH)

Analysis by Sheila Eldred
Tue Feb 21, 2012 01:03 PM ET

Too-tight belts, jeans and neckties may not warrant a call to the fashion police, but they could land you in the doctor’s office.

According to an article in today’s Wall Street Journal, a variety of current fashion trends and clothing staples can pose health risks.

Wearing an ill-fitting bra may not present the health hazard of Chinese foot binding, the author notes, but it can cause back strain. And cinched belts and tight tutus can compress the lateral, femoral cutaneous nerve that runs from the abdomen to the outer thigh.

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If you’re more interested in maintaining your health than your fashionista status, consider purging your closet of the following items:

Tight jeans: Middle-aged or older men wearing jeans a size or two too small often suffer from abdominal discomfort, distention, heartburn and belching a few hours after eating.

“The diagnosis can be made easily in the office by comparing the size of the trousers with the abdominal girth. There is usually a discrepancy of 7.5 centimeters or more,” Dr. Octavio Bessa wrote in an Archives of Internal Medicine report.

Tight collars and ties: Experts told the WSJ that tight shirt collars and neckties can reduce circulation to the brain and increase intraocular pressure — a risk factor for glaucoma.

Tighty-whities: If you’re planning on having kids, switch to boxers and don’t spend the day in bike shorts. Compression may hinder sperm count.

Too-tight socks and mittens for kids: The elastic that keeps those tiny mittens and socks on your toddler’s wrists and ankles can leave lasting marks. They seem to be harmless, however.

High heels: Teetering around in heels higher than two inches can shorten the Achilles tendon.