Your account has been created
TikTok is crowded with people showing off their waist sneakers and corsets because they work hard to create an hourglass-shaped silhouette. However, experts warn that this may come at the cost of health, writes Rachel Sharp
Find your bookmarks in the standalone premium version under my profile
Kim Kardashian wore a Mr Pearl corset in the 2019 Met Gala costume, creating an exaggerated figure
As early as April, a new wave swept TikTok.
Thousands of social media users squeezed themselves in corsets and sang the song "Haus of Holbein" from the Broadway musical "SIX".
In the line "No one wants a waist greater than nine inches", they would tighten their corsets to tighten their waists, thereby forming a strong body shape.
This is all in the name of the so-called "Corset Challenge"-it quickly became popular, with more than 3.3 billion views.
But despite its popularity, this trend has also sparked controversy, raised questions about physical positivity, and renewed concerns about the negative health effects of waist training.
Of course, corsets are not brand new. Women have been wearing corsets since the Victorian era.
However, corsets and waist sneakers have witnessed a major renaissance in recent years, thanks in large part to the Kardashian family who brought the hourglass figure back to the fashion world.
When Kim Kardashian was on the red carpet at the 2019 Met Gala, it was not her custom "drenched" Thierry Mugler dress and wet hair Everyone is talking about it.
Instead, the conversation turned to the Mr. Pearl corset worn by reality TV stars, which tightened her waist to an excellent proportion (rather than removing a rib as originally rumored).
Kim and her sisters Khloe and Kylie and many other celebrities attribute their enviable curves to the help of corsets and waist trainers.
Simply put, waist training involves wearing a compression garment around the waist and shaping the body into an hourglass-shaped contour.
Proponents claim that wearing it for up to eight hours a day can reduce the waist by 4 inches, create a more eye-catching curve and help lose weight.
Although it sounds fierce, the public usually pays attention to where celebrities go. Social media is now flooded with posts about people trying waist trainers to achieve their dream bodies.
As of November 2, TikTok videos with the hashtag #waisttrainer have been viewed more than 616 million times.
On Instagram, there are now more than 1.5 million posts with this tag.
This does not take into account the interaction of social media with a series of different changes on this label.
TikTok videos with the hashtag #waisttrainer have been viewed more than 616 million times
Due to the surge in popularity, several shapewear and tights brands are now becoming big business.
Last month, Spanx announced a deal with the private equity firm Blackstone to acquire a majority stake in the brand.
The deal shows that the shapewear company is now worth $1.2 billion, and the brand-which produces a series of shapewear such as waist leggings and sneakers-is now further expanding into denim and men's shapewear.
The success of Spanx is so great that Sara Blakely, founder and CEO, used two first-class tickets to anywhere in the world and $10,000 each to celebrate milestones in the company’s history, making all her employees feel surprise.
Sara Blakely, founder and CEO of Spanx, surprised her employees by bringing two first-class tickets to any part of the world at a cost of $10,000 each
At the same time, Kim Kardashian founded her own brand SKIMS in 2018 after using her favorite shapewear product for some time.
Its US$68 waist trainer promises to "immediately eliminate the inches on your body", helping the company reach a value of US$1.6 billion in just three years after its launch.
Body sculpting and waist training now seem to have firmly become the mainstream. According to United Market Research, the global corset market will reach a staggering 7 billion US dollars by 2030, and there is no sign of disappearing.
But can a waist trainer really help you lose weight? What do they do to your internal organs?
Dr. Grayson Wickham, a physiotherapist and founder of Movement Vault, told The Independent waist trainer that it was just a "gimmick" when it claimed to lose weight.
"When it comes to losing weight, increasing muscle strength and reaching six pack abs, unfortunately there are no shortcuts-you have to exercise, use your muscles, and burn more calories than you burn," he said.
He said that although wearing a waist trainer may give people the illusion of weight loss because your abdomen looks slimmer, this is most likely due to fluid loss.
Dr. Wickham explained that this is the same science behind compression stockings. It helps move the lymph in the feet and ankles to reduce swelling during flight.
"So the waist trainer is basically a gimmick," he said.
The irony is that the waist trainer can even weaken the core muscles and cause the abdominal muscles to be less clear, making the wearer less fit than before.
As Dr. Wickham explained, the role of the core muscles is to create stability around your abdomen and back.
"Wearing tights can provide this kind of stability, so it's like telling those core muscles,'Hey, this is the work done for you.' So the muscles don't need to work so hard, which leads to a weaker core," he said.
The impact may be twofold.
Dr. Wickham said that in terms of appearance, they can become less defined, rather than strengthening the abdominal muscles.
In terms of health, reducing core stability increases the risk of lower back injuries and problems.
Wearing a waist trainer and corset has other health risks.
Kristin Sapienza, a physiotherapist and founder of FemFirstHealth, warned that waist trainers can also cause pelvic floor problems.
"If they are dressed too tightly, they will compress everything and press down on the organs, thereby affecting the pelvic floor," she told The Independent.
"This can cause prolapse."
Pelvic organ prolapse refers to the loss of pelvic floor organs such as the bladder, uterus, vagina, rectum, or small intestine from their normal positions.
The severity of the condition varies, but sometimes surgery is needed to correct it.
Dr. Sapienza added that wearing a waist trainer or corset that is too tight can also "put a lot of pressure on other internal organs."
Dr. Wickham agreed with this and warned that over time, this could even cause organ displacement.
"If you wear a corset that will shrink your abdomen and change your body shape over time, then you will also shrink some of the organs below and move them slightly," he said.
"For a long time, this may affect the function of these organs."
Although research in this area is limited, Dr. Wickham likens this effect to a more extreme version of the negative risks posed by men wearing ultra-tight jeans.
A 2012 study of British men found that one in ten reported unpleasant adverse reactions when wearing skinny jeans, one in four of them had bladder problems, and one in five had There is a twisted testicle.
Dr. Wickham said that the waist trainer "is a more extreme version."
Difficulty breathing is another side effect of wearing waist trainers and corsets too tightly.
According to data from the American Council of Aesthetic Surgery, when someone wears a waist trainer, their lung capacity will be reduced by 30% to 60%.
"Our normal breathing patterns include being able to stretch the diaphragm and abdomen," said Dr. Wickham.
"Wearing a tight corset on your abdomen does not allow them to expand in the way they should, so you have to resort to chest breathing."
Chest breathing is called pressure breathing, because it is not ideal and will put more pressure on the body, thereby increasing the stress hormone cortisol.
Decreased oxygen entering the body is also dangerous in many other ways, especially when the individual is exercising at the time.
However, in some cases, waist trainers are good for health.
Dr. Sapienza explained that if women have rectus abdominis separation (partial or complete separation of the six-pack abdominal muscles due to the stretching of the abdomen during pregnancy) after giving birth, they sometimes wear tights.
Depending on the severity of the separation, a pelvic floor physical therapist may first recommend that women use a waist trainer before choosing surgery to try to reduce the risk of back pain.
As we all know, Kim Kardashian will give away waist sneakers from her SKIMS collection after her friends have given birth.
However, Dr. Sapienza warned women not to use a waist trainer for this purpose without the advice of a physical therapist.
"I don't recommend anyone to wear it to lose weight or change body shape.
"For those who have significant rectal relaxation and have been evaluated by a physical therapist, they should wear one, then I would recommend it," she said.
"For others, this is a no."
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other independent readers and check their responses
Kim Kardashian wore a Mr Pearl corset in the 2019 Met Gala costume, creating an exaggerated figure
TikTok videos with the hashtag #waisttrainer have been viewed more than 616 million times
Sara Blakely, founder and CEO of Spanx, surprised her employees by bringing two first-class tickets to any part of the world at a cost of $10,000 each
Want to bookmark your favorite articles and stories for later reading or reference? Start your independent premium subscription now.
Or, if you wish: