The dangers and benefits of aesthetic waist training (2024)

The dangers of aesthetic waist training

Now, we all know it isn’t easy to lose weight and achieve our body goals, so in the greater scheme of things, waist training may seem like an easy and effective way to achieve the look you want through minimal effort on your part. But some things, as we know, can also be too good to be true.

We’ve briefly touched on the types of waist trainers above, but now we want to go into the details of the potential dangers involved in waist training. Granted, many people who wear corsets for medical reasons do so under the advice and monitoring of a healthcare professional and this is generally safe, but if waist training for aesthetic reasons is what you are after, then proceed with caution.

Celebrities have been talking about waist training and endorsing it for quite some time now. What most people don’t know, is that it is recommended that you wear your waist trainer for at least eight hours a day and up to six weeks just to achieve a temporary hourglass shape. However, there are a number of cons to wearing a waist trainer.

The below points are some of the dangers of waist training:

Waist trainers can do harm to your internal organs

Through wearing a waist trainer, also known as a waist cincher, that is uncomfortably tighter than it should be, specifically a steel-boned corset, over a prolonged period of time, your organs can actually move permanently and result in permanent internal damage. Ouch!

Doctors advise that you proceed with caution when undergoing waist training and do not allow for unwanted pressure on your midsection as this also limits the blood flow to your organs which can be very dangerous. In addition, the upper organs can move upwards and the lower organs can move downwards. As your internal organs become misplaced, the results can be painful, let alone dangerous.

Waist trainers can result in atrophy of your abdominal muscles

Many companies who sell waist trainers stress that you should workout regularly and maintain a healthy diet whilst waist training in order to achieve the look you are after. This allows you to strengthen and improve your abdominal muscles whilst waist training. If your waist trainer is worn to an extent that it makes it difficult to take in a deep breath, then it is too tight.

Some healthcare professionals have noted that wearing a waist trainer can actually cause your core muscles to become inactive when your muscles are inactive they can deteriorate. This is where the saying ‘use it or lose it’ begins to ring a bell. However, this is still a heavily debated topic that still needs a lot of research in order to be proved.

Waist trainers can cause skin irritation

Having a waist trainer so tightly fastened to your skin over a prolonged period of time can result in chafing and in turn, discomfort. You may be thinking that a rash is just necessary collateral to achieve the hour glass look you want. But, remember some rashes, if not treated, can lead to infection.

Waist trainers have been known to cause acid reflux

Through the compression of your mid-section, your stomach can also be pressed in this process which can result in indigestion and heartburn, also known as acid reflux. If this acid reflux becomes chronic, it can develop into gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD), which can result in permanent damage to the lining of your oesophagus as the stomach acid burns your oesophagus.

Waist trainers may result in breathing issues

Besides putting pressure on your stomach, the added pressure and unnecessary tightness can make it harder to breathe and can result in you passing out. And no, it will not be glamorous when you pass out at your desk at work, no matter how good you think you look doing it.

Basically, the entire internal network of your body is being pushed in order to fit into the shape of the waist trainer. This restricts your diaphragm and reduces the amount of oxygen you can take in which reduces the effectiveness of vital functions of your body.

Waist trainers can cause bruising

Unlike their traditional counterparts, modern waist trainers are not generally built with the same strength to impact and affect the shape of the bones. However, those that may result in your bones being bruised during the process of compression and this can be very painful.

The issue comes in with the influence of waist trainers via social media on younger users. More and more women, and now girls, are starting to use waist trainers before reaching full maturity in the development of their bones. This may negatively impact their bone formation and growth.

Waist training may result in numbness

You know by now that your blood flow can be limited through the compression of the waist trainer. This can also affect your nerves causing you to experience pins and needles as well as a numbness in your legs.

Waist trainers cantake a psychological toll

Although, through the use of a waist trainer, your appearance may be that of a slimmer, hourglass look, when you take off the trainer, your shape will often return to its original form (granted this is generally if you haven’t been wearing it for a number of years yet). Thus, your waist trainer can mentally create an illusion of the shape you are and leave you feeling disappointed once you take it off, not offering you the long-term solution you may have had in mind.

This disappointment can fool you into thinking your ideal figure is unattainable and can contribute to a negative body image of your real form. This entire experience can be distressing and lead to psychological issues.

The benefits of aesthetic waist training

The best part of the benefits of waist training and wearing corsets comes in in the medical section below. But before you jump the gun, we have listed a few of the more obvious aesthetic reasons why people love waist training:

Waist trainers can be a quick-fix to fit into your favourite pair of jeans

This makes logical sense. The moment you put on your waist trainer, your waist is instantly ‘cinched’ and your appearance, depending on how tight you make your waist trainer, is very close to that of an hourglass. The idea is to not restrict your breathing or movement through the use of a waist trainer but to rather pull in your tummy to give it a flatter appearance.

Waist trainers can activate your core muscles

Through pulling in your tummy and cinching in your waist with the waist trainer, the theory is that your core muscles are then reminded to engage as your go about your daily activities. The debate surrounding the effectiveness of this is still ongoing.

Waist trainers improve your posture

This goes hand-in-hand with engaging your core muscles. As your waist and tummy are cinched in, your posture is also corrected as the waist trainer keeps your midsection tight and inline. This can also aid in the engagement of your core muscles as they correct your posture. In turn, this will aid in improving your posture even when you are not wearing your corset. The taller the corset, the more back support it provides and the more you will sit and stand in an upright position.

Waist trainers can boost your confidence

Besides the fact that when wearing your waist trainer, you can appear slimmer and your bust size will look bigger, proper posture can also aid in improving your confidence. The theory behind waist training and its ability to improve your confidence is both real and conceived. It is best that you ensure that the waist trainer or corset suits the natural curvature of your spine.

The benefits of medical corsetry

As stated, waist training has many negative attributes. However, the saving grace for many comes in on the medical side of things. Wearing a corset can help a lot of people with a number of issues and has been seen as safe practice for certain conditions, being backed by several doctors over a number of years.

Please note that you should always speak to your doctor about any medical issues you may have. If you think corsetry is the direction you want to go in, then consult with your healthcare professional first so as to ensure you are making the right decision and so that they can monitor your progress. Your healthcare professional will also be able to advise you on the pros and cons of corsetry.

The benefits of corsetry are:

Corsets in improving the effects of scoliosis

Support corsets help improve the sideways curvatureof the spine associated with scoliosiswhich can often be very painful and even disabling.

By correcting the posture with the help of a medical corset, people who have scoliosis can manage their posture better and improve it. This can provide relief and comfort both physically and psychologically to those who need it when wearing a corset over a period of two to three months, for four to eight hours during the day. Some people may even sleep in their corsets.

Corsets improving hypermobile joints

There are a number of people who suffer from naturally loose joints that may cause issues. Corsets are able to serve as an exoskeleton and can hold the body together and brace the back and torso.

Corsets and improving the effects of osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a condition where the bones become brittle and weak, often resulting in severe back pain from decreased bone density. A corset can serve as a means of stabilisation for the back and support the spine which may, in turn, assist with pain management.

Corsets and rectifying diastasis recti

Diastasis recti, also known as abdominal separation, is a condition where the large abdominal muscles become separated. This is a common condition amongst women over the age of 35 who have delivered a high birth weight baby or have had multiple pregnancies.

It can also occur in men who are middle aged and suffer from obesity. It is identified by a bulge in the middle area of the stomach when the abdominal muscles are tensed. If someone who has this condition wears a corset, this can sometimes help the muscles move closer together again and create a normal appearance of the abdominal wall. We’ll speak more about this below.

Corsets and belly binding

Postpartum belly binding, which is considered an ancient and traditional art, is used in cultures across the globe and has been growing popularity in western cultures recently.

Pregnancy causes the abdominal muscles to stretch and widen, this is also known as diastasis recti, as mentioned above, and this can lessen core strength and even result in severe back pain. Through binding the stomach, which is similar to corsetry, this can offer support, comfort and stability to the skin, muscles and internal organs and in turn repair and heal the postpartum body.

Women who have had a natural birth are advised to wear the abdominal binder for one to two weeks after giving birth. Those who have undergone a C-Section are recommended to wear the binder for roughly four to six weeks, each one for a duration of eight hours during the day.

Corsets being used for compression therapy

Compression therapy is a technique used to treat anxiety. There are a number of therapeutic benefits of wearing a corset. Many people say that the feeling of being embraced through wearing a corset can be seen as a means of comfort.

This form of therapy can also be seen as an effective means of treatment for those with autism, specifically in cases where the patient does not like to be touched by other people but still seeks a form of comfort. However, the results can also be negative in the case of people feeling confined or constricted rather than comforted in their corset. In these cases, people need to know how to get out of their corsets quickly.

Corsets and their impact on reducing headaches

Some headaches can be caused by the nerves in the spine being constricted due to bad posture. As we now know, wearing a corset can improve your posture which prevents these nerves from constricting. Therefore, the communication between the spine and the brain is more effective which can result in fewer headaches or migraines.

Corsets and their improvement in asthma

People with asthma have been known to benefit from the use of corsets due to posture improvement permitting their lungs to open up and allowing them to breathe more consistently and freely.

Corsets can improve diaphragm use in performers

Through adding pressure to the diaphragm in using a corset, granted the corset is not constricting the use of the diaphragm and impacting the user’s ability to breathe normally, singers have said that they are able to reach higher notes and that wearing a corset can also assist them in their vocal exercises.

Corsets and alleviating menstrual cramps

A number of women can thank their lucky stars for the use of a corset in easing their menstrual cramps. The framing of a corset puts pressure on your midsection which also includes the peritoneal organs responsible for uterine contractions. This amount and kind of pressure has been known to significantly relieve menstrual cramps. That’s right ladies, it can be that time of the month and you may even be able to reduce cramps and look good too!

Corsets and their use in preventing hernias

Due to corsets adding pressure on the abdominal area, they can act as a girdle and in doing so, are able to help prevent abdominal hernias. However, in cases where you already have a hernia in your abdominal section, then wearing a corset can, in fact, worsen the condition.

Corsets being used by athletes

This one may be more of an aesthetic use of waist trainers, but nonetheless, it is now not just celebrities who are swearing by waist trainers for looking great, athletes are also being encouraged to wear waist trainers, specifically swimmers, as waist trainers can help them to achieve a more competitive form.

This even extends to retired athletes, as some retired swimmers may have developed a barrel chest from the years of swimming, which is basically due to an overly arched back, and corset training can help them to get rid of this.

Runners and bodybuilders are also noticing the benefits of wearing corsets regularly and have incorporated them in their warm ups and exercises due to their supposedly thermogenic properties.