Are skinny jeans making you FAT?

They are a staple in any fashion-conscious woman's wardrobe, coming in a rainbow of colours and shades, giving them the power to transcend the seasons.

Taking the place of the 70s flare, or the 90s bootleg cut, skinnies are the iconic jean of the noughties.

Celebrities love them and women of all ages rely on them to add a little glamour to any outfit.

But, experts today warned even our favourite pair of jeans cannot escape the spotlight when it comes to the endless stream of health advice.

A study warns trousers that are too tight can cause health problems, triggering 'compartment syndrome', causing damage to the nerves and muscles in the legs.

But, it seems the health advice relating to your trusted trews does not end there.

For physiotherapist Sammy Margo warns, like leggings before them, skinny jeans could be making you fat, exacerbating the obesity crisis.

She said by pulling in your flab, skinny jeans create the illusion that you are slimmer than you are in reality and may dissuade lull you into the false sense of security that you don't need to exercise.

The popular garments can make the muscles 'lazy', and result in flabby stomachs, muffin tops and wobbly legs.

Ms Margo told MailOnline: 'Skinny jeans feel good and look great and I am as addicted to them as anyone, but there is a downside.

‘They hold in and support the quadriceps (thigh muscles), buttocks and core muscles in your tummy, and do the job the muscles are supposed to do.

‘As a result, the muscles are allowed to relax and switch off, so when we reveal our bodies for the first time as summer approaches, they are not as svelte or firm as they otherwise would be.’ 

She added: 'The compressions from skinny jeans pulls your insides in, making you look and feel as though you are slimmer.

'This alone may well de-incentivise you to exercise because you think you look great with your clothes on.

'But, as summer approaches and you take your jeans off, it is likely you will see your legs don't look as good as you had thought.

'Your skinny jeans will expand with your muffin top and stomach, not alerting you to the fact you're putting on weight.' 

Skinny jeans are particularly tight around the stomach, hips, knees and ankles, causing a build up of pressure in these areas, if they are worn for a long time, Ms Margo noted.

She said while compression garments are widely used by sportsmen and women to increase their performance, these high-tech items of clothing are very different to skinny jeans.

'There is an argument to say compression clothing is beneficial,' she told MailOnline.

'But this is only true in very specific cases.

'Athletes are encouraged to wear them because they can aid recovery from injury and optimise performance.

'But these items are tapered throughout the leg, taking into account the shape of leg and giving support in the right places.

'Skinny jeans on the other hand, unfortunately don't taper and so there are danger points, particularly at the hips and waist.

'If you do a lot of squatting over a prolonged period of time in skinny jeans, there is therefore an increased risk of damaging the muscles and nerves in the leg, known as compartment syndrome.

'The pressure reduces the blood flow to the muscles in the legs and causes pathological damage, though it is extreme.' 

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