Women, over the centuries, have patronised several techniques to enhance their hourglass figure. It is even more so today, because waist trainers and corsets are mostly used and advertised by celebrities.

Now, women wear waist trainers and corsets in a bid to attain the much-desired thin waist and flat tummy.

Do waist trainers really work?

According to current research, waist trainers and corsets do have a temporary effect after being worn for long hours (6 hours on average), every day, for several months. However, once you stop wearing it, the effect wears off almost immediately.

The science behind how waist trainers work

Waist trainers and corsets exert excessive pressure on your ribs and internal organs, forcing them to cave-in and pushing them into the space above and below the waist region. What happens when this excessive pressure is taken off? The organs return right back to their original shape/position.

Do waist trainers or corsets make your stomach flat or toned?

No. What constitutes a flabby stomach is fatty deposits as well as muscles that are soft (hypotonic). The waist trainer might give you a firm figure with a thin waist in the moment. However, after you take it off you still have muscles that are soft and which still have fatty deposits.

Aside the fact that they don’t give permanent effects, waist trainers tend to contribute negatively to the strengthening and toning of abdominal muscles. When we sit, stand and walk around, our core (trunk/ upper body) muscles contract and work to keep us upright.

What happens when we wear a rigid corset?

It takes away the work of the core muscles so that by the end of the day they have not been worked or exercised as they could have been; the corset effect would have reduced the exercise of the core muscles for the day.

This is an important note for all women but especially for new mothers. After delivery women tend to wear these with high hopes of regaining a flat and toned tummy.

As stated earlier, wearing the corset or waist trainer takes away the very basic exercise that a new mother’s core muscles can do, during walking, standing and sitting upright.

The waist trainers and corsets limit abdominal muscle strengthening and toning because it tends to reduce the exercising of the core muscles when we have to maintain the upright erect postures in sitting, standing or walking.

Also, they give you a false sense of stomach trimming, so that instead of working on the stomach with healthy and proven techniques, women would wear waist trainers and hope that magic happens.

According to research, waist trainers and corsets have negative effects on breathing, digestion and blood circulation.

The only reliable and healthy way to gain a slimmer and firm tummy is by lifestyle adjustment: regular exercise and healthy eating.

This fact has been acknowledged by physiotherapists, surgeons and fitness trainers worldwide.

Finally, marketers of waist trainers themselves specifically indicate that individuals who patronise them have to partake in regular exercising and watch their diet if they are to see meaningful results.

You can see a physiotherapist for assistance through this fitness journey.