Is it good or does it make the legs prettier to go without stockings or in shorts in winter?

As children we were told that

, that it made us tough like Spartan warriors and helped us build a bomb-proof immune system.

So, although deep down we thought that the real reason why we were ordered to wear such a brief outfit was none other than to

-at the cost of spending half our childhood with our knees full of scabs-, We took for good that theory of 'tanning' that our football idols embodied so heroically that, unlike the current ones, they beat copper with their uncovered quadriceps on those icy European Cup nights.

With the same 'docility', that

that established that women, in order to show off their legs with elegance, should always wear stockings was obeyed without question, even though the summer heat added a plus of discomfort to a garment that, all It must be said,

and which the most 'daring' do without even when it gets cold.

But, beyond popular legends and stale protocol rules (we'll talk about the tie another day), how does it affect our health, if at all, to take our legs to the air (pun intended) in winter?

Really, tan us, as we were told in childhood?

"I am afraid that those ideas tanned the mind more than the legs. They were part of the customs of an era, of the

and of an idea of ​​understanding education, so that children adapt to small setbacks without protesting, such as being cold, walking to school, holding their pee or not speaking in class.

The truth is that they were or are also very practical customs for families.

Less was spent on clothes, fewer washing machines were put on, fewer knee pads were sewn, and fewer pants had to be hemmed.

In short, less work and more savings for families that usually had more children than now.

Nowadays, there is more variety and everyone does what they think.

Although, it is true,

, they move, run, jump, climb and need little clothing for so much display of activity.

", explains Juan Fontcuberta, head of the Angiology and Vascular Surgery service at the Sanitas La Zarzuela and La Moraleja university hospitals (Madrid).

Wearing shorts or going without socks at this time of year, according to this specialist,

".

In his opinion, it is "a personal choice and looking for options that allow us to be comfortable."

Yes, it is true, he adds, that there is "a general consensus to recommend garments that are not very tight, or that can

when pressing on the upper part of the leg or thighs, such as girdles, garters, elastic edges of socks or stockings that tighten excessively, etc".

With regard to tights, obviously, "they are better tolerated in winter than in summer since they provide us with warmth and help protect us from the cold, which is a pleasant sensation."

But does cold help improve circulation?

"Not necessarily.

, that is, it reduces the size of the thousands of small microscopic capillaries that our skin has. In addition, the objective should be to maintain body temperature and not lose heat. So I do not think it is I can say that cold improves circulation. In fact,

. If we do physical exercise adapted to our condition (age, fitness, clinical condition...) and maintain a healthy weight, our circulatory system will thank you."

COLD AND JOINT PAIN

And do the joints hurt more?

"The body's reaction to defend itself against the cold also causes

. It is at that moment when pain can be perceived, depending on the pain threshold that each person has. But cold is not a trigger of joint pathologies".

In itself, "cold is not bad for the joints if they are healthy.

, especially as we get older and osteoarthritis makes its way," says Antonio Ríos Luna, a specialist in Traumatology and Orthopedic Surgery.

Of course, the drop in temperatures is accused "

on ".

In these cases, "they hurt after a walk or a paddle tennis match or they present stiffness when getting up from a chair and improve at rest".

Ríos Luna explains why.

"When there is osteoarthritis of the knee, there is a

, which affects the cartilage cells that weaken, the viscosity of the synovial fluid -which becomes thicker- and the barrier effect against infections and free bodies.

The cold, he continues, also causes "tendons and muscles to be 'shrunken' or 'shortened' and protest when we start our training session."

For this reason, it is so important " to do

. The colder it is, the slower the start of the exercise should be. In this way, the joints and muscles will receive blood flow and oxygen in a constant way. progressive".

And he warns us that "

. So before wearing long pants -which is more a matter of taste-, it is preferable to wear a hat, a pair of panties or some gloves".

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