Familiar to Koreans, the problem of yangbandari

Problems with cross-legged posture

The knee is made up of bones and other structures that support them. For example, cartilage and ligament tissue are on the inside of the joint, and thigh muscles and hamstring muscles are on the outside of the joint to keep the knee stable. When these structures fail, the knee becomes quite unstable.

Koreans are accustomed to the yang-legged position, sitting on the floor and bending the knees inward. However, if you do it with both legs from a young age, the muscles are stretched on one side and stiffened on the other, and the other side becomes stiff and fixed, resulting in an O-shaped leg.

Problems with the O-shaped leg

The O-shaped leg is one of the dangerous factors that can lead to problems with the knee joint.

Normally, when we walk, 60% of our body weight is distributed on the inside of our legs and 40% on the outside. However, when the legs are bent, the strain on the inside is much greater. This can lead to joint problems, such as the meniscus that sits inside the joint being pushed outward. In fact, a study published in JAMA, one of the world's top three clinical journals, reported that the incidence of medial arthritis in the inside of the leg is more than four times higher in O-shaped legs.

The structure of Koreans' legs is inherently slightly O-shaped, so it is important to note that it can be further exacerbated by a sedentary culture.