Are Thighs Supposed to Touch? (2024)

Confession . . . my thighs touch. At the height of my professional dance career in my 20’s, my thighs touched. Perhaps the idea that thighs are not supposed to touch came from people suffering with eating disorders or from our pop culture? Photo editing and Duck tape techniques for magazine covers can do wonders for making thighs look smaller than they actually are. Anatomically speaking however, femurs should hang fairly vertical from the pelvis in standing posture. Unless you are underweight or have femurs that are extremely bowed or your hip joints live unusually far apart inside the pelvis, your thighs will touch.

When people carry more weight than needed, they often become hyper aware of their touching thighs and feel more surface area touching even further down the thighs toward the knees. The body responds to the mind by moving the feet further apart to avoid that unpleasant feeling and possible skin chaffing. With the feet straying wider than the hips, the knees will begin to fall in toward the center in an attempt to support the weight of the torso. Unfortunately, knees are not really designed for the task of supporting weight the way feet are. Long term standing in this way often leads to dysfunctional hip and lower back conditions. Our bodies follow the laws of physics. Your house will collapse in the center if the foundation is only on the outsides due to no support under the bulk of the weight. Our bodies were not made as an A-frame!

Some people have the habit of standing with their feet wider than the pelvis. I notice that people often stand wide to subconsciously display power or strength. The fact is that standing wide long term as a habit will create an imbalance of strength with the superficial body becoming stronger than the deep core and thus suffering the fate of a collapsing middle. Isn’t it ironic that the very pursuit of the image of strength will in fact take away from the actual strength over time? : /

It is imperative for people to work on narrowing their stance to get their feet back under their pelvis. By doing that, the thighs most likely will touch. For some people, this can lead to negative psychological input and serve as a reminder that the unwanted weight is there. The first step is to reeducate the mind and body to understand that touching thighs are a sign that you are in fact a human being with a normal structure, overweight or not. In good standing posture, the feet will be a bit narrower than the outside of the pelvis, under the hip joints.

To further address a wide stance habit, one could pursue some connective tissue work by a certified Myofascial Release or Structural Integration Therapist to rebalance the tensions of the hips, legs and feet. Then follow up the manual work by building healthy muscle tone in those inner thigh muscles known as adductors. No fitness method I am aware of can beat the Pilates Method in nourishing functional relationships between the inner thigh muscles, pelvic floor muscles, lower abdominals, hamstrings and arches of the feet. These are vital relationships needed for cultivating and maintaining healthy standing posture.

And to state the obvious, achieving and maintaining an appropriate weight through a healthy diet would help most everything.

Kaylee Cahoon

Are Thighs Supposed to Touch? (2024)

FAQs

Is it normal for thighs to rub together? ›

Thigh chafing occurs when your inner thighs rub against each other through skin-to-skin contact or through your clothing. Chafing thighs may be worse in hot weather. People of all shapes and sizes may experience this type of chafing.

Is it normal for your thighs not to touch? ›

'For some people, a thigh gap is a natural part of their bone structure and genetics,' says Dr Rekha Tailor, GP, cosmetic doctor and medical director at Health & Aesthetics. 'For the majority of people, however, genetics mean that their hips are set too close together to exhibit a thigh gap.

What does it mean when your thighs start to touch? ›

Muscle tone in the legs will often cause thighs to touch when you walk, and this can result in chafed thighs. Heat, sweat, and exercise can also increase your likelihood of getting chafed thighs. Most people will experience thigh chafing at some point in their lives, even if they usually have a thigh gap.

Should you have a thigh gap? ›

You don't need a thigh gap to be a healthy person. In fact, very healthy and athletic women are unlikely to have a thigh gap, even if they have very low body fat. That's because athletic legs have muscle and muscle naturally makes the thighs touch.

Do most women's thighs rub together? ›

Thigh chafing or chub rub is the result of your thighs rubbing together either skin on skin or through your clothing. Undeniably worse in hot weather, it typically affects women with thighs that naturally touch, but women of all shapes and sizes may experience chub rub.

What causes a thigh gap? ›

The primary determining factor for whether you have a thigh gap isn't body weight, a healthy diet or strength training – it's the width of your hips. Yup, that's it! People with wider hip bones are more likely to have a natural thigh gap, and people with narrow-set hip bones are less likely to have one.

Why do girls want a thigh gap? ›

Despite multiple calls to stop praising of the “thigh gap,” many women still wish they had one. In a new survey, 40 percent of women said they would feel more confident with a thigh gap, while 27 percent said they feel pressure to have one.

What is considered a thigh gap? ›

A thigh gap is a space between the inner thighs of someone who is standing with their knees straight and their feet together. It's a so-called standard of beauty particularly applied to women's bodies.

How can I fill my thigh gap? ›

Thigh Gap Exercises
  1. Sumo squats. Sumo squats are among the best exercises for inner thigh (adductor) muscles. ...
  2. Side-lying leg lifts. This is a great Pilates exercise for thighs, abs, and hips. ...
  3. Side-lying inner thigh lifts. ...
  4. Deep side lunges. ...
  5. Bridge raises. ...
  6. Bridge with ball squeeze. ...
  7. Jumping jacks. ...
  8. Crossover scissor kicks.
Aug 1, 2022

What are mermaid thighs? ›

It's a reference to the subject's voluptuous, womanly curves and the fact that her thighs - rather than being unnaturally skinny - touch together at the top of the legs and taper inwards towards the knee, much like the shape of a mermaid's tail.

How rare is a natural thigh gap? ›

In practise, it's rare enough that something like 5% women in this world will have a natural thigh gap without resorting to drastic and dangerous measures. Despite this (or maybe because of this) teeny, tiny percentage, thigh gaps have become the most coveted “It accessory”.

Are thick thighs genetic? ›

The size and shape of your thighs are mostly determined by your genetics (e.g., bone structure), fat distribution, and muscle mass.

Can people with thick thighs have a thigh gap? ›

A person's ability to have a thigh gap largely comes down to their genetic predisposition and bone structure. This means that even naturally slim people won't necessarily have a thigh gap, or that someone who is curvier may have a thigh gap.

Is it normal for womens thighs to touch? ›

Unless you are underweight or have femurs that are extremely bowed or your hip joints live unusually far apart inside the pelvis, your thighs will touch.

Why do my thighs touch each other? ›

Muscle tone in the legs will often cause thighs to touch when you walk, and this can result in chafed thighs. Heat, sweat, and exercise can also increase your likelihood of getting chafed thighs.

What causes inner thigh fat? ›

What causes inner thigh fat? Inner thigh fat can be the result of either weight gain, genetics, age or hormonal changes. Inner thigh fat is often stubborn and doesn't go away with just diet and exercise. The shape of our thighs is not always something we can change.

What is it called when your thighs touch when you walk? ›

Chub Rub is a slang word for thigh chafing – that uncomfortable sensation that comes from when your thighs painfully rub together. Thigh chafing is not caused by being “chubby” – while it typically affects people with thighs that naturally touch, all kinds of people may experience chub rub.

Do squats help thigh gap? ›

Squats, lunges, and running won't increase the space between your thighs because targeted exercises help you tone muscle, not torch fat. And even then, muscle definition doesn't open your leg room. Also, thigh gaps are primarily genetic.

How do you know if you have a natural thigh gap? ›

Stand straight before a mirror with your back upright, your left and right knees touching each other. If you see space between your inner thighs, you've got yourself a thigh gap.

What's the average thigh size of a woman? ›

According to body measurement data from the US Department of Health Statistics, the average thigh circumference is 20.2 inches (51.3 cm) for men and 19.7 inches (50.1 cm) for women.

Why do guys like legs? ›

Men self-purported to have crurophilia tend to view the legs as the most attractive part of the female body because of their seductively-teasing nature. Whereas display of the breasts and buttocks is considerably "in your face", presentation of the legs offers more control over how much and for how long.

Is a thigh gap considered attractive? ›

In the 21st century, some people in the West have begun to consider the thigh gap a special feature of physical attractiveness and physical fitness in women. In the United States, it was reported that among teenage girls, a gap had become a beauty ideal.

How big should my thighs be? ›

19 years old: 54.8cm/21.57in (45.9cm-65.3cm) 20-29 years old: 55.1cm/21.69in (45.4cm-68.6cm) 30-39 years old: 55.1cm/21.69in (46.7cm-65.0cm) 40-49 years old: 55.0cm/21.65in (46.8cm-65.0cm)

What is a Thighbrow? ›

A thigh brow is the visible line at the top of your leg when you're wearing a high-cut swimsuit or underwear. It's a far more body-positive movement because almost everyone can rock a thigh brow – it's a completely natural crease on the body.

What are hip dips? ›

If you have hip dips, it means that your thigh bone meets your hip at a certain angle. The muscles and other underlying structures are attached to these bones, so the angle of the thigh and hip can create an indentation.

Does losing weight give you a thigh gap? ›

Dieting and exercise will not give you a thigh gap overnight — it is a long-term lifestyle change, not a quick fix. Physical results could take as long as three to four weeks to start showing. Even then, some girls' genetics keep them from achieving a thigh gap, no matter how skinny they are.

Is having thick thighs a good thing? ›

Researchers tracked the volunteers for an average of 12.5 years. They found that people with big thighs had a lower risk of heart disease and premature death than those with thin thighs.

Why do girls have thick thighs? ›

Hormones drive the deposition of fat around the pelvis, buttocks, and thighs of women and the bellies of men. For women, this so-called sex-specific fat appears to be physiologically advantageous, at least during pregnancies. But it has a cosmetic down-side as well, in the form of cellulite.

What are cheese thighs? ›

Cellulite looks like dimpled or bumpy skin. It's sometimes described as having a cottage cheese or orange peel texture. You can see mild cellulite only if you pinch your skin in an area where you have cellulite, such as your thighs.

What causes hip dips? ›

"Hip dips are entirely caused by genetics and the shape of your pelvis. When someone has hip dips, this means that their hip bone is located higher than their femur, which causes their muscles and fat to curve inwards." Our bodies are what they are.

Are inner thighs genetic? ›

Inner thigh fat can be formed by your genes if you were blessed with it. It can be subcutaneous (located below the skin) or intramuscular (located inside the muscle).

What body type has big thighs? ›

Pear Shape

People with this shape have extra fat in the hip and thigh area. It's more common among women, and it may be part of the reason they often live longer than men. That could be because belly fat, more common in men, is linked to more health problems than lower-body fat.

Why are my thighs thick but I'm skinny? ›

Most likely genetics.

Everyone's body has it's own natural distribution of muscle and fat. If you're in shape then don't worry about it. If you starve yourself sufficiently they'll get skinnier but so will every other part and they will *still* be bigger than say your arms.

Why are my thighs so huge? ›

The main culprit behind weight gain in your thighs is estrogen. This hormone drives the increase in fat cells in females, causing deposits to form most commonly around the buttocks and thighs.

Are Thin thighs healthy? ›

Are Thin thighs healthy? If you have a lean body shape with normal body mass index but with skinny lower legs, you may be at three-fold increased risk of dying from cardiometabolic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease, a research has claimed.

Do you have to be underweight to have a thigh gap? ›

Few women achieve a thigh gap without the assistance of genetics, extreme dieting, or even surgery. In most cases, a thigh gap means a body is underweight. Several of my patients have told me that their weight was dangerously low when they had a thigh gap.

How do I stop Chub rubbing my thighs? ›

Preventing Chub Rub
  1. Air 'em out! Let your thigh breathe and cool off to cut down on the amount of sweat in the area. ...
  2. Wear Bike shorts! Also called Cycling Shorts, these hug the body and provide a barrier between the thighs. ...
  3. Wear Bandelettes! ...
  4. Use Monistat Anti-Chafing Powder Gel and Body Glide!

Do skinny people's thighs rub together? ›

Losing weight doesn't always guarantee relief from chafing. In fact, chub rub isn't always due to being overweight. Even skinny people experience chafing and it's nothing to worry about. Timely attention and care can go a long way in preventing chafing.

How big are thighs supposed to be? ›

19 years old: 54.8cm/21.57in (45.9cm-65.3cm) 20-29 years old: 55.1cm/21.69in (45.4cm-68.6cm) 30-39 years old: 55.1cm/21.69in (46.7cm-65.0cm) 40-49 years old: 55.0cm/21.65in (46.8cm-65.0cm)

How to get a thigh gap? ›

How to get a thigh gap the healthy way?
  1. CoolSculpting for thigh gap. CoolSculpting is a non-invasive, fat freezing treatment used to reduce those pinchable stubborn pockets of unwanted fat. ...
  2. Exercise – Thigh Gap Workout. ...
  3. EMSculpt Neo for thigh gap.
Dec 7, 2022

Does deodorant between thighs help chafing? ›

Wearing deodorant and anti-perspirant can help prevent chafing while you run – even in areas other than your underarms. By helping your skin stay drier, a good anti-perspirant prevents irritations caused by sweat. Deodorant also acts as a lubricant that soothes the skin and reduces friction.

Does lotion stop thigh chafing? ›

Creams, oils, and powders can provide a layer of protection and reduce friction. You're less likely to chafe if the skin can glide smoothly.

Are thicker thighs healthier? ›

Researchers tracked the volunteers for an average of 12.5 years. They found that people with big thighs had a lower risk of heart disease and premature death than those with thin thighs.

What do thick thighs look good in? ›

Loose tops that fall over the thighs stretch the silhouette. Wide or straight-cut trousers make the thigh appear slimmer. Skirts and dresses in A-line emphasize the upper body and conceal big legs. Patterns and bright colours in the area of ​​the upper body distract from the thighs.

What is considered skinny for thighs? ›

People whose thighs measured less than 60 centimeters, or about 23.6 inches in circumference, were in trouble. And those with stick-thin gams (less than 18 inches around) were at the greatest risk, according to new study in the online version of the British Medical Journal.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Allyn Kozey

Last Updated:

Views: 6656

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (43 voted)

Reviews: 82% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Allyn Kozey

Birthday: 1993-12-21

Address: Suite 454 40343 Larson Union, Port Melia, TX 16164

Phone: +2456904400762

Job: Investor Administrator

Hobby: Sketching, Puzzles, Pet, Mountaineering, Skydiving, Dowsing, Sports

Introduction: My name is Allyn Kozey, I am a outstanding, colorful, adventurous, encouraging, zealous, tender, helpful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.