Recent research led by Dr. Chris Mills has shed light on the intricate relationship between sports bras, breast movement, and back health. This investigation underscores the potential negative effects of poorly designed sports bras, especially for women with more prominent breast sizes. Whether you’re a pro athlete or a weekend warrior, these findings are important. They criticize the limited efficacy of today’s sports bra designs for proper breast support and back strain prevention.
The research specifically referenced their study’s participant, a 26-year-old whose bra size was listed as 34DD. Through a series of three running trials, the effects of breast movement were examined with three different types of bras: no bra, an everyday bra, and a sports bra. If you’re familiar, let me share how this research has the potential to change the way women choose their sports bras. It will encourage OEMs to rethink their designs.
Understanding Breast Movement During Exercise
Dr. Mills is a Senior Lecturer in Biomechanics at the School of Sport, Health, and Exercise Science at the University of Portsmouth. He believes understanding how breasts should move during physical activity is crucial. As he explained, breast support versus stress on the body “is kind of like a trade-off.” We found that a supportive sports bra can greatly limit motion of breast tissue. It may be doing an unintentional disservice by placing additional stress on your back and spine.
Kara Radzak , PhD, is an associate professor of kinesiology and nutrition sciences at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She explained that “if we have more mass out front, we have to rely on our postural muscles that keep us upright.” Shifting to back muscles increases the load on your body while exercising. This is the effect—only compounded if your bra doesn’t provide proper support.
With this research, he brought attention to Cooper’s ligaments, structural stints that tether breast tissue to the chest wall muscle. These supporting structures – ligaments, connective and fatty tissue – are crucial for breast support, but are harmed by the motion caused by vigorous movement while exercising. Dr. Mills stressed that a lack of support might not produce immediate pain and discomfort, but can have long-term effects.
The Ideal Sports Bra Fit
Dr. Susan L. Sokolowski, is a professor of sports product design at the University of Oregon. She stresses that fit is the most important factor when it comes to choosing a sports bra. In particular, she warned that tightness and tissue spillage could cause skin chafing, an issue that can become painful over long periods of wear. As Dr. Sokolowski explains, “you really just want the bra to feel like a second skin. This proper fit goes beyond comfort—it helps to prevent injury.
Additionally, she provided practical advice for maintaining sports bras: “I recommend washing sports bras in cold water with mild detergent and hanging them up to dry.” Continued maintenance and preventative care is key to keeping the fabric’s integrity intact. When adjusting, make sure that the support level of the bra is still good enough.
Women’s perception of their exercise experience is affected by psychological factors, according to Dr. Sokolowski. “It doesn’t matter how big or small your breasts are—when breast motion is reduced, your confidence is increased,” she added. It increases that ‘caged-in’ feeling, particularly in social situations. In addition to alleviating physical pain, properly fitted sports bras provide a level of emotional comfort. They increase your peace of mind while you exercise.
Balancing Support and Comfort
Dr. Mills’ study makes it clear that choosing the right sports bra isn’t an easy task. Each person is different, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution that way. Women who lead such active lives need to be supported without overtly limiting their activity. This balance is key to their health and performance. A bra that provides too little support leads to breast pain. A super-compressive bra could be adding additional strain to your system.
Dr. Sokolowski’s expertise in fabric durability adds another layer of complexity to this equation. She cautioned that spandex is not heat resistant. Like sunlight, over time, this too can lead to breakdown and cracking of the fiber. Such degradation can have a cumulative impact on both comfort and support over time.
In addition, it’s important that women are educated on the various impacts sports bra styles have on body mechanics. This understanding is key as they explore their options. Dr. Mills stressed not jumping to conclusions regarding bras and back pain. He recommended that this subject deserves deeper exploration in a larger study. So the continuing conversation around breast health and exercise is even more important, as new science continues to come out.
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