Sports bra is a bra that provides the additional support for the breasts required during physical exercise. It is intended for wear during vigorous exercise that might cause the breasts to move uncomfortably or excessively, preventing discomfort and potential embarrassment during exercise. Sports bras are sturdier than regular bras and offer greater support for the chest during periods of exercise, thus increasing comfort and reducing the risk of damage to the ligaments of the chest.
A number of women, particularly those with larger breasts, find that sports bras reduce pain, discomfort and embarrassment from the movement of breasts during exercise, which may have prevented them from participating in sports. Some sports bras are meant to be worn as outerwear, such as for jogging.
Sports bras may also be worn by women following breast surgical procedures. In those situations, a front closing sports bra with a compression seamless cup is recommended for best healing and comfort. Fabrics like Lycra have been recognized to help reduce swelling and help "even-out" a bustline that has been altered by a surgical procedure.[1]
Sport bras are also manufactured for men with large breasts to enable them to take part in physical activity.
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Breasts during exercise
During exercise, unrestrained breasts move about freely with the movement of the body. The potential motion is reflected in the bobbing of a woman's ponytail during an activity, such as jogging. Some women, particularly those with large breasts, may find such excessive movement painful and embarrassing. The greatest consequences of the movement is related to the size of a woman's breasts (more correctly their weight) and the amount of motion in the activity.
If breasts were unrestrained, the weight of the breasts may cause damage to the ligaments of the chest during high-impact exercises, such as jogging.
Other problems
Another problem arises from the shoulder straps of standard bras. Standard well-fitting bras are constructed in the form of a "square frame", with all dimensions adjusted for each woman in a normal standing position, with arms to the sides. When a woman performs an activity which requires her to lift her arms above the shoulders, the frame is strained because it is anchored by the chest band, putting direct pressure on the shoulder trapezius muscles. This may result in neck and shoulder pain, numbness and tingling in the arm and headaches.[2][3] This problem affects, for example, participants of sports such as volley ball, which requires that the players play in strapless bras. Strapless bras put all the weight of the breasts onto the chest band, and extra strain onto the rib cage and back. As a consequence, some women decide to play such sports without a bra altogether.
Design
Sports bras may be either encapsulation bras or compression bras. Encapsulation bras have molded cups, while compression bras restrict movement by flattening the breasts. Encapsulation is generally better for reducing discomfort, but some women prefer compression designs for modesty.
The most common sports bra is basically a tank top with the bottom half cut off. The first bra designed specifically for use during sports dates from 1977. Hinda Miller and Lisa Landahl cut up a pair of jockstraps and sewed them together into a bra; and marketed the garment as the Jogbra.[4] Other designs use gel and water pads, silver fibres, and air bags. A stitchless bra was made by Wacoal, molded, compressed, and shaped. Other bras are knitted in circular patterns, giving varying stretch and support.[5] A common basis is a stretchable, absorbent fabric such as Lycra, and may be designed to draw perspiration away from the skin to reduce irritation.
Levels of control
Different physical activities require different levels of breast control. Yoga, walking and gardening require only "light" control; bicycling, power walking and hiking require "moderate" control; tennis, soccer and jogging requires "firm" control; and running, intense workouts, boxing and horseback riding requires "maximum" control.
Exercise discomfort
About 50 percent of women report some pain or discomfort in their breasts during exercise. This varies considerably in intensity and may depend on what they are wearing. In an Australian study 3 women (17-21, cup sizes B and C) were photographed exercising bare breasted, with two models of a bra, and with a particular sports bra. As expected, breast motion was reduced by bras, and the sports bra was the most effective. The women reported less discomfort with bras and especially with the sports bra. However not all sports bras are created equally and should be properly fitted.[6]
A 2007 study found that breasts move in three planes of motion during exercise. This study concluded that encapsulation bras are more effective than compression bras at reducing total breast motion during exercise because encapsulation bras reduce motion in two of the three planes, while compression bras reduce motion in only one plane.[7] Although some women athletes are concerned that a sports bra may interfere with breathing, and increased pressure on the rib cage has been demonstrated, no significant effect on breathing can be shown.[8]
Most bra research has concentrated on sports bras, where discomfort is directly related to the degree of nipple movement. While sports bras are more effective in this regard than standard bras, they also vary considerably in their effectiveness.
References
- ^ Sorrentino, Lisa. "Sports Bras And Post Surgical Care". Sportsbras.com. http://www.sportsbras.com/bras-post-surgical-care.html. Retrieved 2009-04-07.
- ^ Dr. Karen Kowalske. Bra Straps Health Watch. Office of News and Publications & the Library at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas August 2006
- ^ Ryan EL (December 2000). "Pectoral girdle myalgia in women: a 5-year study in a clinical setting". Clin J Pain 16 (4): 298–303. doi:. PMID 11153784. http://meta.wkhealth.com/pt/pt-core/template-journal/lwwgateway/media/landingpage.htm?issn=0749-8047&volume=16&issue=4&spage=298.
- ^ Miller, Hinda. "Jogbra and Beyond". Ms. Money. http://www.msmoney.com/mm/success_stories/jogbra_beyond.htm. Retrieved 2007-10-26.
- ^ Casselman, Anne (November 2005). "The Physics of Bras" ([dead link] – Scholar search). Discover 26 (11). http://www.discover.com/issues/nov-05/departments/physics-of-bras/.
- ^ Mason, BR; Page, KA; Fallon, K (June 1999). "An analysis of movement and discomfort of the female breast during exercise and the effects of breast support in three cases". J Sci Med Sport 2 (2): 134–44. doi:. PMID 10476977.
- ^ University of Portsmouth (2007, September 23). Bouncing Breasts Spark New Bra Challenge.
- ^ Bowles, KA; Steele, JR; Chaunchaiyakul, R (September 2005). "Do current sports brassiere designs impede respiratory function?". Med Sci Sports Exerc. 37 (9): 1633–40. doi:. PMID 16177619.
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