DOES YOUR BRA REALLY SUPPORT YOUR WORKOUT?

It’s no fun feeling like you’re going to fall out or being chafed.

It’s a subject not often discussed around the gym, despite statistics suggesting 44 to 72 per cent of women experience breast pain while exercising. Also not often the subject of conversation is even more women (51 to 79 per cent) complain of sore breasts around the time of their period. To be clear, not all workouts are painful. Low-impact activities produce less of a bounce factor, which dials down the discomfort, but for runners, there’s no doubt breasts move significantly with every footfall. Onethird of the 1,397 female runners (bra cup size AA-J) polled prior to competing in the 2012 London Marathon reported experiencing breast pain while exercising. Eight per cent described the pain as distressing, horrible or excruciating. For many women who experience pain during exercise, high-impact activities like running, jumping and skipping rope are out of the question simply because the discomfort is too distracting or takes away from the enjoyment of the activity. Others are forced to modify their workouts in order to minimize the pain. A survey of 540 elite athletes across 49 different sports reported one-third experience breast pain severe enough to negatively affect performance and/or interfere with their ability to train. Additional studies suggest pain can cause women to modify their gait and upper body movements to compensate for excessive breast movement. The incidence and severity of breast pain is more common among large-breasted women, with 51 per cent of women with an F-cup size or larger complaining of discomfort, compared with 24 per cent of women with an A-cup. Pain is also more prevalent among women who haven’t given birth. Kristina Ramsay, a Montreal-based fitness enthusiast, says pain is too strong a word to describe what she feels when exercise ramps up the bounce factor. An avid skier, runner and gym rat, she suggests “discomfort” and “annoyance” better describe her reality. A D-cup, she relies on a good sports bra to keep her comfortable during high-impact activities. She’s not alone. A sports bra is the most popular solution when it comes to dampening the pain associated with exercise. While sports bras have come a long way from the first prototype of two jocks straps sewn together, not just any bra will do. An Australian research team who studied the consequences of breast pain on performance recommends all female athletes need to be educated on how to select and correctly fit a sports bra specific to their sport (take the lululemon sports bra fit quiz). Easier said than done, says Ramsay, who searches running blogs and product reviews for suggestions on sports bras specifically designed for exercisers who need maximum support. She’s tried more than her share of models claiming to fit the bill, only to be disappointed when putting them to the test at the gym or while out on a run. “It’s no fun feeling like you’re going to fall out or being chafed,” she said. And then there’s the cost of a good sports bra, which is no small matter. A quick look at the lineup of most of the popular sports bra retailers and you’ll note bras boasting maximum support are more expensive than bras offering light or medium support. Ramsay’s current favourite is the Juno Bra made by Brooks, which she says has all the features experts recommend to ensure a comfortable workout. The straps are wide and adjustable, the band around the chest thick enough that it doesn’t ride up and the cups encapsulate versus binding the breasts. There’s one feature Ramsay says sports bra manufacturers still haven’t got right, though. “All that support and they finish the bra with a couple of flimsy hook and eye closures,” she said. According to Ramsay, hook and eyes aren’t rugged enough to withstand the magnitude of breast movement that occurs during high-impact activities. Add a little wear and tear and the bra has a tendency to become unhooked just when it’s needed most. Her experience jives with the sentiments of the Australian researchers who suggest “commercially available sports bras do not meet the unique needs of elite female athletes across the range of sports they participate in.” Given the limitations of sports bras as well as the prevalence of breast pain among elite and recreational athletes, it’s clear the industry hasn’t been successful in meeting the needs of a diverse community of exercisers who look forward to pain-free workouts. Then there are the differences between sports. Are runners and equestrians equally well-served in the same bra? What about soccer players, who use their chest to control and bring down a ball in flight; is there a bra to fit their needs? All female exercisers deserve the right to work out pain-free, even on those days when breasts are tender. Active women also deserve the right not only to wear a bra that stays clasped when the going gets sweaty, but to buy it at the same price as exercisers for whom support isn’t as important.