The Breast Bounce

As some of you may know I have started running again.

Today I thought I would wear a sports crop top over my sports bra for added support. I jumped up and down to make sure breast bounce was reduced.  It was. I do need another sports bra but just haven’t made it to the shop as yet and thought wearing a sports crop top as well would give extra support. Big mistake! Apart from not been able to breathe properly whilst running I also had to deal with a continual tightness in my chest from limited chest expansion. Necessity may be the mother of invention but today discomfort was the mother of who cares. I tried to take off the crop top whilst running and only managed to get one arm out and undo the back (It’s similar to a bra at the back). Don’t worry I had another top over the crop top, dressed like an onion, many layers. Freeing one arm was enough for me to yank one side over my shoulder up to my neck bringing breath back into my lungs allowing me to finish the run. Back home it was freedom and euphoria once I rid myself of my running gear.  I decided to do a little research on the effects of poor fitting bras and discovered the following.

68% to 70% of women who exercise regularly do not wear a proper supportive bra.

The movement of breast bounce whilst exercising can be as much as 21cm according to the University of Portsmouth UK.

Cooper ligaments hold up the breast. These stretched with bounce. They can be permanently damaged when not wearing supportive bras, doesn’t matter the size. Today I think mine were frozen with fear.

Ill fitting bras can cause permanent damage to the Cooper ligaments in the breast.

 Ill fitting bras can be the source of back and neck pain and in some cases damage to the nerves in the spine.

Pregnancy, puberty and when there is weight gain or weight loss are times for extra support.

In the week leading up to a women’s period the cup size can increase as much as to the next size.

Working out your bra size involves a bit of measuring and mathematics. Two areas are measured. First measure around, just under where the bra sits. This will give you your band size. When measuring your band size the measuring tape needs to be very firm and parallel to the ground. The band size is the bra size. Please refer to chart.

Then measure under the arms and around the middle of the breasts (with your most supportive bra on) will give a measurement required to work out your cup size. You subtract your band size from the underarm measurement and this will give you your cup size. For example 34 inches is the band measurement and 38 inches is the under arm across the breast measurement. The difference is 4 inches. Each inch difference is a cup size. If the underarm measurement and band measurement are the same or up to a half inch difference you’re an AA cup. If the difference is one inch then you’re an A cup. After that each inch difference is a cup size. A four inch difference would be a D cup. However if you have watched Trinny and Susannah, sizing varies from brand to brand. So always try on your bra first before buying.

Please find a link from the Portsmouth university website to a video displaying how to measure properly.

http://www.figleaves.com/uk/fitting_room.asp?cat=234&cookied=22/02/2011%20014420