Sports science has until recently been dominated by male issues, but now Dr Joanna Scurr of the University of Portsmouth, England, reports that breasts move far more than ordinary bras are designed to cope with and also bounce more during exercise – up to 21cm rather than the maximum 16cm bounce measured in past studies.
Bras are designed to stop breasts bouncing but Dr Scurr’s study shows that breasts also move side to side and in and out. It is estimated that more than 50 percent of women experience breast pain when exercising.
Scurr is working with major bra manufacturers in Britain and globally who are vying to design a bra which can lessen movement in all three dimensions and reduce much of the pain many women suffer when exercising.
She said: “There really are women who want to do exercise but who don’t have the bras to cope.”
More on this on Bouncing breasts spark new bra challenge