Sports Bras

Question 1

Why do women experience Breast Discomfort / Pain and where about do they experience it?

Answer 1

• Independent breast movement occurs during physical activity due to limited intrinsic breast support
• Vigorous movements such as running & jumping increase breast movement
• Potential to damage weak connective structures
  – Cooper’s ligaments – collagen / elastin
  – Extend more than 2 cm during short bout of running
  – Creep or lengthening of ligaments over time

Question 2

What is a Sports bras function? and the 3 types?

Answer 2

• Primary function to provide external support structure to the breasts during exercise
• Compression - breasts flattened close to chest
• Encapsulation - breasts individually supported
• Combined – Compression & encapsulation

Question 3

What are the Sports Bra Components?

Answer 3

Question 4

What are the outcomes of Bra strap tensile testing?

Answer 4

The more elastic the less the extensuin
Single - single thickness
Double - double thickness elastic tape
Triple - triple thickness elastic tape

Question 5

Breast Displacement study different bra types, which performed best?

Answer 5

• Six female participants
  – D cup
• Four conditions
  – No bra, everyday t-shirt bra, Shock Absorber (compression & encapsulation)
• Overground & treadmill running
  – 5 trials each support condition
• Biomechanics
• Breast kinematics
• Subjective discomfort

Question 6

Discomfort & Breast Biomechanics
Correlations between resultant, vertical, a/p and m/l breast displacement and breast discomfort score

Answer 6

Significant (moderate) correlations of breast displacement to discomfort

Question 7

Best and Worst Performing Sports Bras
by Breast Movement Reduction

Answer 7

• Range of breast movement reduction from 36% to
  75%
• Sports bra characteristics which improve sports bra
  performance are;
  – encapsulation bra style (+10.08%)
  – with cup padding (+3.75%)
  – nylon as the principal fibre content (+3.79%)
  – an adjustable underband (+3.05%)
  – a high neck drop (+0.75%)

Question 8

What does the Strap Stiffness & Comfort results show?

Answer 8

Question 9

What is the future of sports bras?

Answer 9

• Bionic Bra - automatically adjusts
• Sports bra for different purposes
• Individualised sports bras
• Challenges of bionicbra
  – Calibration
  – Integration
  – Environment

Question 10

Running Footwear Mass - Mechanical, biomechanical, Performance Perception

Answer 10

Question 11

Running Footwear Longitudinal Bending Stiffness - Mechanical, biomechanical, Performance Perception

Answer 11

Question 12

Running Footwear Cushioning - Mechanical, biomechanical, Performance Perception

Answer 12

Question 13

Sports Bras - Mechanical, biomechanical, Performance Perception

Answer 13