Because your breasts are moving 9cm with every stride!
Wearing the right sports bra is so important for breast health and your performance. Did you know that your breasts move an average of 9cm with every running stride? What level of impact sports bra should you be wearing?
Running and any other sport which has a lot of movement and jumping requires a high-impact sports bra. Did you know that your breasts also move in three directions: side-to-side, up-down and in-out when running? Other sports requiring high-impact bras include: boxing, skipping, boot camp, martial arts and HIIT.
Medium-impact sports bras are for sports like hiking, golf, weight-lifting and cycling.
Low-impact sports bras are for yoga, Pilates and walking (although if you’re a D+ cup, you should look at medium-impact bras even for these sports).
When asked in a survey poll if you wear a high-impact bra for sports like running 38 percent of you said you don’t even know what impact-level your sports bra is. And 53 percent of you said you have worn the wrong bra to a workout just because it looks pretty.
Wearing the right sports bra not only allows you to perform better, but you won’t be injuring or causing damage to your tatas.
Signs you’re wearing the wrong sports bra
- Breast or back pain – you shouldn’t be experiencing either. This could indicate that you’re wearing the wrong level of support for the sport you’re doing ie: wearing a yoga bra for a jog.
- Your bra rides up your back or your band is not level the whole way around your chest. This means you’re wearing the wrong size. Either too big or too small. If your bra has hooks, you should also not be wearing it on its tightest hook. It must be comfortable, not squishing you, with some room to move and breathe.
- The straps dig into your skin. We all have different preferences for styles, but thicker/wider straps are often more comfortable than thin ones and racerback style can also be more comfortable for high-support.
- “Spillage”. There should be no sign of side boob or cleavage spilling over the top. This indicates that you are wearing the wrong cup size.
When asked in an online poll if you experience any of these, 43 percent of you said yes.
What to look for in a good sports bra
Breathable sports-appropriate fabric; straps that don’t dig into you and a comfortable, appropriate fit.
- Widest bands and adjustable shoulder straps
- Most likely encapsulation and compression styles with separate cups for highest support
- Cup/band sizing
- Hook-loop closures
Get in touch if you need help finding your next sports bra
source: womenshealthsa.co.za