Sports top: why you need it and how to choose
One bra for all occasions is a disservice to your body. In order to take care of the breasts during workouts, special sports underwear has been created.
What happens to the breast during sports
The female breast is made up of glands and adipose tissue. It is connected to the body by skin and Cooper's ligaments - flexible but not elastic tissues that, when stretched, do not return to their previous shape.
Studies of the dynamics of the female breast during sports activity have shown that during physical activity it moves in a figure eight: up-side-down-sideways and up again [1]. As a result, more than 50% of women experience chest pain and discomfort when playing sports.
The upper body tries to reduce chest pain and tenses. Because of this, breathing becomes more frequent, movements become less amplitude, constrained, fatigue increases, and the exercise technique suffers.
With regular exertion and the absence of special underwear, the chest is deformed and loses its original tightened appearance.
Why a regular bra doesn't fit
The function of everyday underwear is to keep the bust calm and aesthetic appeal. When playing sports, it has a number of disadvantages:
- thin ribbons and straps that cut into the skin;
- hard fasteners, bones and accessories, which, if carelessly moved, can injure the body;
- material that gets wet quickly and does not evaporate moisture well;
- insufficient coverage area for effective support.
A casual bra is not able to reduce the intensity of breast movements and protect the ligaments from stretching, and a woman from unpleasant sensations. Moreover, it will even add discomfort that could have been avoided if special underwear were in its place.
What a good sports bra should be
Required characteristics:
- dense multi-layer fabric made of high-quality synthetics: it removes and evaporates moisture well;
- wide non-elastic straps that evenly distribute weight and provide fixation;
- a wide and dense belt under the chest - 90% of the load falls on it.
How to choose a sports bra
On the sportswear label, you can find indications for what degree of stress (light, medium or strong) it is designed - be sure to pay attention to this information. For yoga or walking, light support will work, but for intense cardio workouts, you will need strong support.
As with any garment, a bra should fit well - provide firm support, but not squeeze anything.
Finding a fitness top can be tricky, and quality items are often expensive. However, training comfort and healthy, beautiful breasts are well worth it.
A source:
1. Wakefield-Scurr J. Bouncing Breasts Spark New Bra Challenge University of Portsmouth. "Bouncing Breasts Spark New Bra Challenge." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 23 September 2007 - URL: www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070915124901.htm (date accessed 07.17.
