More Study on Breast Movement and Breast Pain
No kidding–breast movement can hurt. Along with America’s obesity epidemic, the average size of women’s breasts has been on the increase. Over the last 15 years, the average bra size has moved from a 34B to a 36C, and some are suggesting we are now approaching 38D as the new average bra size in America. And, with a pair of D cup size breasts weighing in at between 15 and 23 lbs., breast pain during high impact activity is becoming a bigger problem.
Last year, I reported on Dr. Joanna Scarr’s research out of the U.K. Basically, her findings were that breasts move in a sideways, figure-8 kind of movement. And, she discovered that the breasts not only move from side to side, but also in and out from the chest wall. Similar research has been done in Australia by Deirdre McGhee – a sports physiotherapist and graduate student at the University of Wollongong.
McGhee’s research shows that women’s breasts move in a sinusoidal pattern – basically the same finding as Scurr. However, McGhee feels that controlling of this breast movement is more closely tied to how the bra straps are constructed rather than the bra cup construction. As a result, her team is working on the world’s first "smart bra." It will use intelligent materials and electronic textiles to sense breast motion and tighten or loosen appropriate parts of the bra to reduce breast bounce.
All of this is very hush-hush and is in the process of being protected with patents. Their goal is to create a paradigm shift similar to the shift running shoes experienced in the 1970’s. The research is being coordinated with British retailer Marks & Spencer.
I for one am looking forward to seeing what turns up from all this work. As long as it doesn’t need to be plugged in and gets great mileage, I’m ready to try it.
You can see how various sports bras perform in HerRoom’s Bounce Test videos.
Read my original interview with Dr. Scarr about breast movement during exercise.
Find sports bras at HerRoom in these departments:
Sport Underwear
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Hi,
I tried to reach you to comment on this. But the myth that D cups weight between 15 and 23 pounds is way of :-\ .
That fact has been wandering on the Internet for quite a while, and I think it’s a mistake, they must have meant ounces. Which makes a whole lot more of sense
.
And since cups are bound to band size, you couldn’t really estimate a weight, since a 30D and a 40D are two very different breasts.
That bra must have been under the hood for almost 10 years
, because that’s when the article first showed up
http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s131388.htm
Comment by Jj
December 14th, 2009 @ 3:42 pm