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Subject:
From:
Evi Adams <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Mon, 24 Sep 2007 04:53:02 -0700
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Source:	University of Portsmouth
Date:	September 23, 2007


Bouncing Breasts Spark New Bra Challenge

Science Daily — Breasts move far more than ordinary
bras are designed to cope with, according to a study
by University of Portsmouth scientist Dr Joanna Scurr.

And they 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.
Significantly, Dr Scurr’s latest study also found that
breasts move as much during slow jogging as they do at
maximum sprint speed. She said: “This makes wearing a
sports bra as important if you jog slowly as if you
sprint.”
Dr 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. I know
of a 16 year old who was selected to play basketball
for the county but she was told to give it up because
she couldn’t find a bra that made playing possible.
“Breast size and pain caused by exercise can be a real
barrier to women doing exercise.”
But pain is not linked to the size of a woman’s
breasts. An A-cup woman could be prevented from doing
sport just as much as a woman with double FF-cup size.
Breasts have very limited natural support and can hurt
for three main reasons: tenderness during the
menstrual cycle; permanent breast pain, and
exercise-related pain due to stretching of the breast
tissue.
Dr Scurr said: “If women wore the correct form of
support, if we can get that right, the use of pain
medication is reduced and women can be active and lead
healthy lives.
“Studies have shown that medication to reduce breast
pain was only successful for 54 percent of women, but
they had to put up with side effects of the
medication, whereas sports bras were shown to be
successful at reducing breast pain for 80 percent of
women, with no side effects at all."
Dr Scurr’s study disproves the previously held belief
that compression bras are better for reducing movement
in small breasted women and encapsulation bras better
for larger breasted women. She found instead that
encapsulation bars are better at reducing breast
movement in women of all cup sizes.
She said the big question is why we know so little
about the movement of breasts.
“Sports science has always been dominated by men and
for them, studying breasts is seen as slightly
laughable. For women, though, it’s completely credible
– they can see the benefits.
“At conferences when I am asked what I study I say
‘bouncing breasts’ rather than breast biomechanics. It
makes people laugh nervously but they always want to
know more. So little has been known about this subject
until recently.”
Her findings have enormous repercussions for the bra
manufacturing industry and for women who want to lead
active lives.
Her studies have lead to invitations to work with the
military, the NHS and with lingerie manufacturers.
She is hoping to use cutting edge technology in
'intelligent materials' to help develop smart fabrics
which can change to provide custom-made support for
each woman which varies depending on the wearer’s
level of activity.
She said: “It is only recently that bra design has
turned to science. There was no research. It’s like
designing a car or kitchen equipment without first
thinking ‘what is the purpose of this?’
“We need to think why do we need bras? What do we need
them to do?”
Seventy women were recruited for the two-year study
through the university’s student and staff population,
gyms and doctors’ surgeries.
Those chosen represent the widest range of breast
sizes ever studied including women with cup sizes DD,
E, F, FF, G, H, HH, J and JJ. The glamour model Jordan
has a cup size of F, six sizes smaller than Dr Scurr’s
biggest breasted subject.
Each woman had to undergo a programme of tests during
which a wide range of biomechanical measurements were
taken.
Dr Scurr said: “We are building up a database on
breast biomechanics which we believe is the largest in
the world. “This information could be used to inform
bra design, for clinical support, fundamental breast
health research and to broaden understanding in this
important area.”

Note: This story has been adapted from a news release
issued by University of Portsmouth

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