In Antoinette Curley’s experience Irish women are more likely to wear ill-fitting bras than correctly-fitting ones. She is a clinical specialist chartered physiotherapist at Tallaght Hospital’s back clinic and reports that up to 80% of women are wearing the wrong fit. “Of those, 70% are more likely to be wearing bras that are too small for them, and 10% are wearing bras that are too big,” says Antoinette.
A few minutes standing – and hopping– in front of a mirror can tell you a lot about whether your bra fits you properly or not, she says. “Look at your chest as you jump up and down. See if you are supported. Move your arms up and down. There shouldn’t be any flesh protruding out over the cup or under the arm or over the band at the back. Often we try to fit ourselves into things, and think we fit into them – but we don’t.”
GET PROPERLY FITTED – REGULARLY
Getting fitted for a bra is important, the chartered physiotherapist says, and should be done regularly. “Women’s bra sizes generally change about six times during their lifetimes – especially with weight gain or loss – so don’t assume that you’re the same size all the time,” she explains.
While not getting fitted can come down to self-consciousness or embarrassment about being measured, this shouldn’t be a deterrent, she adds.
“As chartered physiotherapists we would recommend being fitted. Try it once at least to see if a properly fitted bra makes you feel better and so that you know your proper cup and band size. Department-store staff are used to fitting women correctly, and they can help you choose one that really fits. Knowing your proper size is very important,” says Antoinette.
Post-menopausal women getting correctly fitted is particularly important, she says. “They often neglect to do that. While in the 19-to-30 age group there is no relationship between breast size, bra fit and back pain, in the post-menopausal group, however, there may be. Increased BMI (body mass index) and increased breast size (from putting on weight) as you age are shown to correlate with thoracic (upper back) pain.”
While bad posture was believed to be a factor in thoracic pain in the past, when it comes to back pain – contrary to popular belief – there is no evidence that posture has a significant role. “Women have often blamed for slouching (self-consciously covering our breasts when we are sitting) for back pain in the past, but there is no scientific evidence to support that.”
She believes that society is confusing a sedentary lifestyle – not engaging in enough exercise – with slouched posture causing back problems. “There is no ideal posture, but if there is a lack of engagement in physical activity that’s more of an issue. It is inactivity that results in the (back) discomfort, not the slouching,” she says.
BACK PAIN IS MULTI-FACTORiAL
Scientific thinking about back pain has changed too, she says, in relation to post-menopausal women. “Traditionally, we thought that back pain was a sign of injury or damage, but we now know that back pain can be caused by a number of factors. The fear of damage or the fear of the pain not getting better along with anxiety, general health issues, or perhaps being run down can also be involved. Lifestyle factors – like sleep problems and low levels of physical activity – can be play a part too.
While there can be a relationship between heavy breasts and back pain, there may not be structural or tissue damage (in the spine). “What we do know now is that tissues can become more sensitized over time, so you can have back pain without having back damage or injury. Pain is not just caused by one factor, like larger breasts Really, the causes of the spinal, pain are multifactorial,” she says.
There is a movement away from blaming specific muscles too. “The evidence isn’t consistent that there is actual damage. It’s more that the tissues become sensitised (touchy). It’s almost like the volume button gets turned up and activities that mightn’t normally cause pain now do so.”
“The pain isn’t in people’s heads though, she says. “It’s not imagined, but there is evidence that anxiety affects our perception of pain,” says Antoinette.
The management of back pain has changed now, she adds. “It has become more bio/psycho/social. We look at everything: the physical body and also psychological factors (anxiety, depression, low mood) and social factors (perhaps poor work or personal relationships/stressful life).”
SELF-CONFIDENCE
So what can a correctly fitting bra do for you?
“While wearing a correctly fitting bra doesn’t help prevent back pain or doesn’t improve posture as such, your self-confidence is often improved if you’re wearing a comfortable, correctly fitting bra, and your confidence to exercise and engage in physical activity too. This is a very important benefit,” Antoinette explains.
She recommends a supportive sports bra for exercise – especially if engaging in high-impact exercise, in order to support the very delicate breast tissue.
“Even if you’re not the athletic type, if a sports bra makes you feel comfortable and confident and more likely to exercise, wear one. Wearing an unsupportive bra can make us feel uncomfortable and less likely to exercise. We’ll exercise more if we feel good,” she says.
PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECT OF BIGGER BUST
Having breasts that are very big can have emotional consequences, says Antoinette.
“We know from post mammoplasty studies (after breast reduction surgery studies) that very large breasts can affect a woman emotionally and socially. She may have low self-esteem or depression and may limit her physical activity because of the size of her bust.”
A study into the outcome of breast reduction surgery by the British Association of Spinal Surgeons in 2012 (Sing & Losken), for example, showed that those who had plastic reconstruction surgery did benefit.
“People who underwent it had a functional improvement in musculo-skeletal pain and headaches and psychological benefits that included raised self-esteem, quality of life as well as less anxiety and depression. After reduction mammoplasty women also exercised more and there was a reduction in eating disorders.”
She points out that there are lots of different bra types and fabrics available and sourcing the right cup size is no longer difficult: whether it’s an A or J.
“Take the time to get fitted and see if it makes a difference to your comfort and how much exercise you take – so important for your overall health,” Antoinette advises. CL
>> Are you wearing the wrong bra size?
COMFORT
It shouldn’t feel uncomfortable. The underwire shouldn’t be poking into you, the band at the back shouldn’t move around or be tight. Shoulder straps and band should not be leaving marks on your body.
FASTENING
You should be able to fasten the bra comfortably on its loosest setting when fitting. There are generally three settings. It’s the wrong size if you fasten it on its furthest setting when it’s brand new. This is because, with normal wear, your bra will stretch so if, on its first wear, you have to fasten it on the tightest hook it will become too loose over time.
STRAPS
Straps should not be falling off the shoulder or be too tight. Straps are not there to hold your breasts up – the main support is from the back band.
BULGING
You shouldn’t see breast tissue bulging out on top of the cup or under the arm.BAND
The band should stay on your ribcage if you lift your arms. Breast tissue shouldn’t appear under the band. If it does it means that the bra is too big.ALIGNMENT
The back band should also be in line with the front, rather than ride up. This is an error that a lot of people make. They try to get support from the shoulder straps, rather than the band of the bra. They pull up the straps really tightly, thinking that’s going to support them but it doesn’t. The main support comes from the back.”
According to a Playtex report in the UK, the average bra size is now a 36C, up from a 34B 20 years ago. This has been put down to the increase in obesity levels.
The mark of a bad bra
Antoinette suggests that women go for extra soft, cushioned bras rather than just fabric ones. “Particularly for post-menopausal women they should wear the wide, load-bearing shoulder straps, rather than narrow straps, as they are less likely to dig in. A lot of post-menopausal women will complain of an indentation in their shoulder from the strap, but a bra shouldn’t leave a mark.”
In Antoinette Curley’s experience Irish women are more likely to wear ill-fitting bras than correctly-fitting ones. She is a clinical specialist chartered physiotherapist at Tallaght Hospital’s back clinic and reports that up to 80% of women are wearing the wrong fit. “Of those, 70% are more likely to be wearing bras that are too small for them, and 10% are wearing bras that are too big,” says Antoinette.
A few minutes standing – and hopping– in front of a mirror can tell you a lot about whether your bra fits you properly or not, she says. “Look at your chest as you jump up and down. See if you are supported. Move your arms up and down. There shouldn’t be any flesh protruding out over the cup or under the arm or over the band at the back. Often we try to fit ourselves into things, and think we fit into them – but we don’t.”
GET PROPERLY FITTED – REGULARLY
Getting fitted for a bra is important, the chartered physiotherapist says, and should be done regularly. “Women’s bra sizes generally change about six times during their lifetimes – especially with weight gain or loss – so don’t assume that you’re the same size all the time,” she explains.
While not getting fitted can come down to self-consciousness or embarrassment about being measured, this shouldn’t be a deterrent, she adds.
“As chartered physiotherapists we would recommend being fitted. Try it once at least to see if a properly fitted bra makes you feel better and so that you know your proper cup and band size. Department-store staff are used to fitting women correctly, and they can help you choose one that really fits. Knowing your proper size is very important,” says Antoinette.
Post-menopausal women getting correctly fitted is particularly important, she says. “They often neglect to do that. While in the 19-to-30 age group there is no relationship between breast size, bra fit and back pain, in the post-menopausal group, however, there may be. Increased BMI (body mass index) and increased breast size (from putting on weight) as you age are shown to correlate with thoracic (upper back) pain.”
While bad posture was believed to be a factor in thoracic pain in the past, when it comes to back pain – contrary to popular belief – there is no evidence that posture has a significant role. “Women have often blamed for slouching (self-consciously covering our breasts when we are sitting) for back pain in the past, but there is no scientific evidence to support that.”
She believes that society is confusing a sedentary lifestyle – not engaging in enough exercise – with slouched posture causing back problems. “There is no ideal posture, but if there is a lack of engagement in physical activity that’s more of an issue. It is inactivity that results in the (back) discomfort, not the slouching,” she says.
BACK PAIN IS MULTI-FACTORiAL
Scientific thinking about back pain has changed too, she says, in relation to post-menopausal women. “Traditionally, we thought that back pain was a sign of injury or damage, but we now know that back pain can be caused by a number of factors. The fear of damage or the fear of the pain not getting better along with anxiety, general health issues, or perhaps being run down can also be involved. Lifestyle factors – like sleep problems and low levels of physical activity – can be play a part too.
While there can be a relationship between heavy breasts and back pain, there may not be structural or tissue damage (in the spine). “What we do know now is that tissues can become more sensitized over time, so you can have back pain without having back damage or injury. Pain is not just caused by one factor, like larger breasts Really, the causes of the spinal, pain are multifactorial,” she says.
There is a movement away from blaming specific muscles too. “The evidence isn’t consistent that there is actual damage. It’s more that the tissues become sensitised (touchy). It’s almost like the volume button gets turned up and activities that mightn’t normally cause pain now do so.”
“The pain isn’t in people’s heads though, she says. “It’s not imagined, but there is evidence that anxiety affects our perception of pain,” says Antoinette.
The management of back pain has changed now, she adds. “It has become more bio/psycho/social. We look at everything: the physical body and also psychological factors (anxiety, depression, low mood) and social factors (perhaps poor work or personal relationships/stressful life).”
SELF-CONFIDENCE
So what can a correctly fitting bra do for you?
“While wearing a correctly fitting bra doesn’t help prevent back pain or doesn’t improve posture as such, your self-confidence is often improved if you’re wearing a comfortable, correctly fitting bra, and your confidence to exercise and engage in physical activity too. This is a very important benefit,” Antoinette explains.
She recommends a supportive sports bra for exercise – especially if engaging in high-impact exercise, in order to support the very delicate breast tissue.
“Even if you’re not the athletic type, if a sports bra makes you feel comfortable and confident and more likely to exercise, wear one. Wearing an unsupportive bra can make us feel uncomfortable and less likely to exercise. We’ll exercise more if we feel good,” she says.
PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECT OF BIGGER BUST
Having breasts that are very big can have emotional consequences, says Antoinette.
“We know from post mammoplasty studies (after breast reduction surgery studies) that very large breasts can affect a woman emotionally and socially. She may have low self-esteem or depression and may limit her physical activity because of the size of her bust.”
A study into the outcome of breast reduction surgery by the British Association of Spinal Surgeons in 2012 (Sing & Losken), for example, showed that those who had plastic reconstruction surgery did benefit.
“People who underwent it had a functional improvement in musculo-skeletal pain and headaches and psychological benefits that included raised self-esteem, quality of life as well as less anxiety and depression. After reduction mammoplasty women also exercised more and there was a reduction in eating disorders.”
She points out that there are lots of different bra types and fabrics available and sourcing the right cup size is no longer difficult: whether it’s an A or J.
“Take the time to get fitted and see if it makes a difference to your comfort and how much exercise you take – so important for your overall health,” Antoinette advises. CL
>> Are you wearing the wrong bra size?
COMFORT
It shouldn’t feel uncomfortable. The underwire shouldn’t be poking into you, the band at the back shouldn’t move around or be tight. Shoulder straps and band should not be leaving marks on your body.
FASTENING
You should be able to fasten the bra comfortably on its loosest setting when fitting. There are generally three settings. It’s the wrong size if you fasten it on its furthest setting when it’s brand new. This is because, with normal wear, your bra will stretch so if, on its first wear, you have to fasten it on the tightest hook it will become too loose over time.
STRAPS
Straps should not be falling off the shoulder or be too tight. Straps are not there to hold your breasts up – the main support is from the back band.
BULGING
You shouldn’t see breast tissue bulging out on top of the cup or under the arm.BAND
The band should stay on your ribcage if you lift your arms. Breast tissue shouldn’t appear under the band. If it does it means that the bra is too big.ALIGNMENT
The back band should also be in line with the front, rather than ride up. This is an error that a lot of people make. They try to get support from the shoulder straps, rather than the band of the bra. They pull up the straps really tightly, thinking that’s going to support them but it doesn’t. The main support comes from the back.”
According to a Playtex report in the UK, the average bra size is now a 36C, up from a 34B 20 years ago. This has been put down to the increase in obesity levels.
The mark of a bad bra
Antoinette suggests that women go for extra soft, cushioned bras rather than just fabric ones. “Particularly for post-menopausal women they should wear the wide, load-bearing shoulder straps, rather than narrow straps, as they are less likely to dig in. A lot of post-menopausal women will complain of an indentation in their shoulder from the strap, but a bra shouldn’t leave a mark.”
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