Sports Bras for Runners

Running without a sports bra – on the odd day it missed being packed into a gym bag - can leave a woman slightly uncomfortable. Breasts bounce 135 metres when a woman runs a mile. Going tech-free under a running top on many runs will cause breast pain and damage permanently a woman’s breast.

Running and Breast Movement

Whether trail running, road running or running on a treadmill at home or at the gym, a woman’s breasts will move up and down, side to side, up and down and in and out. When running, a woman's breasts do a "figure of eight".

Cooper's Ligaments

A woman running puts stress on the Cooper’s ligaments, irrespective of the size of her breasts. A breast can weigh between 200 to 300 grams. Breast movement during running in the wrong bra will damage the breast’s outer skin and connective tissue – the Cooper’s ligaments – permanently. Running without adequate support by a sports bra can make breasts sag and cause pain.

Running, Breast Speed and Pain

New research carried out by the University of Portsmouth-based scientist Dr Joanna Scurr, presented at the annual conference "At the Crossroads of Science and Practice" of the American College of Sports Medicine in May 2008 suggests that the speed the breast moves is important in reducing breast pain and limiting damage to a woman’s breast by running.

Millions of women experience breast pain when exercising and may frequently take pain medication. The international tennis star Anna Kournikova led a campaign to get women wearing sports bras.

Wearing Sports Bras to Fix Bouncing Breasts and Pain

Most sports bras currently on the market offer comfort and support to runners. Sportswear manufacturers are expected to respond quickly with technological and design changes to improve sports bras for running as research findings illuminate causes of breast pain and damage.

Shock Absorber, a sports bras manufacturer, sponsored Dr Scurr’s research team in the UK to conduct treadmill experiments in 2005 - of running women with sensors attached to their breasts - comparing the Shock Absorber sports bra to a tee-shirt bra and wearing no sports bra. The Breast Health team claim that against the baseline of running without a sports bra, the Shock Absorber bra reduced bounce by 78% and the tee-shirt bra by 38%. Such findings suggest that every woman who runs should buy a sports bra.

Buying a Sports Bra for Running

Going to a running shop to buy a sports bra will guarantee a professional fitting. A fitting for a sports bra means that a runner can feel the high-tech fabrics and appreciate the cuts of the bra for breast size. CoolMax and other wicking fabrics for bra liners are helpful.

Dagny Scott in Runner’s World Complete Book of Women’s Running (Rodale, 2000) advises “The band around your rib cage should be snug but not stifling. You should be able to breathe freely. Try raising your arms above you head, bending them, and swinging them around. The band should not move” and check the sports bra “for well-crafted seams” or outside seams to prevent chafing.

Some women may prefer a sports bra design that “lifts and separates” and other runners may get more comfort and support from the unibosom design of a sports bra such as Sports Jock. Runners should expect to do a ‘bounce test’ during sports bra fitting. Jumping on the spot will test for breast movement in the new bra. Any movement of a woman’s breast when jumping will be amplified by the “figure of eight” when running.

After a professional fitting at a running shop and buying a sports bra, a runner should enjoy pain-free running. Setting out with a perfect fit, she will know when the sports bra is too tired for running.

Sports Bra

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