Jumping Jacks, butt kickers, jogging, high knees, and just about any bouncing motion has me in pain. I feel others pain a bit more than my own. The motion that is meant to be good for our bodies has left some of us grabbing for our chest to keep the pain at a minimum. Yes, I am talking about our breasts.
Lovely as they are meant to be, our chest takes quite the abuse from bouncing, running, and jumping. The breasts are composed of mainly fatty tissue with the mammary glands and muscle. The muscle is deep so that it cannot help much in supporting the breast.
Ligaments help hold the breasts up. They are thin bands interwoven into the breast and are not very strong. If the breasts are not supported properly with a good sports bra then repetitive bouncing from running can stretch the ligaments permanently.
Continuous running causes the breasts to move up and down and side to side. This not only causes pain resulting from the trauma of excessive movement but will result in permanent stretching of the ligaments resulting in drooping breasts. It is not just the larger breasted woman who suffers breast pain when running but also smaller breasted women can suffer from injury like joggers nipple just as much.
It is also possible that breasts that are not properly supported can lead to tension and strain in the upper back and neck, particularly in the larger breasted woman. The excess weight at the front can mean the back muscles have to work harder to keep the shoulders in the correct position. These muscles will eventually become weak and stretched leading to back and neck pain.
What can the you do about it?
Wear the correct sports bra. This should give support and prevent vertical movement as well as side to side movement
‘Breast droop’ is irreversible so prevention is better than cure
For back and neck pain, remember those YWTL’s which will help maintain correct posture with your shoulders back. Also a regular sports massage is a great way of reducing the tension in the muscles
Sports Bras
There are many types of sports bra available and the most suitable for one person is not necessarily the best for another person. When choosing a sports bra you should take into account:
- Support Level – this will depend on your size (larger breasts need more support) and your sport (high impact?)
- Compression or Encapsulation – Compression bras basically compress the breasts against the chest and are usually crop-top styles. Encapsulation bras keep the breast separate in defined cups, more similar to a standard bra. Women with larger breasts should pick an encapsulation bra. Smaller breasted women may feel a compression bra is sufficient. A few styles both compress and encapsulate.
- Strap Width – Make sure the straps are wider than an standard bra. This will help support and breasts and prevent the straps digging in.
- Material – Make sure the material is breathable and comfortable to wear. Also ensure that there are no seams on the cups which could cause nipple chafing!
I visited Zoe & Co on Main Street in Concord the other day. The ladies are wonderful and extremely helpful. They will fit you for the correct cup and band size. Anne told me, “Most of us walk around wearing a band size that is too loose and a cup size that is too small.” Imagine that? too small? How much of our self esteem is based on the breast size? (I know I’m the only one who is that shallow as a lady:)
Pamper your self, protect your body, visit Anne at Zoe & Co. You may be pleasantly surprised by the silhouette you see in the mirror.
For the girls,
Coach Nancy
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