Study suggests sports bras may trigger back problems

By Stephen Beech

Sports bras may trigger back problems, suggests a new study.

Trendy high-support bras designed to reduce breast motion could be increasing back pain during exercise, according to the findings.

Improvements in bra design that focus on maximizing bounce reduction may actually increase loading on the spine, say scientists.

A first-of-its-kind female musculoskeletal model estimated the potential impact of high-support bras on the back.

The findings, published in the European Journal of Sport Science, show that a theoretical bra that achieves 100% bounce reduction may increase loading on the spine.

The study, by researchers at the University of Portsmouth, suggests that bras offering excessive bounce reduction may come with hidden consequences for spinal health.

Sports bras are popular in the health and fitness world, with makers often emphasizing "bounce reduction" as a key indicator of a bra's performance.

But the new study suggests that high-support bras that significantly reduce breast bounce could have a "detrimental effect" on the spine.

The preliminary research revealed that bras designed to prevent breast bounce during exercise may unknowingly cause potential unseen consequences on the musculoskeletal system.

Dr. Chris Mills and colleagues at Portsmouth's School of Psychology, Sport and Health Sciences used advanced tools - including motion capture, force platforms, and a 3D surface scanner - to investigate the effects of breast movement on spinal rotational forces.

Using a first-of-its-kind whole body female-specific musculoskeletal model, the team examined how varying levels of breast support influenced torso motion, breast forces, and spinal moments during running.

The findings revealed that while sports bras are essential for reducing breast pain during exercise, achieving 100% bounce reduction could unintentionally increase loading on the spine.

Simulated conditions showed that bras eliminating breast movement led to higher spinal moments, which could elevate the risk of lumbar back pain.

The researchers emphasized the importance of striking an "optimal balance" in bra design; reducing breast bounce without overloading the spine.

Dr Mills said: "While a supportive sports bra is crucial for exercise comfort, excessive bounce reduction may place additional strain on spinal muscles, increasing the risk of back pain."

The research team says their findings highlight the need for bra manufacturers to consider the unseen musculoskeletal impacts on the human body in their designs.

Dr. Joanna Wakefield-Scurr, Head of the Research Group in Breast Health (RGBH), said: “These findings suggest that striving for maximum bounce reduction may inadvertently pose challenges to spinal health during activities like running.

“As sports bras evolve, this study challenges industry leaders to innovate designs that balance comfort, breast support, and holistic health, ensuring that bounce reduction doesn’t come at a cost to spinal health.”

She explained that the creation of a subject-specific female musculoskeletal model enabled researchers to gain a detailed understanding and approximation of changes in spinal moments, following simulated changes in breast motion during running.

Previous research by the Portsmouth team used the model to predict changes in spinal moments after breast surgery.

Dr. Mills said: “The musculoskeletal model could become a useful tool in predicting appropriate and personalized rehabilitation recommendations, which could help ease the loading on the spine after breast surgeries.

“Understanding the individual muscular contributions will help to develop personalized pre-surgical rehabilitation programs as well as bras that work in tandem with each female body to maximize performance and reduce injury risk."

He added: “Moving forward the key goal is to determine what is the optimal amount of bounce reduction to both reduce exercise-induced breast pain and also the internal loading on the spine during physical activity.”

The RGBH unit has monitored the performance of over 700 sports bras on more than 8,000 women over the past 10 years.