Why should women invest in hi-tech sports bra?
Over the years female athletes and women who practiced sports in general, have always had to endure breast pain, wrap their busts with elastic or double up on everyday brassieres - up until the invention of the first sports bra by Hinda Miller out of two jock straps (found in the laundry basket) sewn along with wide elastic band in the 1970s.
Yet there is still a long way ahead. It is estimated that 80 per cent of women wear the wrong size bra, a figure that includes unsuitable sports bras, and research from Sweaty Betty finds that 75 per cent of women don’t wear a sports bra at all when exercising.
It’s a serious matter that can bring a great deal of pre and post-workout pain and can also cause permanent damage such as the rupture of the Cooper’s ligaments (elastic tissue above the nipples that keeps breasts bouncy, to stretch) without this suitable support, they could stretch permanently.
Nowadays, there’s little excuse for poor gearing properly: brands are patenting new shapes and fabrics, and there are far more brands catering for more types of breast.
“One of the most common mistakes women make when choosing a sports bra is choosing the wrong style for their sport,” confirms Tamara Hill-Norton, founder and creative director of Sweaty Betty, which offers sports bras in sizes 30A to 38F. “To run, whether you are an A or E cup, you need a high-support style with compression and encapsulation. On the opposite end of the scale, a yoga bra just won’t cut it for a spin class.”
Brands are warming to an educational programme. At the end of last year, Sweaty Betty launched its Stop the Drop campaign, intended to inform women about measuring up for a sports bra. On its website, it has an interactive chart to help you select according to cup size and activity level.
Other notes: 80 per cent of the support in a sports bra comes from the under strap, not the shoulder straps, so it must fit tightly around your ribcage. If you’re doing anything medium- or high-intensity, you should pick a structured fit, with cups and one with closures, instead of one you stretch over your head. If yours is slack enough to stretch over your shoulders, it’s probably too loose for what you’re about to attempt. Sweat-wicking fabrics maintain their shape better than cotton, which absorbs the water from your body and becomes saggy. Strap in and get moving.