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Bouncing Boobs
12/01/2006
The Research
The prospect of irreversible breast sag faces the 9.5 million women, out of 12 million currently taking regular exercise, who do not protect their breasts properly, according to The Shock Absorber Breast Movement Study, carried out by the Department of Sport and Exercise Science at the University of Portsmouth.
The report found that breasts move in a three dimensional figure of eight, going up and down, in and out and side to side. With the average 36C breast weighing 300grams, this uncontrolled movement puts great strain on the breast's fragile support structure, which comprises of the outer skin and a connective tissue known as the Cooper's ligaments.
The report found that each breast moves independently of the body by an average of nine centimetres during each step taken on a treadmill. So, while a woman's legs run a metric mile, her breasts bounce up to 144 metres under their own steam. The breasts in a G cup bounce over 14 centimetres per stride, or 232 metres per mile.
There are two results of this breast movement: pain and discomfort, which is temporary; and a stretching of the Cooper's ligament, which is permanent and leads to irreversible breast sag.
Wearing a regular T-shirt bra during exercise reduces bounce by an average of 38 per cent, however during the research, women fitted with a Shock Absorber sports bra reduced breast bounce up to 74 per cent.
The report also found that there is a rapid increase in breast movement during the transition from walking to jogging, suggesting that breast support is equally important during lower impact activity, and that bounce reduction capability is just as beneficial for women with smaller breasts.
The Science
Dr Joanna Scurr, Department of Sport and Exercise Science, University of Portsmouth carried out a scientific study into the differing effects of wearing sports bras on three-dimensional breast movement during physical exercise. Dr Scurr and her team physically tested 56 women, ranging from A to G cup with no surgical implants. Subjects were asked to take part in treadmill running tests, to monitor levels of bounce with and without the support of a sports bra. To expand upon previous studies Dr Scurr widened the testing boundaries: by monitoring women on the running machine at up to 20km/per/hr and women with breasts as large as a G cup. During testing subjects had reflective markers attached to the nipple and the collarbone on both sides of their body.
Three-dimensional movement of these markers was tracked using 4 Infrared cameras positioned around a treadmill. The test began at 5 kph and increased by 1 kph until the subject was performing at their maximum speed. This was repeated with the subject wearing a normal bra (brand leaders most popular everyday bra) and up to 9 Shock Absorber sports bras (depending on cup size). Results showed that during treadmill running breast movement occurs in three dimensions, from the front it follows a figure-of-eight pattern
Dr Joanna Scurr says:
Dr Joanna Scurr, who carried out the research at the University of Portsmouth, says: "Women need to be aware of the effects of exercising without properly supporting their breasts. People rightly spend time and effort to get the right footwear for exercise and it is equally important to wear the correct breast support. Proper support for breast will reduce the stretch to the Cooper's ligament."
Facts
Currently the UK average breast size is recorded at 36C.
The average breast weighs 200-300 grams each!Exercise causes bounce.
Bounce increases the chance of premature sagging of the breast by stretching the Cooper's ligament.
Size doesn't matter
Sort of exercise doesn't matter
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