How The Wrong Size Bra Affects Your Body
It’s no joke that three quarters of women are wearing the wrong bra size. Aside from being uncomfortable, there are some health concerns caused by wearing an incorrect size that shouldn’t be dismissed.
Body Pains from Bras
Have you ever considered that those nagging headaches or frequent back and neck pain could actually be due to wearing the incorrect bra size? Many larger breasted women suffer from these types of pains because their breasts are not being properly supported in the bras they are currently wearing.
Headaches and neck pains happen because the breasts are not sitting properly and are not supported by the band of the bra (remember, the support comes from the band, not the straps!). This lack of support means that your neck and upper back muscles are doing all of the “heavy lifting”, so to speak. When your neck muscles are working harder than normal, you’re more likely to get headaches.
Wearing a properly fitted bra will take the weight off of your neck and shoulders and distribute it properly.
At the same time, a bra that fits too tightly may be restricting movement in your back, causing back aches and pains. This happens because the vertebra under the band become restricted, causing localized stiffness of your spine.
Breast Pain
Wearing an improperly fitted bra can also cause your breasts to ache. Without a proper bra, your breast tissue is left unsupported causing strains on your chest.
It is important to wear a supportive sports bra while exercising as well. Your breasts can move around up to 8cm while being active, which will no doubt start to cause pain over time, especially for larger breasted women.
Pain in your breast area can also be caused by something called costochondritus, which is a condition that causes inflammation and affects the area around the rib cage where a bra’s gore or underwires sit. If you have frequent pain in this area, a bra with an underwire may not be your best friend.
Breathing Issues
Did you know that the wrong size bra can affect how you breathe? Although you might not notice it, a bra that is too tight can disrupt your ribs, restricting movement when you breathe. When this movement is restricted, your breathing can become shallow (which affects the amounts of oxygen and carbon dioxide in your blood). Shallow breathing can cause neck pain as well because the neck muscles will be recruited to assist with breathing.
So while wearing a bra does not cause cancer, it can still have an effect on your health. If you have any ongoing pain, lumps, or uncomfortable feelings, you should always be checked by a doctor. In the meantime, make sure that you are wearing a supportive bra that fits and use our Bra Size Calculator to find your true size.
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