If you see me as a patient, or viewed any of my previous blog postings. You may have heard me talk about posture once or twice? Supporting your boobs in a well fitted bra can contribute to good posture and is important for ladies. The purpose of a well-fitting bra is to offer support of the breasts for comfort, wellbeing and appearance. It is estimated that 80% of women in the UK are wearing the wrong size bra.
Sometimes problems that I deal with as an Osteopath, can be caused by, or contributed to by a poor fitting bra.
Problems that can result from an ill-fitting bra
- Pain from direct pressure.
- Postural problems related to poor support, this may then cause pain.
- Alongside changes in posture, you may get a knock-on effect on the internal organs/structures. Then possibly changes in breathing, circulation and digestion. Heartburn, indigestion, IBS have all been documented.
- Skin rashes from direct pressure.
A well fitted bra can contribute to better posture and wellbeing
How to fit your bra – what to look out for
Look at the band around your torso. It should fit securely. You should be able to slide 2 fingers underneath the band at the back, and one under the middle part at the front, “the gore”.
If the band at the back of the bra rides up, then it is too big. In this scenario, you would tend to compensate by tightening the shoulder straps. So other signs that this may be the case are indents on your shoulders from the straps. Or maybe pain in the shoulders.
The central part, “gore”, at the front of the bra should also sit on your body. You should be able to raise your arms up above your head and for this to remain the case. If this doesn’t happen it maybe the case that you should increase the cup size and reduce the band size.
Another sign of an ill-fitting bra is the “quad boob”. So this is when breast tissue bulges over the top of the bra. The bra needs to encapsulate all the breast tissue.
To measure:
Measure with a fabric tape measure underneath the bust where the band should be. The tape measure should be tight, ideally you should do this naked. Make sure the tape measure is parallel. This is where 90% of the support from your bra comes from.
Bra sizes come in even numbers, round it up if necessary. This is your band size.
Next measure around the fullness of the bust. Do this naked and bending forward. This is so all your breast tissue moves forward and can be incorporated in the measurement. The tape measure should be looser on this measurement.
Then take the difference between the two measurements to get the cup size. SEE CHART.
Difference between 0″ <1″ 2″ 3″ 4″ 5″ 6″ 7″ 8″ 9″ 10″ 11″ 12″
2 measurements
Cup size AA A B C D DD E F FF G GG H HH
So this is a basic guide. There will be variations between brands and so your bra size may alter between styles and brands. Remember that the band size is proportionate to the cup size, so if you reduce the band you will likely have to go up in the cup and vice versa.
In conclusion, if your bra doesn’t fit snugly and encompass everything, and/or causes pain. Then it is best to take the advice offered here today.
