Sports Bras: The Unsung Injury Prevention Hero?
New research highlights a critical, yet often overlooked, aspect of women's training gear – the sports bra. It's time to rethink its role in injury prevention and performance optimization.
The TL;DR
The bra you wear when exercising might play a surprisingly important role in protecting your knees and optimising your performance. This study opens a new avenue in injury prevention for women and girls and underscores the need for more research into personalized sports bra fitting.
A new study reveals wearing the wrong sports bra could leave female athletes more vulnerable to knee injuries, such as ACL tears. The researchers found a link between breast support and different female athlete landing biomechanics during activities like jumping and running, suggesting a potential new avenue for injury prevention.
What The Science Says
Supportive bras encouraged a "hip-dominant" landing strategy, lessening reliance on areas such as ankle muscles that are often more prone to injury.
Participants wearing supportive bras demonstrated decreased knee flexion angles and reduced dynamic knee valgus (dropping inwards of the knee) when landing – both biomechanical indicators potentially linked to increased ACL injury risk.
Larger cup sizes may be associated with higher injury risk.
Dr. Nichola Renwick, a breast biomechanics researcher, emphasizes the need for more in-depth studies, especially on the interaction between cup size, specific activities, and the impact on the knees.
While the science is suggestive at this stage, the researchers emphasize that both breast size and individual movement patterns factor into an individual's risk profile and that personalized bra fitting could play an essential role for maximizing protection.
Implications for Women's Sports Health
Rethinking Injury Prevention: This new science challenges the focus on purely biological factors and training technique by shining a light on an often overlooked piece of sports apparel.
Potential Benefits Beyond Injury: Scientists note that proper bra support can also influence other things such as oxygen consumption, ground reaction force, posture, and stride length (and more!) - factors that affect overall performance!
Community Education: There’s a need for wider education around correct sports bra fit and how it can help both exercise-induced breast pain and potential injury reduction.
Link to Full Article Here.
