Does your bra shift up while lifting your hand above the head? Or it adheres too tightly to your body?
If yes, you are wearing an ill-fitting bra.
Well, you are not alone. Almost 80% of women are seen to wear poorly fitting bras.
Various reasons, such as ignorance or embarrassment, can cause so many women to wear wrongly-fitting bras, but the results are the same.
Research shows that poorly fitting bras can cause various direct and indirect health problems.
Almost 50% of women face breast pain caused by a lack of breast support.
But the good news is, wearing a correct size bra will help you manage all the problems previously caused by ill-fitting ones.
So, let’s understand the harmful effects of a poorly fitting bra and how you can find the right size.
5 Harmful Effects of Ill-Fitting Bra
1. Headaches
A wrongly-fitting bra could cause a lack of support for your cleavage. So, your upper back and neck muscles have to work harder to support your breast.
If your neck muscles overwork, they may cause a headache. It may also result in shoulder and neck pain.
2. Abrasions and Sagging
If the bra is too tight, it may cause cuts and abrasions of your skin. Furthermore, your bra should sit in one place throughout the day. If it is loose, it may move around and can cause cuts. A loose-fitting bra may also cause sagging of your breast.
3. Backache
A tight-fitting bra can restrict the movement of your upper back, resulting in stiffness of the spine. Your spine allows you to bend, move, and rotate.
Stiffness of the spine may thus cause discomfort while moving and finally may result in backache.
4. Impacts Breathing
A tight bra prevents the normal movement of your ribcage. While this doesn’t result in breathlessness, the quality of your breathing may fall. It may also alter the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in your blood.
5. Breast Pain
An ill-fitting bra is one of the most prevalent causes of breast pain.4 A bra that is too big causes your breasts to move around all day, resulting in their soreness.
Besides, a tight bra may cause too much pressure on your breast, resulting in sensitivity.
Finding a Perfect Bra
Every woman may have different criteria for finding a comfortable and correct fitting bra. According to The Research Group in Breast Health, the following five criteria can help you find the right bra.
Underwire: It should follow the breast crease and shouldn’t sit on your breast.
Straps: They should pull about one inch and comfortably sit on your shoulder.
Underband: Should be at the level of your torso and pull away one inch.
Cups: They should place the breast tissue without gaping or bulging.
Centre-front: It should be flat against your body.
Ladies, find the right bra size and stay comfortable throughout the day!
Disclaimer: Indian Health Bureau does not claim any responsibility for the information contained in this article. The information may not hold good for everyone. The post is for general awareness only and should not be construed as a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Please consult your doctor to know what is good for you.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4200534/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3322448/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1932263/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2275741/
https://academic.oup.com/jbi/article/2/2/101/5698273
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