Bras ?
Most women wear bras, but quite often the first thing they want to do when they come in from work or a long day out is to take them off.!!
This is certainly the case if you have a poorly fitting bra.
It’s a dilemma trying to work out what to consider when buying a bra.
So I’ve put together a few pointers to help you.
Women’s breasts vary hugely in size and shape but their structure is essentially the same. They consist of fat and breast tissue along with nerves, veins, lymph ducts arteries and connective tissue. The connective tissue and fat help give the breast it’s shape and support. The breast tissue is there to supply breast milk when needed. The blood vessels and nerve supply keep it all alive and healthy.
Bras help support these structures as well as give women a nice shape under their clothes. A sports bra will need to provide most support to avoid impact through the body overstretching the structures of the breast, whereas a bra to wear for special occasions doesn’t need to be as firm.
A first bra for adolescent girls needs to be softer with no underwiring as do breast feeding bras.A bra for larger breasts will naturally be more substantial than one for a small cup size.
From an Osteopathic point of view, we are interested in the areas of pressure that a bra creates.
1. Make sure the bra is not too tight around the rib cage or it will restrict your rib function and breathing. If it is too loose, the bra strap rides up your back and all the weight goes onto your shoulders.
2. Similarly don’t tighten your straps over your shoulders too much or it creates pressure on the tips of your shoulders.
An ideal balance is to get a snug fit in both areas and the loading shared.
3. A good bra fitter will be an excellent source of advice. Explain what the bra is needed for – sport, work, evening/short-time wear.
The fitter will be able to guide you on sizing, style and how to fit it properly.
4. It is a good idea to vary the pattern of bra straps to help your shoulders and neck. Try mixing a racerback bra style with over the shoulder straps or halterneck.
5. Once you have a few nice bras it’s worth looking at the care and washing instructions to make them last longer. Handwashing or gentle care programs are ideal. Popping the bras into a net bag in the washer also helps.
6. You may still wish to whip your bra off at the end of a day and this is no bad thing either.!!
We have some great bra shops near the practice-
https://www.facebook.com/whatlyesbeneathbramhall/ in Bramhall Village https://www.facebook.com/vanillafudgel/ in Cheadle Hulme
Enjoy choosing your bras – they can be beautiful and functional too and help you feel comfortable and confident from the inside out.
Jo Cheaney
Osteopath
