Breast Support Garments are Ineffective at Reducing Breast Motion During an Aqua Aerobics Jumping Exercise

Abstract

The buoyant forces of water during aquatic exercise may provide a form of ‘natural’ breast support and help to minimise breast motion and alleviate exercise induced breast pain. Six larger-breasted females performed standing vertical land and water-based jumps, whilst wearing three breast support conditions. Underwater video cameras recorded the motion of the trunk and right breast. Trunk and relative breast kinematics were calculated as well as exercised induced breast pain scores. Key results showed that the swimsuit and sports bra were able to significantly reduce the superioinferior breast range of motion by 0.04 and 0.05 m, respectively, and peak velocity by 0.23 and 0.33 m/s, respectively, during land-based jumping when compared to the bare-breasted condition, but were ineffective at reducing breast kinematics during water-based jumping. Furthermore, the magnitude of the swimsuit superioinferior breast range of motion during water-based jumping was significantly greater than land-based jumping (0.13 m and 0.06 m), yet there were no significant differences in exercise induced breast pain, thus contradicting previously published relationships between these parameters on land. Furthermore, the addition of an external breast support garment was able to reduce breast kinematics on land but not in water, suggesting the swimsuit and sports bras were ineffective and improvements in swimwear breast support garments may help to reduce excessive breast motion during aqua aerobic jumping exercises.

Breasts as a perceived barrier to physical activity in Mexican women: A cross-sectional study

“…Breast as a research subject related to exercise behavior has recently produced relevant reports, including important information regarding breast pain, breast as a barrier to PA, and bra characteristics in active and the general population. 24 , 34 , 38 , 53 – 55 Breast pain is associated with VPA in European women. 15 In this study, breast pain increased with the menstrual cycle and exercise; however, breast pain and health knowledge were unrelated to levels of PA.…”

“…The sample size was estimated based on previous studies conducted in Australia 37 and in the United States. 38 The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines were followed when preparing the article. 39 …”

Effect of water depth on muscle activity and stride duration when walking in the water at different speeds

“…Table 1 provides information regarding MVC exercises. Familiarisation trials, conducted on land and each depth, lasted three minutes, characterised as sufficient in previous aquatic exercise research (Mills, Ayres & Scurr, 2015). Participants continually walked back and forth on land and on the pool floor, at two speeds.…”

Breast Biomechanics: What Do We Really Know?

“…Furthermore, most studies have investigated breast motion during walking or running. Less than a quarter of published studies have examined breast motion during other exercise modalities, such as aquatic-based activities (97,106,107), jumping (15,25,84,86,106,116,132,160), and upper limb movements (160). Further research is therefore required to investigate breast motion of more women, particularly those who are older, have larger breasts, and represent the body mass index of the broader female population.…”