Bust size and pain of the musculoskeletal system – a literature review

Abstract

Objectives. It is generally accepted that large breast sizes among women contribute to the development of back pain and poor posture. The aim of our research was to determine if the hypothesis that the size of the breasts has an impact on the pain of the musculoskeletal system in women, can be confirmed or denied on the basis of available literature. Material and methods. A systematic review based on the contents of the PubMed database, ResearchGate, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar databases was performed. In order to identify relevant publications, a search using a combination of key words "breast size", "spine pain" and "musculoskeletal pain"(according to Medical Subject Headings-MeSH) was performed. Four studies have been included in our review. Results. The correlation between breast size and pain is confirmed by three studies. One study stands in opposition to the others. Considering the value of evidence and results in peer-reviewed publications, we conclude that there is considerable evidence to support the hypothesis that the size of the breasts affects the painfulness of the musculoskeletal system. Conclusions. Due to the small amount of available literature, we find that studies on the impact of bust size on pain of the musculoskeletal system should be continued on a larger scale. Based on the above review, we conclude that there is considerable evidence to support the hypothesis that the size of the breasts affects the painfulness of the musculoskeletal system.

Does an alternative breast support garment provide symptomatic relief for larger breasted women with chronic non-specific back pain?

“…Larger breasted women (D±) regularly seek medical assistance for symptoms associated with chronic back pain. 1 , 2 The prevalence of chronic back pain among larger breasted women may increase due to the continuously increasing average bra size. 2 Current treatment strategies for this patient group are mostly surgical, although specific eligibility criteria limit accessibility to reduction surgery through the National Health Service (NHS).…”

“… 1 , 2 The prevalence of chronic back pain among larger breasted women may increase due to the continuously increasing average bra size. 2 Current treatment strategies for this patient group are mostly surgical, although specific eligibility criteria limit accessibility to reduction surgery through the National Health Service (NHS). 3 Because the NHS does not record the annual number of patients who are denied surgery, the number of larger breasted women living with chronic back pain is not known.…”