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

Abstract

Background: Nonsurgical guidelines recommend implementing a correctly fitted bra when managing back pain among larger breasted women. Achieving this is challenging with current bra solutions, sizing principles, and fitting approaches. Persistent wearing of an ill-fitting bra can cause negative health implications, including non-specific back pain. Objectives: This study investigated immediate and short-term biomechanical and pain responses to changing breast support garment among larger breasted women with non-specific back pain. Methods: Participants (n = 24) performed a standing task, drop jumps, and seated typing tasks while bra and spinal kinematic data were recorded. Five breast support conditions were assessed: participants’ usual bra (control), a professionally fitted bra in the immediate term (standard) and after 4 weeks wear (standard28), and a bra with an alternative design, measurement, and fitting approach in both the immediate term (alternative) and after 4 weeks wear (alternative28). A bra fit assessment and clinical pain/disability questionnaires were included. Results: All participants failed the bra fit assessment in the control bra, compared with 87.5% (n = 21) in the standard and 4.2% (n = 1) in the alternative bras. The standard28 and alternative28 bras provided symptomatic relief, with the alternative28 bra improving a greater number of outcome measures. Reduced nipple-sternal-notch distance was observed only in the alternative28 bra condition. Conclusions: Symptomatic relief may be associated with the resting position of the breast tissue on the anterior chest wall. The alternative bra may provide potential clinical benefit if implemented as part of a nonsurgical or conservative pain management strategy. Alternative breast support garments should be considered to provide solutions to the problems associated with traditional bras.