All set and ready to go

So you set, out the door, off to Pilates, training for a 5km, half marathon or even a triathlon. What every your sport or activity you are about to embark on you have the right clothes, ones that you can move easily in, layers that can remove once you get in your stride and a good pair of runners to support your feet.

But wait what about that garment that sits closest to your skin and offers support to your breast tissue?

Yes your bra.

Do you have a good fitting sports bra? One that fits properly, doesn’t allow for movement and is comfortable to wear?

No…Is this why you have pain and discomfort along with chaffing after your workout?

Cooper’s Ligament

During any sort of activity our muscles and ligaments move. The Cooper’s ligaments are a collections of connective tissue that help support the bulk of the breast tissue.  They provide the characteristic shape of the breast by connecting the skin of the breasts to the collarbone and the underlying connective tissue to the chest muscles.  Over time and with age the Cooper’s ligaments can loosen resulting in sagging of the breast tissue.

What can I do to stop this from happening?

Stretching of Cooper’s ligament cannot be stop, but you can try and slow it down. Your body naturally change due to age, hormonal changes, pregnancy, breastfeeding, weight loss or gain and these contribute and influence stretching of the breast ligaments. The Cooper’s ligaments cannot be repaired or replaced so it is vital that you support the ligaments as much as you can.

How to support Cooper’s ligaments?

So we can’t stop breast tissue from changing shape but we delay the natural process while preserving the shape of the breasts.

What is that?

A well fitted bra is vital to support the breast tissue and reduce the amount of movement in the tissue. There are many different types of sports bras, different ones suit different people and different activities. When choosing your bra think of the following before making your choice:

• What type of activity are you undertaking: it is low, medium or high impact
• What level of support do you need: this depends on your breast size with a larger bust needing more support and also the activity
• What is the strap width:  straps need to be wider than standard bra straps to help support the breast and prevent further sagging of the tissue

The future

So there we have it nothing can stop our breasts from changing however we can prevent long time damage from occurring. A good quality sports bra will provide support, reduce movement and protect from strain. Find support you can wear and feel the difference.