Take Care of the Girls, Please

As I drive around my neighborhood, I often see people running on the sidewalks and trails. I can’t help doing a bit of inexpert gait analysis—“he’d run easier if he didn’t swing his arms across his body,” or “she’s working against herself by leaning back when she runs instead of slightly forward”—as well as some silent rooting for the slow runners I see, my tribe!

But the one thing that makes me want to actually stop and advise people for their own good is women running with insufficiently supportive sports bras. As an overly blessed woman myself, I wince when I see them pass by, knowing the damage they’re doing to connective tissue that will result in the infamous breasts hanging down to their knees when they’re 70. As reported on MSNBC, “The momentum created by intense bouncing can stretch the breast's connective tissues, causing sagging and pain for many women.”

I think there are several reasons women wear unsupportive running bras:

· some women don’t know that there are bras strong enough to support them adequately

· some women don’t want to spend the money and stick with $9.99 compression bras from Target

· some women honestly haven’t thought about it and don’t realize how important it is.

If you think any of these women may be you, get yourself to your local running shop (a real running shop—Sports Authority doesn’t count) and get a female salesperson to help you find a bra that keeps movement to a minimum. Try them on in the dressing room and jump up and down in them to see how much support you get. If there are no good running stores in your area or you’re just a more private person, order several styles online and just keep the one(s) that fit and work best. Title 9 and Athleta have excellent sports bra selections, and discounted versions can be found on Sierra Trading Post’s and Campmor's websites.

If your budget is tight, just buy one or two good bras. It’s an investment in your health! It’s the same argument I make for spending the money on the right shoes for you—your eventual medical bills or horror at what you’ve done to your body will cost much more than buying the right bra or shoe preventatively.

Comments

[Lana]

How timely! I just read an article about this on the New York Times Well blog: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/18/phys-ed-the-right-kind-of-sports-bra/#

I promise this isn't spam--it's a link to a real article. :) Basically it says that the right bra for those of us overly blessed in that area doesn't yet exist, but that it is in the works in Australia. That said I've had tons of luck with the Enell bra--spendy, but it works, even during a marathon.

[Lisa]

Thanks, Lana! I was looking for a reference article when I wrote this and didn't find much. The Enell is certainly the gold standard in sports bras!

[Denise]

One thing my Mom always stressed to em is buy a good bra! When you have a good bra and a good pair of shoes a woman is happy she says. As funny as it sounds it is so true! I stressed that to my own daughter and she now arees. The best way to get a bra is go to a place like Victoria Secret to get meassureed. They are tought well on how to do it properly. Then I suggest buying a bra someplace else. It is so important to have a good fitting one for so many reasons.

Great article!

[kD]

Q- may I quote you/this in a future newsletter... well done.

It's like a train wreck, you can't help but watch and you feel badly for staring (not b/c you're a perv, but b/c you feel their pain)