AUTHOR=Illidi Camilla R. , Jensen Dennis 

TITLE=Supported to perform: sports bras and breast volume do not impair cycling performance in females

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Sports and Active Living

VOLUME=6

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sports-and-active-living/articles/10.3389/fspor.2024.1439403

DOI=10.3389/fspor.2024.1439403

ISSN=2624-9367

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Introduction</title><p>Despite the importance of sports bras for comfort during exercise in people with breasts, concerns persist regarding their potential effects on athletic performance. Discrepancies in previous studies necessitate a closer examination of the interaction between sports bras, breast volume, exertional symptoms, and exercise performance.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>Twenty-three recreationally-active, normal bodyweight females completed three 10-km time-trials on a cycle ergometer on three separate occasions in a randomized order, while wearing a professionally fitted high-support sports bra, a professionally fitted low-support sports bralette, or a personal, self-selected sports bra. Performance was quantified as the time to complete the 10-km distance. Cardiorespiratory and symptom responses were measured throughout.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>Participants were grouped by their estimated breast volumes (small: mean ± SD 284 ± 38 ml, median bra size: 32C; large: 560 ± 97 ml, 34DD; <italic>p</italic> = 0.002, <italic>g</italic> = 3.84). The average time-trial duration was 23.1 ± 3.1 min and comparable across breast volume groups and sports bra conditions (between-group: <italic>p</italic> = 0.794, <italic>η</italic><sub>p</sub><sup>2</sup> &lt; 0.01; between-bras: <italic>p</italic> = 0.273, <italic>η</italic><sub>p</sub><sup>2</sup> &lt; 0.01). Notably, larger-breasted participants experienced stronger symptoms of chest tightness (<italic>p</italic> = 0.042, <italic>η</italic><sub>p</sub><sup>2</sup> = 0.18), which were associated with their ratings of perceived exertion and breathlessness (intensity and unpleasantness). Irrespective of breast volume, the high-support sports bra also evoked stronger symptoms of chest tightness (<italic>p</italic> = 0.039, <italic>η</italic><sub>p</sub><sup>2</sup> = 0.15).</p></sec><sec><title>Discussion</title><p>Stronger symptoms of chest tightness associated with larger breast volumes or high-support sports bras do not impede performance during self-paced non-weight-bearing exercise in recreationally-active females.</p></sec>