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Understanding the importance of proper breast support in sport

The recommendation

…wearing a well-fitting sports bra can substantially reduce breast displacement and exercise-induced breast discomfort and, as such, is recommended for women when participating in physical activity. (Coltman et al. 2018)

Breast size can influence participation and enjoyment of sport, with excessive breast motion causing pain and embarrassment during physical activity.

What we know 

Breast size can significantly affect the ability to participate in physical activity, especially vigorous-intensity activity like running or jumping.

Those with larger breasts can experience discomfort, pain or even injury caused by excessive breast motion. Breasts can move up to 19cm vertically and up to 4cm side to side or front to back. Even as little as 2cm of breast motion can cause exercise-induced breast discomfort.

Proper breast support is critical for women to safely enjoy sport, but there is a lack of understanding among both coaches and participants about the importance of wearing well-fitted sports bras.

Insights for coaches 


Improve understanding 

Sport bra Generic black outline icon
Talk about proper breast support 

  • Many women (72%) experience breast pain when exercising.
  • Running and jogging are among the activities most likely to be affected by breast size.
  • Breast movement can cause pain and embarrassment, as well as reducing self-confidence and performance.
  • Sports bras are the most effective relief for breast pain – they can reduce breast movement by 59%.
  • It’s important we feel comfortable talking about proper breast support because this critical in ensuring women safely enjoy sport.
  • Ensure participants understand that wearing well-fitted sports bra is recommended to reduce exercise-induced breast pain.
  • Education should include information about different features of well-designed sports bras and how to correctly fit them.
  • Sports bras are similar in nature to a protective cup used in cricket – it is a piece of protective equipment and it is important that we feel comfortable having conversations within the same vain to support participants.

More information

Read the full research papers (Coltman et al. and Burnett et al.) or learn more about the modern approach to coaching on the Australian Sports Commission website.
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