Sports bra

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Front view and back view of a woman wearing a sports bra.
Sports bra rear.jpg

A sports bra is a bra that provides support to the breasts during physical exercise. Sturdier than typical bras, they minimize breast movement and alleviate discomfort. [1] Many women wear sports bras to reduce pain and physical discomfort caused by breast movement during exercise. Some sports bras are designed to be worn as outerwear during exercise such as running. There are also sports bras with extra padding for exercises that involve some kind of trauma to the breasts. [1]

Contents

The sports bra was deemed a serious innovation which gave women the confidence and comfort to play sports, which came with a revolution in women's sport. In 2022 its inventors, Lisa Lindahl, Polly Smith, and Hinda Miller (formerly Hinda Schreiber), were admitted to the US National Inventors Hall of Fame. [2]

History

Jogbra, back view with packaging, "The Professional Athletic Support Bra That Keeps Breasts from Bouncing" Jogbra np193950z 7d278t288 dl full size.jpg
Jogbra, back view with packaging, "The Professional Athletic Support Bra That Keeps Breasts from Bouncing"
A woman wearing sports-bra and boy shorts as casual wear while walking in public, Sydney, 2012. Keeping Fit and Connected (6635665267) (cropped).jpg
A woman wearing sports-bra and boy shorts as casual wear while walking in public, Sydney, 2012.

The first commercially available sports bra was the "Free Swing Tennis Bra" introduced by Glamorise Foundations, Inc. in 1975. [3]

The first general exercise bra, initially called a "jockbra", was invented in 1977 by Lisa Lindahl and theater costume designer Polly Smith with the help of Smith's assistant, Hinda Schreiber. Both Lindahl and her sister, Victoria Woodrow, complained about their bad experience exercising in ordinary bras, having experienced runaway straps, chafing and sore breasts. During the course of Lindahl and Smith's exploration for a better alternative, it was suggested that what they needed was a jockstrap for women's breasts. [4] In the costume shop of Royall Tyler Theatre at the University of Vermont, Lindahl and Smith actually sewed two jockstraps together and nicknamed it a "jockbra". It was later renamed a "jogbra". [4] One of their original Jogbras is bronzed and on display near the costume shop of the theatre. Two others are housed by the Smithsonian and another by the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. [5]

In 1990, Playtex purchased Jogbra from Lindahl and her partners. This was followed by research by Christine Haycock, associate professor of surgery at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. She measured breast movement of women running on treadmills. Sought out by bra manufacturers for her expertise, she advocated wide bottom bands for extra support and firm straps that minimized breasts bounce. Renelle Braaten, a Montana hairdresser, struggled to contain her DD-sized breasts while playing racquetball and volleyball. Unable to interest mainstream bra manufacturers, she collaborated with freelance apparel designer Heidi Fisk, and founded Enell Incorporated. After considerable lobbying, she persuaded Oprah Winfrey in 2001 to try her bra. This led to very positive reviews in O: The Oprah Magazine , a 2001 appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show , and a huge surge in orders. [6]

In 1999, at the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup Final in Pasadena, California, after scoring the fifth kick in the penalty shootout to give the United States the win over China in the final game, Brandi Chastain celebrated by spontaneously taking off her jersey and falling to her knees in a sports bra. The image is considered as an iconic photograph of a woman celebrating an athletic victory. It was the first time that an international woman footballer had removed her top, exposing her sports bra. [7] [8]

Design challenges

Sports bras can either encapsulate or compress breasts. Bras that encapsulate breasts have molded cups designed to fit around each breast. Bras that compress are designed to restrict movement by holding the breasts firmly against the body. Encapsulation-type bras are generally more effective at reducing discomfort, while compression bras may be more effective for high-intensity activities.

The most common sports bra is basically designed like a tank top with the bottom half cut off. Other designs use gel and water pads, silver fibres, and air bags. A stitchless bra was made by Wacoal, was molded, compressed, and shaped. A compressed bra is designed to push the breasts against the chest to reduce movement and bounce. Other bras are knitted in circular patterns, giving varying stretch and support. [9] A common design uses a stretchable, absorbent fabric such as Lycra designed to reduce irritation by drawing perspiration away from the skin.

Sports bras are also worn by women after certain surgical procedures. In those situations, a front-closing sports bra with a compression, seamless cup is recommended for healing and comfort. Certain fabrics such as Lycra have been found to help reduce swelling and help "even-out" a bustline that has been altered by a surgical procedure.

Sports bras are also manufactured for men with large breasts to enable them to take part more comfortably in physical activity. Some descriptions used euphemistically to describe bras for men are chest binders, compression vests or shimmels. [10]

Problems arise from the shoulder straps of standard bras. Standard well-fitting bras are constructed in the form of a "square frame", with all dimensions adjusted for each woman in a normal standing position, with arms to the sides. When a woman performs an activity which requires her to lift her arms above the shoulders, the frame is strained because it is anchored by the chest band, putting direct pressure on the shoulder trapezius muscles. This may result in neck and shoulder pain, numbness and tingling in the arm and headaches. [11] [12] To avoid such problems the bra's shoulder straps are usually crossed at the back, or the bra is worn halter-style.

Levels of control

Different physical activities require different levels of breast control. Yoga, walking and gardening require only "light" control; bicycling, power walking and hiking require "moderate" control; tennis, soccer and jogging requires "firm" control; and running, intense workouts, boxing and horseback riding requires "maximum" control.

Some female athletes are concerned that a sports bra may interfere with breathing, but even though increased pressure on the rib cage has been demonstrated, no significant effect on breathing can be shown. [13]

Benefits

All of the women in the United Kingdom's 2020 Olympic team were fitted with custom bras to deliver comfort and benefit. Research by Joanna Wakefield-Scurr indicates that an ill-fitting bra can shorten an athlete's stride by 4 centimetres (1.6 in). A survey found that about a quarter of women athletes suffer breast pain. Women rowers were offered different designs to runners because the latter suffered higher impacts and this necessitated individual support for each breast. In the case of competitive shooters the purpose can just be to keep them out of the way. Lorraine Lambert had a special design because she is a competitive shooter. She has to avoid her breasts touching her gun which could result in disqualification. [14]

Recognition

Lisa Lindahl, Hinda Miller (formerly Hinda Schreiber), and Polly Smith were inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2022 for their patented sports bra. [15]

See also

Related Research Articles

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The breasts are two prominences located on the upper ventral region of the torso among humans and other primates. Both sexes develop breasts from the same embryological tissues. The relative size and development of the breasts is a major secondary sex distinction between females and males. There is also considerable variation in size between individuals. Female humans are the only mammals which permanently develop breasts at puberty; all other mammals develop their mammary tissue during the latter period of pregnancy; at puberty, estrogens, in conjunction with growth hormone, cause permanent breast growth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brandi Chastain</span> American retired soccer player (born 1968)

Brandi Denise Chastain is an American retired soccer player, two-time FIFA Women's World Cup champion, two-time Olympic gold-medalist, coach, and sports broadcaster. She played for the United States national team from 1988 to 2004. In her 192 caps on the team, she scored 30 goals playing primarily in the defender and midfielder positions. She scored a World Cup-winning penalty shootout goal against China in the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup final.

Herminie Cadolle (1845–1926) was a French inventor of the modern bra and founder of the Cadolle Lingerie House. Cadolle was born, raised, and lived much of her early life in France. She was a close friend of the insurrectionist Louise Michel, who participated in the Paris Commune of 1871. Fearing state repression after the murderous defeat of the Commune uprising, Cadolle and her family fled for safety to Buenos Aires, Argentina. In 1887, while she was in Argentina, it marked the start of her entrepreneurial journey. Supported by her husband and son, Alcide, she opened the first "House of Cadolle," quickly building a fortune through her made-to-measure lingerie business. In 1889, Cadolle returned to Paris where she opened a similar lingerie workshop. There, she invented a two-piece undergarment. The lower part was a hybrid-corset for the waist and the upper supported the breasts by means of shoulder straps. A patent for the invention was filed in 1889. The invention, called the "corselet-gorge," was revolutionary, as it literally split the traditional corset in two to provide more comfort. Early sketches show it was initially attached to the corset, but even that small change helped pave the way for bras as we know them. Cadolle exhibited her invention at the Great Exposition of 1900 and by 1905 the upper half was being sold separately as modern-day bras.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mammaplasty</span> Surgically modifying the appearance of the breast

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  2. Reduction mammaplasty is commonly performed to reduce the size, change the shape, and/or alter the texture of the breasts. This involves the removal of breast tissue.
  3. Reconstructive mammoplasty is breast reconstruction that is done after mastectomy to give the breasts an appearance that is more normal/familiar.

A jockstrap, also a jock (male), jill (female), strap, cup, groin guard, pelvic protector (female), supporter, or athletic supporter, is an undergarment for protecting the scrotum and penis or vulva during contact sports or other vigorous physical activity. This article deals chiefly with the genital protective sports gear designed for the male body, colloquially known as a "jock".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nursing bra</span> Specialized brassiere

A nursing bra is a specialized brassiere that provides additional support to women who are lactating and permits comfortable breastfeeding without the need to remove the bra. This is accomplished by specially designed bra cups that include flaps which can be opened with one hand to expose the nipple. The flap is usually held closed with a simple clasp or hook.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cleavage (breasts)</span> Separation between human breasts

Cleavage is the narrow depression or hollow between the breasts of a woman. The superior portion of cleavage may be accentuated by clothing such as a low-cut neckline that exposes the division, and often the term is used to describe the low neckline itself, instead of the term décolletage. Joseph Breen, head of the U.S. film industry's Production Code Administration, coined the term in its current meaning when evaluating the 1943 film The Outlaw, starring Jane Russell. The term was explained in Time magazine on August 5, 1946. It is most commonly used in the parlance of Western female fashion to refer to necklines that reveal or emphasize décolletage.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breastplate (tack)</span> Piece of horse equipment across the chest

A breastplate is a piece of tack (equipment) used on horses. Its purpose is to keep a saddle from sliding back. It is also a safety feature—if the saddle's girth or billets break, a rider may have enough time to stop the horse and dismount before the saddle slips off the animal's back. The breastplate is used on both English and Western saddles. Western riding involving working cattle use a thicker sturdier style than in English riding or Western riding horse shows. A breastplate is most helpful for horses with large shoulders and a flat ribcage. A breast collar as part of a harness is used to pull a load.

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Ptosis or sagging of the female breast is a natural consequence of aging. The rate at which a woman's breasts drop and the degree of ptosis depends on many factors. The key factors influencing breast ptosis over a woman's lifetime are cigarette smoking, her number of pregnancies, higher body mass index, larger bra cup size, and significant weight change. Post-menopausal women or people with collagen deficiencies may experience increased ptosis due to a loss of skin elasticity. Many women and medical professionals mistakenly believe that breastfeeding increases sagging. It is also commonly believed that the breast itself offers insufficient support and that wearing a bra prevents sagging, which has not been found to be true.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of bras</span>

The history of bras is closely tied to the social status of women, the evolution of fashion, and shifting views of the female body over time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bra size</span> Measure (usually 2 factors) to determine proper bra fit

Bra size indicates the size characteristics of a bra. While there is a number of bra sizing systems in use around the world, the bra sizes usually consist of a number, indicating the size of the band around the woman's torso, and one or more letters that indicate the breast cup size. Bra cup sizes were invented in 1932 while band sizes became popular in the 1940s. For convenience, because of the impracticality of determining the size dimensions of each breast, the volume of the bra cup, or cup size, is based on the difference between band length and over-the-bust measurement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breast cyst</span> Medical condition

A breast cyst is a cyst, a fluid-filled sac, within the breast. One breast can have one or more cysts. They are often described as round or oval lumps with distinct edges. In texture, a breast cyst usually feels like a soft grape or a water-filled balloon, but sometimes a breast cyst feels firm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bra</span> Womens undergarment for supporting the breasts

A bra, short for brassiere or brassière, is a form-fitting underwear that is primarily used to support and cover a woman's breasts. A typical bra consists of a chest band that wraps around the torso, supporting two breast cups that are held in place by shoulder straps. A bra usually fastens in the back, using a hook and eye fastener, although bras are available in a large range of styles and sizes, including front-fastening and backless designs. Some bras are designed for specific functions, such as nursing bras to facilitate breastfeeding or sports bras to minimize discomfort during exercise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bralessness</span> Movement consisting of not wearing a bra

In Western society, since the 1960s, there has been a slow but steady trend towards bralessness among a number of women, especially millennials, who have expressed opposition to and are giving up wearing bras. In 2016, Allure magazine fashion director Rachael Wang wrote, "Going braless is as old as feminism, but it seems to be bubbling to the surface more recently as a direct response to Third Wave moments like #freethenipple hashtag campaign, increased trans-visibility like Caitlyn Jenner's Vanity Fair cover ... and Lena Dunham's show Girls."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lisa Lindahl</span> American entrepreneur and inventor (b. 1948)

Lisa Lindahl is an American entrepreneur, writer, and inventor. In 1977, Lisa Lindahl co-created the "Jogbra", the first sports bra, working alongside Hinda Miller and Polly Smith. She was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2022.

Thousands of years of history provide evidence of the differing fashions, cultural norms, and artistic depictions regarding cleavage and clothes that accentuate or flaunt cleavage. From the absolute modesty of the 16th century, to the Merveilleuses Directoire dresses with their transparency, the décolleté has followed the times and is much more than a simple fashion effect.

Polly Smith is an American inventor and costume designer. Smith was the costume designer for The Muppet Show and Sesame Street.

References

  1. 1 2 Thomas E. Hyde, Marianne S. Gengenbach (2007). Conservative Management of Sports Injuries. Jones & Bartlett Learning. p. 863. ISBN   9780763732523.
  2. ↑ Honderich, Holly (11 May 2022). "The 'jockstrap' that revolutionised women's sports". BBC News.
  3. ↑ Zorn, Marc (2014-09-18). "When Were Sports Bras Invented". Vision Launch Media. Retrieved 2022-12-31.
  4. 1 2 Roberts, Jacob (2017). "Women's work". Distillations. 3 (1): 6–11. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  5. ↑ Dorschner, Cheryl (30 March 2005). "History-Changing Garment Born in Theater Costume Shop". Archived from the original on 2014-05-16. PDF
  6. ↑ "A History of the Sports Bra". Women's Adventure Magazine. March–April 2007. Archived from the original on 2010-02-17.
  7. ↑ Jere Longman (July 5, 2003). "The Sports Bra Seen Round the World". New York Times.
  8. ↑ "100 Greatest Sports Photos of All Time #14 - Brandi Chastain - Women's World Cup". Sports Illustrated. 10 July 1999. Archived from the original on 21 January 2013.
  9. ↑ Casselman, Anne (2005). "The Physics of Bras". Discover . 26 (11). Retrieved 2014-07-31.
  10. ↑ Bumgardner, Wendy. "Men Who Need Chest Support". About.com. Archived from the original on 2007-09-06. Retrieved 2011-01-13.
  11. ↑ Kowalske, Karen (August 2006). "Health Watch -- Women's Health: Bra Straps". The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Dallas. Archived from the original on 21 September 2006.
  12. ↑ Ryan EL (December 2000). "Pectoral girdle myalgia in women: a 5-year study in a clinical setting". Clin J Pain. 16 (4): 298–303. doi:10.1097/00002508-200012000-00004. PMID   11153784.
  13. ↑ Bowles, KA; Steele, JR; Chaunchaiyakul, R (September 2005). "Do current sports brassiere designs impede respiratory function?". Med Sci Sports Exerc. 37 (9): 1633–40. doi: 10.1249/01.mss.0000177590.75686.28 . PMID   16177619. S2CID   11323078.
  14. ↑ "'They're not treating us as small men': Team GB women get the right bras". the Guardian. 2021-06-18. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
  15. ↑ "Complete list of NIHF inductees". Official website of the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
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