London - Few women would venture out for a jog without one. But a study has found that standard sports bras may not be suitable for those of a certain age.
Researchers say younger and older women’s breasts move in a different way – even if they are the same size.
Their study found that women in their twenties and thirties experience a large amount of up-and-down bouncing while exercising – but those aged between 45 and 65 typically experience less vertical movement, with more left-to-right and in-and-out motions instead.
Researcher Debbie Risius, of the University of Portsmouth, said: “The more mature breast moves in a completely different way to a younger breast. The distribution of the movement is different.”
Risius said that chest pain, as well as embarrassment, can put older women off doing exercise. “The findings may indicate a need for a sports bra to be designed specifically for mature women,” she said, adding that new types “may encourage older women to exercise more regularly”.
The results, presented at the Royal Society of Medicine, follow comparisons of 24 participants, half of whom were between 18-25 with the other half 45-65.
The women, who were all a size 34D, walked on a treadmill bare-chested for two minutes, while their movements were recorded using 3D imaging cameras.
It was expected that the older women – with greater ptosis, or “sagging” – would experience more movement when exercising than younger women, but this proved not to be the case. - Daily Mail