How to choose the sports bra that best suits your chest

• The ideal bra: a matter of cups
• The clothes that will protect you from the cold (really) without overwhelming

Just as we choose appropriate shoes or wear specific clothes to practice sports, it is essential to wear a good sports bra designed specifically to protect this area of the body during physical activity. In addition to aesthetic consequences such as wrinkles, chest marks or low-favored necklines, its use is a health issue that can prevent skin lesions, chest and back pain, breaks in the fibers that hold it, etc.

However, there are many women who find it difficult to choose this garment correctly. When it comes to sports, 44% of women do not use a suitable bra to support the chest, even getting to train with everyday bras, according to the study by the British firm Shock Absorver, specializing in sports underwear.

"The normal bra does not fulfill the functions that the sport has . For example, in a jump sequence race its use is convenient, since the breasts have a displacement of 40% greater than the one that has walking. This garment decreases considerably that movement, "says Pedro Manonelles, director of the International Chair of Sports Medicine at the Catholic University of Murcia (UCAM) and president of the Spanish Society of Sports Medicine. One of the problems with the displacement of the bust during the race is that "it usually causes pain, which makes sport difficult," he continues.

A good sports bra has to provide support and reduce breast displacement while exercising, provide comfort and be breathable. But how do we choose the most appropriate?

1. Choose the correct size

The first thing to select is an optimal size. Although that may seem obvious, the truth is that seven out of 10 women wear an incorrect bra size in their daily lives, according to a study by the Medical-Aesthetic Institute. Taking into account the contour of the back - usually 80 to 105 cm - and the chest cup that is differentiated with a letter (A, B, C, D and E, which are identified with the volume of the breast) you get the right measure From the lightest to the most secure, indicates the British firm, that the size will be the same regardless of the model. Remember that the chest should always be fixed to the body, regardless of the type of activity.

2. Try it

Although you know your measurements, do not apply the "eye of a good cubero" and try on the garment. Not all brands or models are exactly the same. In addition to seeing yourself favored with your new bra, you have to feel comfortable and be able to exercise with him. Jump, raise your arms, lean, run on site ... to verify that the support is adequate, as recommended by Shock Absorver.

3. Different sports, different impacts

Depending on the volume of the breasts and the intensity of the sport to be practiced, the use of one type or another of support is necessary. The chest is supported by skin and Cooper's ligaments, which can be damaged if the chest is not adequately protected from impacts and movements. It is not the same to go jogging, which will require good support, to practice yoga or pilates, with less impact and that require greater freedom of movement. The ideal thing is to have a couple of models and that each one adjusts to the intensity of the sports we practice.

"There are technical bras of different support depending on the characteristics of the sport. Some offer light support and are prepared for low impact sports such as cycling, bodybuilding or activities such as pilates. The medium impact ones are recommended for running, tennis, golf ... And those with high restraint or high impact exercises are used for activities that require greater mobility such as team sports (handball, basketball, soccer ...) ", says the Professor of Sports Medicine.

"These garments differ in the amount of fasteners and width of the strips that cause more or less fixation of the breasts. In addition, there are bras for sports in which there is a possibility of breast trauma such as combat or goal positions, which have more consistency, greater thickness and semi-flexible cups, "says Manonelles.

4. Bra and sports top.

Although there are many types, you should keep in mind that a sports top does not offer the same support as a bra to practice some types of medium and high impact sports and, therefore, you will not feel comfortable. "The top is a light press that only has elastic properties and a thoracic band under the breasts," explains Manonelles.

The technical fasteners, meanwhile, have a more organized structure and usually have a wider back and straps, the high front and provide more stability. Although the structure of each technical fastener will be adapted for the impact of each activity and each model will present small differences. "Although those that are lightly restrained may look like tops and are difficult to distinguish," Manonelles warns.

5. Subjection, not oppression

The British firm specializing in underwear warns that it is not the same to hold than to press. If the chest is too compressed it is probably because you are not wearing the right size. The cups should collect the entire chest, without wrinkles and the straps should fit the shoulder, leaving only a few millimeters of margin. They should not fall or remain marked. The perfect combination is a model that has inner cups, just like a corsetero bra. In this way, it dissociates the movement of the chest and prevents them from coming into contact with each other. This, combined with an external compression, leaves the chest separate and fixed, minimizing maximum movement.

6. Soft and breathable fabrics.

As Manonelles indicates, "sports bras must be made of breathable and soft materials, non-irritating and with minimal seams to prevent chafing and erosion, that do not increase the temperature of the area and that do not compress excessively (which could make breathing difficult If they wear hoops, there is a risk that they can get stuck (causing discomfort in the breasts) and break, so they should be avoided. "

7. Useful life

It is essential that after a period of use you renew your sports bras. The washings and the time of use are going to wear the garment and will damage the elasticity of the fabric, the shoulder straps will begin to be loose, etc. and, therefore, will stop fulfilling its functionality, the subjection of the breasts.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project