WRegardless of whether it was prescription sports bras that carried the Lionesses to victory Sunday night, the term remains “a new and little-known phrase for many women who play sports or work out,” says Priya Downes, founder of sustainable underwear. Nude brand.
A step up from a regular bra fit, a “sports bra prescription” is comparable to the kind of gait analysis you might get when buying a running shoe: looking at how a player moves and then matching that with the type and size correct bra. In the case of England’s winning goalscorer, Chloe Kelly, it appears to be a Nike Dri-Fit Swoosh, which she plans to frame.
When shopping for sports bras, most of us tend to go for the standard compression type. Designed to prevent movement by flattening the breasts and drawing them closer to the body, they come in a variety of sizes” but are not designed to be the perfect fit, so [it’s not surprising] many professional athletes fit sports bras,” adds Downes. “It’s just that we don’t normally see them on the big screen.”
Las Leonas had access to “breast biomechanics” Prof. Joanna Wakefield-Scurr and the English Institute of Sport; instead of that kind of access, here are five ways to get the best after a prescription sports bra
Get in shape more than once
“To get the right size, your best bet is to try on as many as possible,” says Downes. “Your breasts are constantly changing. Most of us go through six different sizes in our life. It’s worth fitting throughout your life rather than staying the same size forever.” Compression bras are made from a heavy microfiber, so “they are designed to cover part of the ribcage as well as the breasts , and they’re incredibly stretchy, which is nice if your breasts change,” but sometimes, she adds, “we need something a little more suited to our own body type.”
Choose a bra that suits your form of exercise… Photograph: PeopleImages/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Don’t just stick to your traditional bra size
“It’s not necessarily about cup size,” advises Laura Franklin, fit expert at Bravissimo. Meanwhile, Downes says that 80% of the support comes from the back band, the tight strip of fabric that runs under the breasts. This is the most important part of a sports bra, “so making sure it fits properly is essential to prevent injury and minimize movement,” she says. “If it feels a little tight, bordering on uncomfortable, then it’s the right size.”
Consider adjustable straps
“They’re surprisingly hard to find in a sports bra, and you certainly won’t see them in a regular bra.” [compression] kind, but if you have a larger bust or a small back and a large bust, it’s really worth looking into a bra with them,” says Downes. The focus is comfort as well as support. “They shouldn’t be digging, because they shouldn’t be supporting the weight of the boobs,” she says. Likewise, if you get red marks when you take it off, “that’s the wrong size, too.”
Choose a bra that suits your form of exercise.
“What works for something high-impact like soccer or running may not be necessary for something like yoga or Pilates,” says Downes. Most sports bras are made from microfiber and synthetic fabrics, which absorb sweat better than slow-drying cotton. But absorbing sweat isn’t the priority with something like pilates. “You don’t need full-grade stretch, industrial-strength microfibers; you just want to give a little,” she says. Franklin recommends something soft with a wraparound front and thinking in terms of light support rather than, say, binding. Downes suggests ribbed cotton, or Tencel, which stretches a bit. “No one wants to feel uncomfortable doing downward facing dog.”
Even small-breasted women need to wear one.
“Bras are necessary for all women, regardless of cup size,” says Charlotte Morgan, senior womenswear designer at independent sportswear brand AYBL. “Without proper support, the ligaments in the breasts can stretch and, over time, be susceptible to irreversible damage.”
Can you wear two bras instead?
Made it to the field but forgot your sports bra? “I mean, you could double up and wear two bras together, if it was available to you,” says Downes. “But again, it all comes down to adaptation.” However, if one of them is a hoop, forget it: “Hoops will inhibit your performance,” says Morgan. Downes agrees: “Two wrongs don’t make a right, and the same goes for bras that don’t fit right.”
Source: news.google.com