The sports bra can also greatly improve running performance since the breast bra affects the movement of the knees.
There is a lot of talk about the need for good running shoes, but not so much about other items of clothing. For example, a sports bra is essential. Not only that, but it also helps avoid breast soreness, which is very prevalent while people are running, especially those who have particularly large breasts. It’s also helpful for improving running performance, according to a study just published in Frontiers in Sports and Active Living.
In it, they analyze how the support of this garment affects knee stiffness, a parameter that can greatly modify running performance. It may appear that having a stiff knee is a negative thing, but in this context, the term refers to something that is desirable.
And, without a doubt, thanks to this research, it has been seen that the most effective sports bras are key to improving that rigidity and, with it, increasing performance in the race. This shows that not everything is good—good shoes or clothes that breathe. We didn’t realize all of the reasons why the sports bra is such an essential item of clothing until recently.
What is Knee Stiffness?
The parameter of knee stiffness relates to the resistance to deformation brought on by force. The lower body’s reaction to landing during cyclical actions like running and jumping is examined in biomechanics.
In addition, a study that was conducted in the year 2021 found that “vertical stiffness of the legs and joints provides a useful model to investigate the storage and release of potential elastic energy through the musculotendinous unit in the stretch-shortening cycle,” and that it can also provide insight into athletic performance. For this very reason, it was utilized in the other research study to investigate how wearing a suitable sports bra effects performance. And it should come as no surprise that providing support to the breasts is the most effective method for easing knee stiffness.
The Importance of a Good Sports Bra
Within the scope of the study, there were a total of 12 sports runners who took part, each of them informed themselves with either cup B, C, or D. On the treadmill, each individual was required to run for three minutes. In addition to that, students were given three distinct approaches to choose from. These were done with either a high-support or low-support sports bra, or they were done topless.
On the other hand, ten cameras were positioned, and individual retroreflective markers were attached to various regions of the subjects’ bodies in order to track their movement and determine it. To be more specific, a concentrated effort was made to pay close attention to the movement of both the breasts and the knee joint in order to establish a connection between the two.
Therefore, they came to the conclusion that a sports bra with minimal support raised knee stiffness by 2% when compared to the torso without any clothing on it, which served as a control; a sports bra with great support increased knee stiffness by 5%. According to all of this, it is projected that performance will increase by 7% while wearing a good sports bra.
In a nutshell, the findings of these scientists suggest that even greater attention should be paid to the development of sports bras. It’s not just for hurting breasts, which a statement explains impact 72% of women who run in sports bras, however. not just for sore breasts, which, as revealed in a statement, afflict 72% of runners, but also to boost performance while running the marathon. There are several reasons to do this.
