Women have been known to complain about sore breasts while exercising. After Hrs finds out more.
Scientists from the Research Group in Breast Health at the University of Portsmouth in England approached female racers at a London marathon and asked them to complete an anonymous questionnaire about their exercise habits and breast health. Sore breasts are a common experience among women of all ages and sizes, athletes and non-athletes alike.
Dr G N Mansukhani, consultant obstetrician and gynecologist, says that this is mostly found in women just before their periods set in. “Normally when a woman’s periods are nearing, hormone levels change and also there is fluid retention that changes in the body and breasts. This causes tenderness in the breasts that gets aggravated with exercise,” she says. In few women, the reason may also be due to chronic inflammation that can easily be treated by something as simple as a course of vitamin E prescribed by a doctor.
“The key to relieve pain is to be sure to wear a proper fitting sports bra while exercising and also a good supportive bra at other times,” Mansukhani explains. “Many women wear ill-fitting bras on a daily basis. Especially for those who have larger breasts, a bad bra causes breasts to hang loose and feel heavy. If the straps are loose and the back of the bra is riding up, your breasts will not get the support they need and you will feel weighed down and uneasy.”
Leena Mogre, director of Leena Mogre’s Fitness, however, says that often women mistaken muscle pain for breast pain. “When you exercise, the pectoral muscles under the breasts are being worked and naturally they will get sore. It’s important to wear a good fitting sports bra and to stretch and warm-up properly before doing chest exercises,” she says. Regular exercise will ensure that you don’t experience discomfort while being fit and active, she added.
The right kind of bra
Small breasts: Women with small busts and young girls prefer padded bras which give the best support.
Medium breasts: Underwired bras work well as long as they don’t pinch and hurt. make sure the bra sits flat against your chest.
Large breasts: Large-breasted women should wear a bra with a centre criss-cross and wide straps that provide good support.
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