The concept of sports bra
A sports bra is a bra that can provide extra support for women's breasts while exercising. Different from general bras, this bra reduces the swing range of the chest during exercise, thereby reducing discomfort and the risk of chest ligament strain. In addition, sports bras can also be used by men.
The history of sports bra
The first commercially available sports bra was the "Free Swing Tennis Bra" (Free Swing Tennis Bra), which was produced in 1975 by Glamorise Foundations, Inc. in the United States. In the United States in 1977, Lisa Lindahl, costume designer Polly Smith, and Smith’s assistant Hinda Schreiber (later Hinda Miller) invented the first sports bra in the general sense, which was then called the "athlete bra" ( jockbra), later renamed "jogging bra" (jogbra). The reason for the design of this bra was Lindahl’s sister Victoria Woodrow complained that ordinary bras can cause discomfort during exercise, including slippage of the bra straps, skin friction and inflammation, and breast pain. When Lindall and Smith were researching better alternatives, the former's husband suggested to refer to the lower body elastic shield, so the two combined the two lower body elastic shields to make a "jogging bra."
In 1990, Playtex acquired the jogging bra from Smith and Lindahl, and further research was conducted by Christine Haycock, associate professor at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. She measured data related to women's chest movement when exercising on a treadmill, widened the underside of the bra to provide more support for the breasts, and tightened the straps to reduce the shaking of the breasts.
Renelle Braaten, a hairdresser in Montana, USA, also noticed the same problem, so she teamed up with freelance fashion designer Heidi Fisk to create Enell Inc.. In 2001 she persuaded Oprah Yunfei to try her bra, which was well received in Oprah Magazine and appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show in 2001.
Levels of control
Different physical activities require different degrees of breast control. Yoga, walking, and gardening require only light. Biking, walking and hiking require "moderate" support; Tennis, football and jogging require "firm" support; Running, strenuous exercise, boxing and horseback riding require "maximum" support.
Some female athletes worry that sports bras may interfere with breathing, but even though chest pressure has been shown to increase, they haven't shown a noticeable effect on breathing.
