Last updated: 25 May 2021

Never Asked Questions

Sports Bras & Breast Pain

Welcome to NAQs, where we answer the questions you’ve never dared ask about breasts, sports bras and exercise.

Today you're going to get the lowdown on two of our most popular questions:

1. Why Do My Breasts Hurt When Exercising?

2. Why Should I Wear A Sports Bra?

1. Why Do My Breasts Hurt When Exercising?

Ever ran for the bus and had to use your hands to stop your breasts from hurting? Then this week’s Never Asked Question around breasts and sports bras is for you.

Our breasts can hurt when we exercise because they move in a more intense way than in our day to day activities.

If you don’t have the right sports bra then that movement can feel uncomfortable, especially because our breast tissue and nipples can be sensitive. Plus, often we adjust our posture to minimize movement which can cause back pain too.

Find the right sports bra that fully supports you, and you’ll be able to workout without your breasts holding you back.

So What’s The Correct Support For Me?

To figure it out, ask yourself two things: ‘What size am I?’ and ‘What exercise am I doing?’

Running creates a lot of bounce so you should wear a high support sports bra if you’re planning on jogging or sprinting. Anything less (or no sports bra at all) can cause irreversible tissue damage and lower your stride.

All breasts weigh a different amount, but the heavier or bigger they are, the more they will move and the more support they will need, even for low intensity workouts like yoga.

If you’re bigger-busted, try the Rival or the Alpha which adjust at the back so you can get a better fit at the band as well as the shoulder so you can get the right level of compression that feels comfortable in motion.

If you have a smaller bust, you could use a breathable, low support bra for low intensity workouts, like the Indy bra.

Once you’ve found the right support, you must then obsess the fit. The right sports bra can greatly minimise breast bounce so you can stay focused, pain-free and find your edge.

Why Wear A Sports Bra? | NAQs
Why Wear A Sports Bra? | NAQs

Menstrual Cycles And Growth Spurts

Our breasts are also super sensitive during our menstrual cycles, so don’t be surprised if yours hurt more at certain times during the month.

Growing breasts can also be painful, so if you’re going through puberty or pregnancy then breast discomfort is normal. But whenever you’re feeling like your breasts are weighing you down, the right sports bra can really work wonders.

If you’ve always wondered about sports bras and cosmetic breast surgery, check out last week’s NAQ.

2. Why Should I Wear A Sports Bra?

Why Wear A Sports Bra? | NAQs
Why Wear A Sports Bra? | NAQs

Minimise That Bounce

Sports bras reduce breast motion. Moving breasts can cause pain when exercising; not only is this super distracting from your sport, it can cause damage to your breast tissue, lead to back pain, and make you question why you’re doing this in the first place.

Our Technology Helps With All That

Our Bra Lab has engineered sports bras that will help you be your best athlete*. But only if you’ve got the right fit. A good fitting sports bra, built with the right tech, will support you properly and allow you to perform without distraction.

Let’s break down what’s going into a Nike sports bra to help keep you comfortable:

- Nike Dri-FIT technology pulls sweat away from your skin to help you stay dry and comfortable.

- UltraBreathe mesh fabric has a virtually weightless feel and all about the airflow, helping you keep your cool.

- Flyknit technology is breathable, flexible and supportive. Built from one continuous weave so it’s lightweight with no seams.

If sweat, heat, and irritation have ever slowed you down, getting set up with the right sports bra is going to help you go further than you’ve thought possible.

Don’t forget that you’ve got 30 days to test your bra out, if it doesn’t fit the way you want it to, you can send it back. No questions asked.

Check out our other NAQs to learn more about the common questions you've had about bras, breasts and exercise.

Originally published: 25 May 2021