Find out why it's so important to wear a sports bra that fits well. We've got all kinds of stuff about the Cooper's ligament (you know that intrigues you), breast movement, and more.

anatomy of the breast (and the Cooper's ligament)

Breasts are composed of mostly connective tissue, fat, and the Cooper's ligament. What does that mean? The Cooper's ligament, simply put, connects the mammory gland to the skin. It is a major component to keeping the breast shape.

Essentially, the "girls" are only attached and held up by ligaments. Muscle does not play a role. So no matter how much you work out those pectorals (chest muscles), they won't be able to help keep your breast in shape (perky and not drooping).

Ever notice how elderly women often have sagging breasts? It's because their ligaments have been damaged over the years and are no longer as elastic. What happens? Those ligaments in your breast can get damaged and stretched when they bounce around or don't have enough support. Even plain old gravity can take its toll (sadly).

importance of the sports bra

You're probably starting to figure out why it's so important to wear a proper fitting sports bra during exercise. The right sports bra will keep your breasts from moving around too much and will help prevent discomfort and damage to the ligaments. Sports bras offer significantly more support than a regular bra, due to the construction of the bra.

The goal of a sports bra is to keep the "girls" where they belong! Roughly 50% of women report at least some pain and discomfort in their breasts while exercising. Yet if they wear a proper sports bra, that discomfort and pain is greatly reduced (according to research studies at University of Wollongong and the Australian Institute of Sport, Canberra, Australia).

Don't think you're immune if you have smaller breasts. You can still easily damage the ligaments without proper support. Although those of us who are "well-endowed" certainly have a higher risk.

breast motion

It used to be that most people thought breasts moved in one plane of motion, up and down (bouncing). But a recent study in 2007 made the discovery that breasts move in three planes of motion. Not only do they move up and down, but they move side to side. This study has already likely had impacts in the sports bra design industry. Wonder why it took them so long to figure that out? There are a lot more men in the sports science field than women and breast biomechanics was a low priority. This study was done by a woman. Go figure!

bra sizing

Wearing the correct bra size is mega important, as we're sure you realize by now. The generally accepted numbers are that roughly 70% of all women are wearing the wrong size. 70%! Make sure you're wearing the right size, or you'll risk some of the damage we talked about on this page. It's not worth it. We have a handy know your size calculator that walks you through the process of sizing yourself or having someone help size you. So know your size!