Healthy Body, Happy Woman
There have been a number of studies suggesting that the wearing of ill fitting bras may contribute to the discomfort and pain of the breast, as well as other health problems. There is also an abundance of empirical evidence, which strongly suggests that pressure to the breast is unhealthy and can also have a negative impact on posture.
Optifit™ offers a therapeutic solution.
Traditional bras are breast focussed and fix to the chest wall, tightening bra straps pulls the shoulders down and underwires push into the ribs. This creates an imbalance in posture, which then sets up a domino effect throughout the body, resulting in neck, shoulder and back pain.
At the same time this also puts pressure on the vertebrae at the top of the back and the bottom of the neck (vertebrae C6 and C7). This pressure can cause a thick, dull migraine type headache across the forehead and above the eyes. Recent research has shown that removing breast weight from the shoulders results in a dramatic relief of symptoms.
For more information, see: Ryan EL pectoral girdle myalgia in women: a 5-year study in a clinical setting. Clinical Journal of Pain 2000 Dec.
Conventional bras are designed to compress and encapsulate breast tissue, exposing the breast to negative pressure. Recent research suggests that wearing inappropriately styled bras may actually increase the amount of pain experienced by women. They found that if patients did not wear their normal fashion bras, then the level and frequency of pain decreased.
For more information, see: Prof. Robert Mansell at the University Hospital of Wales. Wilson MC & Sellwood RA. Therapeutic value of a supporting brassiere in mastodynia. British Medical Journal 1976; 10 July: 90
Optifit™ has been specifically designed to eliminate any such negative pressure therefore greatly reducing the possible instance of breast pain.
Bras that do not support the breast correctly can cause skin problems. If the weight of the breasts is mostly supported by the shoulder straps, these can dig in and cause angry red welts to develop.
If the breasts are not supported away from the ribs, often a problem with underwired bras, rubbed skin and fungal infections can develop underneath.
Underwired bras can push into the tissue, and this constant rubbing and poking can lead to lesions, marks and sores.
Optifit™ bras do not use underwires. They hold the breast in its natural position away from the body preventing the above problems.
A recent study by the British School of Osteopathy has linked ill-fitting bras to breathing difficulties, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and digestive problems.
Fashion bras push into the rib cage. If the middle ribs are held tightly in a bra, the upper ribs have to work harder in order for us to breathe. Overall, the effect is to restrict breathing whilst putting pressure on the diaphragm.
This effect of compressing the rib cage can be dramatic enough to affect digestion. Indeed, the same study found that Irritable Bowel Syndrome and constipation can be linked to the wearing of inappropriate bras.
For more information, see Charles Hunt at the British School of Osteopathy.