Illidi Camilla R, Jensen Dennis
Clinical Exercise and Respiratory Physiology Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, McGill University, Montréal, QC, CANADA.
Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2025 Feb 1;57(2):305-316. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003561. Epub 2024 Sep 16.
This study assessed the individual and combined effects of sports bras and breast volume on pulmonary system and respiratory symptom responses to exercise in recreationally active females.
Twenty-three healthy females (18-27 yr; bra sizes 32B-36DDD) were divided into small and large breast volume groups (SBV and LBV, respectively) around median volume (324 mL; mean ± SD SBV: 284 ± 38 mL vs LBV: 560 ± 97 mL; P < 0.001, g = 3.84). Participants completed three 5-min bouts of constant-load cycle exercise at 30%, 60%, and 90% of their peak power output while wearing a high-support sports bra, low-support sports bralette, or their personal (self-selected) sports bra in randomized order. Measurements included ventilation, breathing pattern, respiratory pressures, diaphragm electromyogram (EMGdi), and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), breathlessness (intensity and unpleasantness), and chest tightness due to bra.
Compared with low-support and personal sports bras, the high-support sports bra evoked stronger sensations of restricted breathing and chest tightness ("slight" to "moderate" restriction in n = 7 (30%) vs n = 1 (4%) in low-support and personal bras; P = 0.014). There was, however, no evidence of greater concomitant inspiratory constraints, EMGdi, or inspiratory muscle pressure generation in either bra (all P > 0.05). Notably, LBV compared with SBV, participants reported greater RPE ( P = 0.037, ηp2 = 0.20), breathlessness intensity ( P = 0.039, ηp2 = 0.20), and unpleasantness ( P = 0.041; ηp2 = 0.19), which, in the setting of comparable pulmonary system responses to exercise, was likely driven by stronger perceived chest tightness and/or bra awareness in LBV participants.
Despite evoking mild-to-moderately severe chest tightness due to bra during exercise, correctly fitted sports bras, whether low- or high-support, do not impose a physiological burden to the respiratory system and its response to mild-to-heavy intensity exercise in otherwise healthy females.
本研究评估了运动胸罩和乳房体积对休闲活动女性肺部系统以及运动时呼吸症状反应的个体及联合影响。
23名健康女性（年龄18 - 27岁；胸罩尺码32B - 36DDD）根据中位体积分为小乳房体积组和大乳房体积组（分别为SBV和LBV）（324 mL；平均±标准差SBV：284±38 mL，LBV：560±97 mL；P < 0.001，g = 3.84）。参与者在穿着高支撑运动胸罩、低支撑运动背心或其个人（自选）运动胸罩的情况下，以随机顺序完成三次5分钟的恒定负荷自行车运动，运动强度分别为其峰值功率输出的30%、60%和90%。测量指标包括通气、呼吸模式、呼吸压力、膈肌肌电图（EMGdi）以及自觉用力程度（RPE）、呼吸急促（强度和不适感）和胸罩引起的胸闷程度。
与低支撑和个人运动胸罩相比，高支撑运动胸罩引起更强的呼吸受限和胸闷感（“轻微”至“中度”受限，高支撑运动胸罩组n = 7（30%），低支撑和个人运动胸罩组n = 1（4%）；P = 0.014）。然而，没有证据表明两种胸罩在吸气限制、EMGdi或吸气肌压力产生方面存在更大的差异（所有P > 0.05）。值得注意的是，与SBV相比，LBV组参与者报告的RPE更高（P = 0.037，ηp2 = 0.20）、呼吸急促强度更高（P = 0.039，ηp2 = 0.20）和不适感更强（P = 0.041；ηp2 = 0.19），在运动时肺部系统反应相当的情况下，这可能是由于LBV组参与者更强的胸闷感和/或胸罩感知引起的。
尽管运动时胸罩会引起轻度至中度严重的胸闷，但对于其他方面健康的女性，正确佩戴的运动胸罩，无论是低支撑还是高支撑，都不会给呼吸系统及其对轻度至重度强度运动的反应带来生理负担。
