The Sports Bra Dilemma: Less Bounce, More Back Pain?

Turns out your ultra-supportive sports bra might be doing your spine dirty.

A new study from the University of Portsmouth is flipping the script on one of fitness fashion’s biggest flexes: bounce reduction. For years, sports bras have been sold with promises of “maximum support” and “zero movement” — but researchers now say that stopping all breast motion might crank up pressure on your spine.

Yes, the bra might feel snug. But your lumbar spine? It’s low-key screaming.

Wait, What’s the Problem?

Using high-tech tools like motion capture, force plates, and a custom 3D body scanner (we assume it’s cooler than the one at TSA), researchers built the first-ever whole-body, female-specific musculoskeletal model to study what actually happens when you run with different types of breast support.

What they found:
👉 The more a bra reduces breast movement, the more your spine has to compensate.
👉 That means increased spinal load, and a higher chance of lumbar back pain.

So while a high-impact bra might keep you from bouncing, it could be quietly overloading your back muscles — a trade-off nobody signed up for.

From Bounce Control to Biomechanical Balance

Dr. Chris Mills, the lead researcher (and unofficial biomechanics buzzkill), explained it like this:

"A supportive bra is crucial for comfort, but going too far with bounce reduction might actually increase spinal strain."

And his colleague, Professor Joanna Wakefield-Scurr — better known in the industry as “The Bra Professor” (seriously) — added that the fitness industry needs to stop designing bras in isolation and start thinking about the full body.

Because your chest doesn't run without your core. Literally.

Why It Matters

The industry’s obsession with “no movement” might be causing more harm than good — and now there’s science to back that up. With over 8,000 women and 700 sports bras tested by Portsmouth’s Research Group in Breast Health, we’re not talking anecdotal evidence. This is a data-backed wake-up call to rethink performance wear for real-world bodies.

Plus, the same musculoskeletal model used here could soon help doctors create personalized rehab protocols post-breast surgery, designing better bras and training strategies based on your body, not a one-size-fits-all spec sheet.

The Bottom Line:

Bounce reduction is great — but total immobilization? Not so much.
This new research says it’s time to stop designing bras that fight physics and start building ones that work with it.

Because looking supportive isn’t the same as being sustainable… at least for your spine.