Breast size, bra fit and thoracic pain in young women: a correlational study

K Wood; Melainie Cameron; Kylie Fitzgerald

doi:10.1186/1746-1340-16-1

Back

Breast size, bra fit and thoracic pain in young women: a correlational study

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Breast size, bra fit and thoracic pain in young women: a correlational study

K Wood, Melainie Cameron and Kylie Fitzgerald

Chiropractic and Osteopathy, Vol.16, 1

2008

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-1340-16-1

Files and links (2)

pdf

PDF - Published Version (Open Access)268.63 kBDownload View

Published VersionPDF - Published Version (Open Access)CCBY_V2.0, Open Access

url

https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-1340-16-1View

Published Version

Abstract

breast size

bra size

thoracic pain

Introduction: A single sample study was undertaken to determine the strength and direction of correlations between: a) breast size and thoracic spine or posterior chest wall pain; b) bra fit and thoracic spine or posterior chest wall pain and; c) breast size and bra fit, in thirty nulliparous women (18-26 years), with thoracic spine or posterior chest wall pain, who wore bras during daytime. Measures: Pain (Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire), bra size (Triumph International), bra fit (Triumph International). Results: Most (80%) women wore incorrectly sized bras: 70% wore bras that were too small, 10% wore bras that were too large. Breast size was negatively correlated with both bra size (r = -0.78) and bra fit (r = -0.50). These results together indicate that large breasted women were particularly likely to be wearing incorrectly sized and fitted bras. Negligible relationships were found between pain and bra fit, and breast size and pain. Menstrual cycle stage was moderately positively correlated with bra fit (r = 0.32). Conclusion: In young, nulliparous women, thoracic pain appears unrelated to breast size. Bra fit is moderately related to stage of menstrual cycle suggesting that this research may be somewhat confounded by hormonal changes or reproductive stage. Further research is needed to clarify whether there is a relationship between breast size or bra fit and thoracic pain in women during times of hormonal change.

Details

Title: Breast size, bra fit and thoracic pain in young women: a correlational study
Authors: K Wood (Author) - Victoria University
Melainie Cameron (Author) - Victoria University
Kylie Fitzgerald (Author) - Victoria University
Publication details: Chiropractic and Osteopathy, Vol.16, 1; 7
Publisher: BioMed Central Ltd.
Date published: 2008
DOI: 10.1186/1746-1340-16-1
ISSN: 1746-1340
Copyright note: Copyright © 2008 Wood et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. This published version is reproduced inaccordance with this policy.
Organisation Unit: University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Health and Sport Sciences - Legacy
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99450125602621
Output Type: Journal article

Metrics

55 File views/ downloads

733 Record Views

See more details