It is possible that the weight of your breasts is causing your bra to hurt your back, a telltale sign would be that you may have painful indentations in your shoulders where your bra strap has been digging into your skin. If you have larger breasts, you may think that back pain is inevitable. The truth is, a lot of back pain can be avoided with a properly fitted and supportive bra.
A bra can hurt your back for an of the following reasons, but a well-fitted, supportive bra is the solution in every case!
- Weight of Breasts: Larger sizes, like G-cup, weigh significantly and can cause back pain.
- Poor Fit: Around 70% of women wear incorrectly sized bras, leading to a lack of support and pain.
- Bra Band Issues: If too loose, the band fails to support the breasts, pushing the weight onto the straps.
- Bra Strap Problems: Tight straps dig into shoulders, causing back and neck pain, often indicating a loose band.
- Impact on Posture: Large breasts can negatively affect posture and spine curvature.
- Altered Center of Gravity: Larger breasts can shift the centre of gravity, leading to middle and lower back pain.
- Strain During Activity: Without proper support, physical activity can exacerbate back pain.
In this article, we’ll explain how to choose the right bra to leave your breasts feeling supported and comfortable.
Can Bras Cause Back Pain?
There aren’t many things worse than back pain. It can stop you from going about your daily life and doing the things that you enjoy.
But what if you realise that your bra is causing your back pain? Is there anything you can do to ease the pain and stop it from happening?
Why Do Big Breasts Cause Back Pain?
Large breasts, known medically as breast hypertrophy, are well-known for causing back pain. D-cup breasts weigh around 1kg whilst G-cup breasts weight over 2kg – the weight of a 2-litre bottle of Coca Cola! It’s no wonder that carrying around larger breasts all day can result in back pain.
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Can A Poorly Fitted Bra Cause Back Pain?
If you’re experiencing back pain as a result of your bra, it’s likely that your bra isn’t offering the right level of support. This is usually because the bra doesn’t fit properly. It could be that the bra is the wrong size, or that the style doesn’t suit your body shape.
The good news is that there’s a simple solution – you don’t need to start thinking about breast reduction surgery. If you find a well-fitting and supportive bra, you should notice that your back pain begins to ease.
View our range of D+ side support bras here
How Should A Bra Band Fit?
The band of your bra is designed to anchor your bra to your body. 80% of your support should come from this band, so it’s important that it fits right. If your bra band is too loose, it will ride up or move around, meaning that it won’t be taking the weight of your breasts.
Your bra should always be fitted on the loosest hook. This is because the elastic of your bra will slacken over time, so you need space to be able to tighten the band when this happens.
When your bra is fastened on the loosest hook, you should be able to fit two fingers comfortably under the band of your bra – but no more than two. When you look in a mirror, the band of your bra should be level all the way round, and it shouldn’t ride up throughout the day.
If the band of your bra is too loose, the weight of your breasts will have to be supported by your bra straps. This is one of the most common causes of back pain in women.
Read our full fitting guide here
How Should Bra Straps Fit?
Your bra straps aren’t designed to carry the weight of your breasts. They should be fastened tight enough to stay up, but not so tight that they are digging into your shoulders or taking the weight of your breasts.
If your bra straps are fastened too tightly, the weight of your breasts will be taken through your shoulders and the straps will begin to dig in. This will often result in back or neck pain. If you’re having to tighten your bra straps to give your breasts the support that they need, it’s likely that your bra band is too loose.
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How To Stop Big Breasts From Causing Back Pain
The best way to ease back pain caused by larger breasts is to make sure that you’re wearing a bra that fits correctly. We know that many women aren’t wearing the right size bra. In fact, latest research shows that around 70% of women are wearing the wrong bra size.
Unfortunately, many high street stores don’t use best practice when it comes to measuring bra size. Many stores add on two inches when measuring band size, leaving women with bra bands which are too big and don’t fully support their breasts. This then leads to back pain which could have been prevented.
Making sure that your bra fits properly and is the right style for your body type will help to prevent back pain and give your breasts the support that they deserve.
Read our full fitting guide here
Related Questions
What Size Breasts Can Cause Back Pain?
Many women who have breasts which are a D-cup or larger suffer with back pain. In fact, one study found that women with a D-cup or larger typically had poorer postures and greater curvatures of the spine than their smaller-breasted counterparts. This shows the effect that larger breasts can have on back pain.
Where Is Back Pain Located Due To Large Breasts?
Larger breasts have an effect on your centre of gravity, meaning that they can cause pain in your middle and lower back. The weight of your breasts means that you’re more likely to slouch forward and you may compensate for this by extending your neck, which may also result in neck pain.
You may find that your back pain is worse during or after exercise as your muscles are having to work harder to compensate for the weight of your breasts. Choosing a supportive bra can help to reduce the strain on your back, easing back pain.
Discover our range of D+ sports bras here
Switch To A Well-Fitted Bra To Ease Back Pain
If your breasts are causing back pain, it could be a result of a poorly-fitted bra. Opting for a more supportive bra that is well-fitted could help to ease your back pain and leave you feeling comfortable and supported.
If you’re ready to find the perfect bra to reduce your back pain, you can find our full range of D+ bras here.
Also see:
Maternity bra tips
Why does my bra hurt my back?
Best sports bras for saggy breasts
Why your bra strap falls down off your shoulders
The best bra for big bust support