In England, the problem is taken very seriously. This is how the BETA (British Equestrian Trade Association), the British federation and researchers from the Institute of Biomechanics in Portsmouth have come together to create a prevention campaign aimed at riders. Together they have published the 'Equestrian's Guide to Bra'* , based on extensive research by Dr Jenny Burbage of the University of Portsmouth, and Lorna Cameron of Sparsholt College in Hampshire. The riders are not aware that their bras are unsuitable. Their studies show in particular that only 19% of female riders confirm that they always ride with a sports bra against 91% of female runners. Yet both sports are categorized at the same level of impact.
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Only 19% of riders ride with a sports bra against 91% when running.
DR JENNY BURBAGE
Researcher in sports & biomechanics at the University of Portsmouth
Dr. Burbage explains these numbers in several ways. The majority of sports bras are intended for running during the promotional speech. This advertisement leads the consumer to think that a sports bra is not necessary for other sports, such as horse riding for example! The confusion between “sport” and “sport cardio” is another problem. A high impact sport is not necessarily a “cardio sport” and horse riding is the perfect example. Some will tend to say that horseback riding is not really a sport (grrrr) and yet! The movement undergone by the chest will be greater than when you run a marathon! It's time to raise awareness among riders who think that being well equipped is not necessary. Some are held back by the aesthetics of the bras currently on the market: too aggressive, too flashy… A look that is not suited to trends in the equestrian world.
Sports Bra Testing Lab
Who says chest bounce, says poor performance!
Dr Burbage concludes his research by calling on players in the British equine industry to take initiatives to raise awareness among riders. Because, in addition to pain, a rider who is embarrassed or in pain causes tension, generating a significant drop in her athletic performance, regardless of the discipline! In riders, these tensions due to pain will be felt first in the mouth and back of the horse. Arthur Gentina – Osteopath DO specialist in riders – confirms that the sequelae in women and in their horses are obvious.
Simona Halep joins the world top by reducing the impact of her chest.
Do you know the surprising story of tennis player Simona Halep? This exceptional player saw her career explode following a breast reduction operation. "It hurt my back, made it difficult for me to serve," she says. Today at the head of the world ranking, it allows us to establish a strong and obvious correlation between the support of the chest and the sports performance.
# #Connections
"An investigation of bra concerns and barriers to participation in horse riding" by Jenny Burbage & Lorna Cameron
"Breast movement asymmetry during running: implications for breast support" by Jenny Burbage, Timothy Exell, Alex Milligan, Amy Sanchez, Brogan Horler, Chris Mills, and Joanna Wakefield-Scurr
Simona Halep Official Website
