What does the breast consist of?
The breasts are composed of mainly fatty tissue with the mammary glands and muscle. The muscle is deep so cannot help much in supporting the breast.
Coopers Ligaments help hold the breasts up. They are thin bands interwoven into the breast and are not very strong. If the breasts are not supported properly with a good sports bra then repetitive bouncing from running can stretch the Coopers ligaments permanently
The main injuries affecting breasts are nipple problems (joggers nipple or friction injury), a direct blow to the breast causing a contusion and repetitive trauma caused by constant movement and bouncing whilst running.
Repetitive trauma injury/ Joggers nipple
Continuous running causes the breasts to move up and down and side to side. This not only causes pain resulting from the trauma of excessive movement but will result in permanent stretching of the Coopers ligaments resulting in drooping breasts. It is not just the larger breasted woman who suffers breast pain when running but also smaller breasted women can suffer from joggers nipple just as much.
It is also possible that breasts that are not properly supported can lead to tension and strain in the upper back and neck, particularly in the larger breasted woman. The excess weight at the front can mean the back muscles have to work harder to keep the shoulders in the correct position. These muscles will eventually become weak and stretched leading to back and neck pain.
What can the athlete do about it?
- Wear the correct sports bra. This should give support and prevent vertical movement as well as side to side movement
- 'Breast droop' is irreversible so prevention is better than cure
- For back pain, try to maintain correct posture with shoulders back. Also a regular sports massage is a great way of reducing the tension in the muscles
Injury resulting from direct trauma
Direct trauma can occur from being hit by a ball, a racket or even an opponent. A contusion (bleeding within the muscle or breast) may occur, which will cause bruising and swelling to develop.
What can the athlete do about it?
- Apply cold therapy and support the area
- Occasionally if the injury is bad you may need to see a Doctor who will aspirate the injury (suck of the fluid with a needle)
- Wearing the correct sports bra which can include padding for protection. In some sports such as martial arts, a plastic cupped bra can be worn over the top
Joggers Nipple
This is a painful condition more common in men than women. It is in effect a friction burn caused by constant rubbing of a T-shirt on the nipple. It is often more likely in cold and wet weather.
What can the athlete do about it?
- Protect the injury from further trauma and allow it to heal. This should not take long.
- Again prevention is better than cure. The correct sports bra can help, as can applying petroleum jelly to the nipples or covering them with zinc oxide tape before running.
Sports Bras
There are many types of sports bra available and the most suitable for one person is not necessarily the best for another person. When choosing a sports bra you should take into account:
- Support level - this will depend on your size (larger breasts need more support) and your sport (high impact?)
- Compression or encapsulation - Compression bras basically compress the breasts against the chest and are usually crop-top styles. Encapsulation bras keep the breast separate in defined cups, more similar to a standard bra. Women with larger breasts should pick an encapsulation bra. Smaller breasted women may feel a compression bra is sufficient. A few styles both compress and encapsulate.
- Strap width - Make sure the straps are wider than an standard bra. This will help support and breasts and prevent the straps digging in.
- Material - Make sure the material is breathable and comfortable to wear. Also ensure that there are no seams on the cups which could cause nipple chafing!
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