Breast Health News

Research Group in Breast Health, University of Portsmouth

December 2012

Welcome to the first newsletter from the Research Group in Breast Health at the University of Portsmouth. The group, led by Dr Joanna Scurr, is internationally renowned for conducting pioneering fundamental and applied research into this important aspect of women’s health.

Breast pain can impact upon women’s performance, health and wellbeing. With up to 60 per cent of British women suffering from breast pain, it is more widespread than many realise. Appropriate breast support may be an effective treatment for breast pain and breast sag. Therefore, we formed in 2005 with the aim of improving women’s quality of life by:

• broadening the understanding of the breast • informing breast support design • raising awareness of an important issue for women

Research Group in Breast HealthResearch Group lead: Dr Joanna Scurr, Reader in BiomechanicsLecturers: Dr Chris Mills, Dr Nikki Brown, Jenny White PhD students: Alex Milligan, Debbie Risius, Amy LoveridgeResearchers: Wendy Hedger, Amanda Brasher

We have also recently welcomed our new visiting Researcher, Amy Pritchard, and our MRes student, Emma Burnett.

Meet the team

First dedicated UK breast biomechanics research laboratory to openWe are delighted to be hosting a special event early in 2013 to celebrate the opening of our new breast biomechanics research lab at the University of Portsmouth. This will be the first dedicated lab for breast and bra testing in the UK. It boasts state-of-the-art biomechanics equipment including an automated tracking system, visual 3D analytical software, a wireless EMG system for measuring muscle activity and much more.

The event will include breast biomechanics testing demonstrations, bra fitting and advice and information on all things breast-related.

This is an open event that everyone is welcome to attend. If you would like to find out more information, please visit our website or email us at breastresearch@port.ac.uk. We look forward to seeing you there!

Join us for our new lab opening

Research Groupin Breast Health

Charity bra bankThe Research Group has teamed up with BCR Global Textiles to recycle old or unused bras. Bras are costly and difficult to manufacture, resulting in a short supply of affordable bras in developing countries. By donating old but usable bras to our bra bank, we can make a valuable contribution to the developing world, help reduce waste in the UK and raise money for our nominated charity, Against Breast Cancer*.

Bring your unwanted bras (in plastic bags) to the Spinnaker Building at the University of Portsmouth (see www.port.ac.uk/breastresearch for location) to help raise money for breast cancer research.

*Against Breast Cancer is registered charity no. 1121258. www.againstbreastcancer.org.uk.

Best-fit guideWe recommend five simple steps to ensure the best bra-fit:

1. UnderbandThe band should fit firmly around the chest. It should not slide around as you move, but it should not be too tight to be uncomfortable, affect breathing or make flesh bulge over the band. The band should be level all the way around the chest.

2. CupThe breasts should be enclosed within the cups, with no bulging or gaping at the top or sides. If the cup material is puckering, then the cup size is probably too big.

3. UnderwireThe underwire should follow the natural crease of the breasts and not rest on any breast tissue. If the underwire is resting too far down the ribcage (i.e. where the ribcage gets slightly narrower), the band size is probably too small.

4. FrontThe front of the bra should sit flat against the body and not gape away from the chest. If the front of the bra is lifting away, the cup size may need to be increased.

5. StrapsThe shoulder straps should be adjusted to comfortably provide breast support without being too tight (i.e. digging into the skin). The main support for the breast should come from a firm band, not tight shoulder straps.

Are you wearing the right bra?Regardless of how good the design of a bra is, if the size is wrong, then it may not provide effective support.

When trying on bras, the key things to remember are that if the band size fits well, then you only need to change the cup size. However, if the cup fits well but you want to change the band size, then you need to be aware of the following:

• ifyougoupabandsize,thentohaveanequivalentcup size you need to go down a cup size e.g. 34C becomes 36B

• ifyougodownabandsize,thentohaveanequivalent cup size you have to go up a cup size e.g. 34C becomes 32D

Over 70 per cent of women are reported to wear the incorrect bra size.

BRA SIZE CHART

30AA 30A 30B 30C 30D

32AA 32A 32B 32C 32D

34AA 34A 34B 34C 34D

36AA 36A 36B 36C 36D

38AA 38A 38B 38C 38D

40AA 40A 40B 40C 40D

CORE SIZES

White & Scurr, 2012

Older breasts have less bounceA recent study by Research Group in Breast Health team member Debbie Risius investigated the differences in breast movement between younger (18–25 years) and older (45–65 years) women during brisk walking.

The results showed that the majority of breast movement for the younger group was in the vertical direction as identified in previous studies. However, the breast movement for the older women was more equally distributed in all directions (forward/backward, side to side and vertical). This has implications

for bra design, as most current bras are designed based on the movement of young breasts and do not necessarily consider the requirements of older women.

The results from this study combined with Debbie’s previous work looking at both aesthetic and functional requirements of bras for older women may lead to the manufacture of bras specifically tailored to women over the age of 45 years.

Underband

Straps

Underwire

Front Cups

New research by Jenny White and Dr Joanna Scurr has shown that over 70 per cent of women are wearing the incorrect bra size. A well-fitting bra is essential for women of all ages and activity levels, as proper breast support can:

• alleviate breast pain • reduce excessive breast movement that may cause

embarrassment • even reduce the desire for breast reduction surgery in

large-breasted women

Jenny White explained: ‘We compared the predicted bra size using the traditional tape-measure method to the size assessed using professional bra-fit criteria (underband, cups, underwire, front and straps). We found that the tape measure method often resulted in a band size that was too large and a cup size that was too small. The differences between the two methods became larger with increasing breast size, implying that the women who often need the most breast support are more likely to be wearing an inadequately supportive bra.

‘The best-fit method allows women to quickly assess the fit of a particular bra, therefore allowing them to find the most supportive size and style for their individual body shape.’

For more information on our bra-fit recommendations see our guide to the left.

White, J. & Scurr, J. (2012). Evaluation of professional bra fitting criteria for bra selection and fitting in the UK. Ergonomics, 55 (6), 704–711.

Younger women have more vertical breast movement during exercise

Breast Health News Issue one December 2012

New research

Over 70 per cent of women are wearing the wrong size bra!

Find out moreFor more information including videos and news, visit our website.

T: 023 9284 5161E: breastresearch@port.ac.ukW: www.port.ac.uk/breastresearch

Recent events 12 October 2012 – Dr Joanna Scurr presented at the Cardiac Risk in the Young conference on the importance of breast support

21 September 2012 – Debbie Risius presented at the Royal Society of Medicine as a nominee for the Helal and Harris Prize

24 August 2012 – the Research Group undertook a breast dissection at the Brighton and Sussex Medical School (see photo), which provided a clearer understanding of the unique anatomy of the female breast

19–24 July 2012 – Bessie Ayres and Jenny White presented at the ICSEMIS conference in Glasgow

27 June 2012 – Amy Loveridge won first prize in the Faculty of Science PhD poster presentation day at the University of Portsmouth

26 June 2012 – Jenny White presented at the All Woman Show in Portsmouth

21 April 2012 – Dr Joanna Scurr presented at the London Marathon Medical Conference

Recent publicationsHaake, S., Milligan, A. and Scurr, J. (2012) Can measures of strain and acceleration be used to predict breast discomfort during running? Journal of sports engineering and technology.

Tasker, L., White, J., Milligan, A., Ayres, B., Hedger, W. and Scurr, J. (2012) Predictors of three dimensional breast kinematics during bare-breasted running. Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

Risius, D., Thelwell, R., Wagstaff, C. and Scurr, J. (2012) Influential factors in bra purchasing in older women. Journal of fashion marketing and management.

Brown, N., White, J., Milligan, A., Risius, D., Ayres, B., Hedger, W. and Scurr, J. (2012). The relationship between breast size and anthropometric characteristics. American journal of human biology.

The team at August’s breast dissection

How we can help youWorkshopsWe offer one-day breast science workshops that can be tailored to meet your objectives, covering topics such as breast biomechanics, bra support requirements, bra fit, breast movement and the importance of breast support.

Research projectsAre you involved in the design, manufacture, retail or marketing of bras or sports bras, or breast healthcare? Would you like to improve your service or products? If so, please contact us using the details below to discuss how we could help.

Here’s how we helped one organisation:In Autumn 2011, the Research Group joined forces with Sweatshop, a specialist running retailer, and developed the UK’s first evidence-based free professional sports bra-fitting service which included a bra-fitting guide and educational video to assist online customers.

Senior Sweatshop buyer, Amanda Brasher, said: ‘Sweatshop’s collaboration with Portsmouth has been a great benefit to the business. Both our male and female staff are given a very good grounding in breast health. It has changed the way they interact with our customers; they now inform them and empower the customer to make an informed choice about their breast health, as well as ensure the perfect fit. I have no doubt that this has contributed to the large increase in our sports bra sales over the last two years.’

MD7484 1112

Making an impactThe team in the Research Group in Breast Health regularly attends events and publishes findings to achieve its aims and make an impact on women’s breast health.

How you can help usRecruitmentWe are always looking for women to take part in our research. If you would like to be involved, please contact us using the details below.