title: Features of sports bras that deter their use by Australian women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to identify features of commercially available sports bras that deter women from wearing them while participating in physical activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study results were obtained from a self-administered mail survey, which was posted to participants after gaining their verbal consent via random telephone recruitment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four hundred and thirteen women aged 20-35 years were recruited from New South Wales, Australia, with 267 (65%) surveys returned.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was found that the shoulder straps slipping or cutting into the shoulder were the two most disliked features of current sports bras, with 23% of respondents also indicating that the shoulder straps were the first bra feature to fail. Respondents also indicated that the perceived tightness of the sports bra around the chest was a deterrent for their use.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although previous research has found that a correctly fitted sports bra does not impede athletic performance, further research is required to investigate sports bra shoulder strap designs to improve wearer comfort without negatively affecting the ability of a sports bra to reduce breast motion and/or associated breast pain during participation in physical activity.
authors.affiliation: Biomechanics Research Laboratory, School of Health Sciences, University of Wollongong, Australia.
authors.forename: Kelly-Ann
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Bowles
authors.forename: Julie R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Steele
authors.forename: Bridget J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Munro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003020:Clothing / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003625:Data Collection; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D059373:Mastodynia / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D009517:New South Wales; D020069:Shoulder Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult