As the Bra Professor, I have devoted my entire career to the science of breasts and bras. Being a breast pain sufferer, I was really keen to generate scientific evidence to broaden understanding, inform product development and raise awareness of this under-investigated, under-reported and under-estimated aspect of women’s health. So, in 2005, I established the Research Group in Breast Health at the University of Portsmouth.
Our research was the first to categorise the 3D movement of the breast and identify that it moves in a figure-of-eight pattern. With movement up to 21 cm and acceleration faster than a formula 1 car, excessive breast movement has the potential to cause damage to breast tissue. We have reported that breast movement changes the way we move, even causing reductions in your running stride of up to 4 cm, which equates to losing a mile over a marathon. We have recorded breast skin stretching to more than double its original length if not properly supported. We also identified that breast pain affects half the UK female population and is a significant barrier to exercise.
Now as a world leader in the area, our research has led to collaborations with all of the major sports apparel brands and lingerie brands around the world, plus bra manufacturers and retailers. Our findings have informed understanding of breast pain treatments within the NHS, helped military recruits chose bras, developed bespoke bras for Olympic athletes and helped the Lionesses optimise their sports bras in the lead up to their European Championship victory.
I am hugely grateful to the thousands of women who have run, jumped, swam bare-breasted in our lab. Their data has helped develop the world’s largest database on the support requirements of the breast and led to me establish the world’s first sports bra test house to ensure women are getting good quality products that do what they claim to do.
I am really passionate about empowering women and girls to talk about and understand their breasts and bras, so in 2014, myself and colleagues established a charitable initiative called Treasure Your Chest, which offers free resources to educate schoolgirls about breasts and bras. We know that 46% of schoolgirls are put off sport because of something to do with their breasts. Our resources have demonstrated improvements in girls’ breast knowledge, attitudes to breasts and engagement with positive breast habits over a sustained period of time.
The bra market has advanced hugely over the last decade, offering women a wider range of solutions and technical innovations. Whilst this market progression is really positive, it also means an increase in choice, which can be confusing. Breast and bra information available to the public is can be overwhelming, often conflicting and lacking an evidence-base. I believe there is an opportunity to cut through the noise and offer accurate, evidence-based advice.
I have been lucky enough to be involved in a large amount of media coverage over the last two decades. I believe this is a really important part of my job; it enables the dissemination of scientific, evidence-based data to the public and raises awareness of this important aspect of women’s health.
My mission is to encourage everyone to talk knowledgably about breasts and bras.