Back pain is a common complaint in many chiropractor’s offices throughout the country. According to the American Chiropractic Association: 31 million Americans experience low-back pain at any given time.  The anatomical differences between men and women have lead many individuals to suspect that women who wear a bra would have reduced pain due to altering the female’s center of gravity.  The theory being that if the breast tissue is closer the spine, then the back muscles would not have to try as hard to maintain the correct posture, which would lead to reduced back pain.  Additionally, many women report that they do not want to experience “sagging” when they are older.French professor and researcher Jean-Denis Rouillon, recently concluded a 15 year study, where he evaluated 330 volunteers between the age of 18-35.  Using calipers and a slide rule, he determined that “medically, physiologically, anatomically the breasts gain no benefit from being denied gravity. On the contrary, they get saggier with a bra,”Rouillon, a sports scientist, also reported that “supporting tissues will not grow and even they will wither and the breast will gradually degrade.”  The analogy between the use of a bra can be compared to someone that wears a cast on their forearm for 20 years. When an individual fractures their arm, and a cast is placed over it for 6-8 weeks, the forearm muscles begin to atrophy (get smaller), and weaker. The muscles of the chest and back are theorized to react the same way when a bra is used consistently for many years.

Increased sagging and back pain, is it worth it? Does the study change your opinion of bras?  Do you think studies like this are even worth it? (When I showed the article to my wife she rolled her eyes and said she married into back pain insurance and she was not sure if she would be willing to change her bra wearing habits).

Thanks to +Edward Cantrell for sharing the study with me. To read more from the New York Times, check out the link below.