| Does Running Make Your Breasts Sag? |
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| Written by Diet Detective Editorial Staff | |
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This age-old fear needlessly keeps many women from a great form of
exercise. Here’s what you need to know about things going south and
what running has (and has not) to do with it. Listen up, ladies. We all know running is a great way to get fit, lose weight and improve our energy, but even the added benefit of stress relief is not enough to get some of us in a pair of running shoes. We are held back by an age-old fear that the bouncing motion of running will take away our perky breasts and lead to total deflation. Now is the time to ditch the fear and hit the road because this is a myth.
Breasts are largely made of fat and, unfortunately, they will naturally start to travel south over time. Genetics also plays a role in the shape and appearance of your breasts. "The breasts are filled with Astley-Cooper ligaments, and when these stretch, the breast loses its elasticity," says Laurence Kirwan, M.D., a board-certified plastic surgeon with a private practice in Connecticut and England.
Loss of elasticity can be blamed on breast growth during puberty, weight loss and gain, pregnancy and breast-feeding. "Running does not help breasts and can in fact stretch the ligaments supporting them," says Kirwan.
It's all a lie, according to Mindy Solkin, owner and head coach of The Running Center in New York City. "Running does not make your breasts sag. When you run, you are moving forward through space, with your arms pumping back and forth and your legs going forward. Running involves a slight forward lean, with the shoulders relaxed and down, not rolled forward." She coaches her clients that proper running form should never involve a hopping motion. "If you hop, you are wasting energy."
"Running does not take away the elasticity," says exercise physiologist Amy Brummerloh, but "I would not go jogging without the proper sports bra." She suggests performing back-strengthening and chest-stretching exercises to improve your running stance. Strengthening the back and shoulder muscles in particular will improve your form and help you run more efficiently.
No amount of exercise can correct an already sagging set of breasts, but taking certain steps can help maintain firmness and prevent damage:
Wear a fitted sports bra
Never exercise braless
Avoid yo-yo dieting
Strength-train to improve your running posture
Avoid bouncing when you run
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| Last Updated ( Tuesday, 04 July 2006 ) |
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