Dr. Bergin & Respect the Bra

The purpose of the “respect” series of blog is to remind my followers and patients of the many destructive forces out there which can result in the slow or acute decline of our musculoskeletal system. Of course, there are commonly seen, major forces, like doing squats and gaining a lot of weight. But, there are also many minor forces, injury-producing activities, which I see over and over in my practice. I don’t see them as often as others, but I see them enough that I write them down on little pieces of note paper, along with the word “BLOG,” in order to remind myself to write about them later.

Many of them are things in which, if you knew about them, or even considered them briefly, you might be able to make some simple changes before the damage is done. For example, check out my previous blog, Respect the Stairs.

So I’m starting with a really simple one: RESPECT THE BRA

It goes without saying that we need to wear bras. The first bra was a corset, and it was put on by someone else… from behind! So when bras evolved, they did so with the opening in the back. Why didn’t someone early on consider an opening in the front? I wonder how many rotator cuffs that would have spared?

I often treat women complaining of the onset of shoulder pain whilst trying to fasten the hooks from behind. It’s tricky. You have to have your wrists, elbows and shoulders all in good health to do it. And it is so ingrained into our physical memory that it sometimes takes a doctor saying, “Have you considered wearing a front opening bra or putting it on backwards and turning it around,?” before my patients realize that it’s a viable, if not preferable, option.

So, why don’t we start converting to front-opening bras? While we’re slowly exchanging out our inventory, why don’t we also start doing them in the front and turning them around? I promise it will save some of your shoulders.

And, about those sport bras… I have had many women ding their rotator cuffs or just strain their shoulders from trying to wrestle out of sweaty, tight fitting sport bras. Why do we do this to ourselves? There are many attractive and functional front clasping sport bras. Unless you’re a dry, skinny person, you almost have to dislocate your shoulders to get out of them. I address this because I actually see women injure themselves getting out of sport bras. I’m not recommending this just to e mean…

Calling all bra companies! Heed my request to make more stylish, front-opening bras, and change our back-clasping bra culture!

To read more of Dr. Bergin’s “respect” series, check out her blog.