Bra as an Alternative to Back Surgery

You are a woman and your back hurts. It may be your upper back or your mid- to lower back. You may even be considering back surgery as an option, but you have heard that surgery can be risky and can make back pain worse. A good, well-fitted bra may be a solution that you can try as an alternative to back surgery.

Posture and Back Pain

• One of the main causes of back pain and back muscle spasms is poor posture, which puts stress on the natural way the S curve of your back supports the weight of your upper body. This makes your back susceptible to weakness and strain, according to Dr. Fred Allman, Jr., an orthopedic surgeon and director of the Atlanta Sports Medicine Clinic. Symptoms of back pain from poor posture can sometimes be mistaken for conditions that might require surgery. Good posture helps support your spine's S curve and helps reduce back strain, pain and muscle spasms.

What is Good Posture?

• Good posture is standing or sitting so that your chest is raised and you can breathe freely, your back is straight and buttocks tucked under. But maintaining good posture can be difficult if you are a woman with a larger-than-average breast size. If you are, just trying to stand up straight can cause pain in the upper or lower back, or both, from the weight of large, poorly supported breasts.

The Wrong Bra

• One reason women experience back pain, and may even contemplate surgery, is that the bra they wear is the wrong size. Most women need to be remeasured and refitted for a bra every few years. Even minor changes in weight can affect bra size, and breast size changes even when weight stays steady; bra size can also fluctuate during the menstrual cycle and pregnancy.

  In November 2005, the Oprah Winfrey Show discussed research showing eight out of 10 women wear the wrong bra size. Also on the show were findings by the British Chiropractic Association that wearing the wrong-sized bra causes poor posture, leading to chronic back pain, abrasion and chafing, breathing problems and breast pain.

  A poorly fitted bra forces the upper back, shoulders, neck and head to carry and compensate for the weight of the breasts. This causes stress, pain and injury, particularly to the neck, back and shoulders. Pain from this sort of stress can often mimic conditions that might require surgery, such as a slipped disc or pressure on the sciatic nerve. But if you have the right bra, your breasts are properly supported and your back feels better.

The Right Bra

• A bra that fits correctly should reflect both your chest size (called the band size) and your actual breast size (cup size). The band of your bra should lie flat and even, feel firm but comfortable and should never ride up in the back. The bottom rim of each cup should lie just under your breast, right against the sternum. Breasts should be primarily supported by the cups and the band, not by the bra straps. Bra strap support alone causes stress to the upper back.

Sports Bras

• In addition to a well-fitted daytime bra, many bras designed for use in sports and athletic activities may offer considerable relief from upper back pain. This is because they can offer better support, according to Karl B. Fields, M.D., associate professor of family practice and director of the Sports Medicine Fellowship at Moses Cone Memorial Hospital, Greensboro, North Carolina. When you try on a sports bra, move around vigorously, bend and stretch, to make sure it fits and supports you.