05/10/2016
This is the very reason we exist. We work to help make bras available and accessible to young women who might otherwise leave sport and exercise. It is critical to remove the taboos around talking about female development so girls know what to expect and how to handle it.
The sharp drop-off in girls' participation in sports when they reach puberty has long been recognized -- and new research is shedding light on the often overlooked reason why many girls, but not boys, stop playing sports and start avoiding gym class in early adolescence. A study of more than 2,000 girls between 11 and 17 found that many cited embarrassment or discomfort caused by their developing breasts as the primary reason for avoiding exercise and sports. Moreover, the study discovered that "very few girls knew what sort of bra to wear, whether their bra was a good fit or how to avoid breast pain while exercising." Fortunately, the researchers also found a simple solution: Professor Joanna Scurr, the leader of the Research Group in Breast Health, points out that “proper breast support reduces or even eliminates the problems associated with breast movement during sport. All that is needed is better education, preferably at puberty for all girls.”
Among the girls surveyed for the study, which was recently published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, three-quarters had at least one concern about their breasts when exercising, including bouncing and pain; these concerns peak at age 14, the same age at which girls drop out of sports the fastest. Amanda Brasher, a member of the research group who is leading an awareness campaign for schools, says that “the more concerns school girls have about their breasts, the less they exercise.” This is an especially concerning outcome given that 90% of 14-year-old girls in the UK, where the study took place, do not exercise enough to meet the recommended health guidelines.
The study also found that girls are eager for more information with nearly 90% saying they would like to know more about breast health and support. When asked how they would prefer to receive breast-related information, the overwhelmingly majority said they wanted a girls-only session with a female teacher -- and they recommended that such sessions be held when girls reach age 11. Scurr agrees that proper education for girls is critical: “Even for those who overcome their physical embarrassment or awkwardness, the bra marketplace can be overwhelming and confusing.” Only 10 percent of the girls surveyed always wore a sports bra while exercising and more than half had never worn one. Dr. Sharonda Alston Taylor, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, says she found lack of knowledge about bra fitting and sizing was commonplace among her patients: "The mom will say, ‘I don’t know what size she is,’ and the patient will say, ‘I just grab my sister’s or my mother’s bras to wear.’”
For girls who get the help they need, the result is dramatic: a properly fitted sports bra can dramatically reduce breast pain and movement for most girls and women. 17-year-old Andria Castillo recalls that she wanted to stop her taekwondo lessons as a pre-teen because of her self-consciousness about her breast size; now, a member of her school's swim team, she credits her mother and the education and confidence-building programs of the Chicago-based Girls in the Game to turning her attitudes toward her body and sports around. As Brasher observes, a little education can make a big change: “We want to keep as many girls as possible involved in sport and exercise. With the right education we can alleviate many of the girls’ worries, reduce embarrassment and eliminate the breast as a barrier to sports participation.”
To read more about girls, body changes, and sports in the New York Times, visit http://nyti.ms/1QPzJv0
Whether your Mighty Girl is just beginning to develop breasts, or her breasts are still growing, it’s critical to discuss breast health -- including proper bra sizing and support -- with her regularly. For a guide about all aspects of breast health for tweens and teens, check out “Taking Care Of Your ‘Girls’: A Breast Health Guide for Girls, Teens, and In-Betweens” for age 10 and up at http://www.amightygirl.com/taking-care-of-your-girls
For two great guides for girls that include an introduction to breast development and bra selection along with a general discussion of puberty - both for ages 8 to 12 - we highly recommend “The Care and Keeping of You 1” (http://www.amightygirl.com/the-care-and-keeping-of-you-1) and “Girl to Girl: Honest Talk about Growing Up and Your Changing Body” (http://www.amightygirl.com/girl-to-girl)
For many books for tweens and teens on their changing bodies - as well as resources for their parents - check out our blog post, "A Time of Change: Talking with Tweens and Teens about their Bodies," visit http://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=11090
To help your Mighty Girl feel prepared for another puberty milestone -- for her first period -- we also recommend many resources in our blog post ‘That Time of the Month’: Teaching Your Mighty Girl about Her Menstrual Cycle” at http://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=11614
And, for a helpful parenting book that explores the added challenges facing early developing girls, check out "The New Puberty: How To Navigate Early Development in Today's Girls" at http://www.amightygirl.com/the-new-puberty
