Subtle Bra Issues to Watch Out For

We all have our favorite bras. You know - the couple that you wear over and over despite the fact you bra drawer has about 10 others that have magically appeared over the years. If you aren't careful, however, you can run into subtle bra problems and not realize it.

Let me ask you a question that might seem obvious. Do you suffer from headaches or back pain? You're probably thinking that everyone does and, well, you're right. Stress does a number on all of us, but you might just find that the big "S" isn't the problem. Instead, it could be how your girls are interacting with your bra.

Your bra should provide support from the bottom up, not the top down. What does this mean? It means that your bra should not hang from your shoulder. The band around the base should be the primary support mechanism. Do you have red marks on your shoulders where the straps sit? If so, you are wearing the bra incorrectly and are likely suffering back and neck pains as well as headaches. Switching to a bra that provides support from the bottom will make a world of difference.

Assuming you have the bottom up approach correct, another subtle problem that can arise is the sliding back issue. Your bra should ride parallel around your torso. This means that if you put your arms up and look in a mirror at your side, the band of the bra on the front and back of your torso should be at the same level. Fortunately, this tends to be the case just naturally in the way we put our bras on. That doesn't mean a problem can't still arise.

Your bra moves about during the day. As it moves, fitting problems can come to forefront. One of the common, but subtle, issues is the band starts to ride up your back. As you go through the day, it will slide slightly higher and higher. You may not notice it, but it will cause you to hunch your shoulders and will also remove most of the support in the front. Look at yourself from the side the next few days when you get home and change clothes. If you find your bra doing this, try tightening the band. Sometimes, you just have to settle for readjusting it every afternoon. Regardless, you will feel better once you stop hunching your shoulders.

For most women, getting a handle on these two issues can make a huge difference in how comfortable a bra is. Worn as intended, bras can be a real joy.