It is no exaggeration to say that finding the best sports bra for you is more important than any other aspect of your workout wardrobe (even your running shoes), whatever the size of your chest. “The breast moves considerably if it’s not supported correctly,” says Professor Joanna Wakefield-Scurr, head of the research group in breast health at the University of Portsmouth, who has been researching the biomechanics of breasts for nearly 20 years. “In our lab, when women are exercising without wearing a bra, we’ve seen up to 21cm of movement.”
Wakefield-Scurr is full of fun facts, such as: “the breast accelerates faster than a Formula One car if you go running without wearing a sports bra.” So wearing the wrong bra to exercise is no laughing matter.
“During physical activity, human skin can stretch up to about 60 per cent and it will recover; but without the right support, if we start to stretch it beyond 60 per cent, it might be causing an injury to the fibres in the skin that can become permanent,” she says, hammering home the importance of finding that perfect sports bra.
To help you out, a panel of The Telegraph’s lifestyle writers have tried and tested a handful of sports bras. You can read our in-depth reviews below, but if you’re in a hurry, here’s a quick look at our top five:
Which is the best sports bra in 2024? At a glance
How should a sports bra fit?
“What you’re looking for is not necessarily something that’s tight, but something that holds you in place and stays in position if you jump up and down. We’ve done some research which has shown that the higher the front section of the bra, the more support it provides – so that’s a good thing to look out for,” says Wakefield-Scurr. “‘Encapsulation’ designs also tend to support the breast better than bras that just compress the breast tissue towards the chest wall – so look for something that has separating cups in it.”
How to choose a sports bra
If you’re starting from scratch, having a fitting either in person or virtually with a brand such as MAAREE (more on that below) is the first step to finding the most supportive sports bra.
Don’t think you can get away with a flimsy crop top if you’re doing low impact exercise, either; a supportive sports bra is important regardless of what workout you’re doing. “There are sports bras especially designed for low-impact exercise that allow more of a range of movement in your upper body,” which is important for sports like yoga and pilates, says Wakefield-Scurr.