Exponential Relationship Between Bra Underwire Rigidity and Breast Motion: Insights for Adaptive Bra Design and Manufacturing

IF 2.2 3区工程技术 Q3 ENGINEERING, MANUFACTURING

Human Factors and Ergonomics in Manufacturing & Service Industries Pub Date : 2026-02-03 DOI:10.1002/hfm.70034

Xiaona Chen, Xue Zheng, Guangwu Sun, Yanmei Li, Yi Cao

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Sports bras function as a form of personal protective equipment, designed to minimize breast motion and pain. The sports bra design significantly affects breast support and discomfort. Although the use of underwire has been shown to enhance bra support, no quantitative data related to the relationship between underwire properties and bra performance has been published to guide designers and manufacturers in selecting underwire. This study aimed to quantitatively examine the relationship between underwire rigidity and breast motion and discomfort. Ten participants were recruited to perform treadmill running under six bra conditions: one without underwire and five with underwires of varying levels of rigidity. A decreasing trend was observed in vertical breast displacement, perceived breast movement, and discomfort as underwire rigidity increased. Significant exponential relationships were identified between underwire rigidity and vertical breast displacement. However, no significant associations were found for perceived breast movement and perceived breast discomfort. These findings underscore the importance of selecting appropriately rigid underwires for sports bras, under the tested conditions (young women with bra size 75 C performing treadmill jogging/running at 7.5 and 10 km/h using the same bra model), offering valuable insights into the design and manufacturing of sports bras in the underwear industry.

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胸罩钢圈刚度与乳房运动的指数关系：适应性胸罩设计与制造的见解

运动文胸是一种个人防护装备，旨在最大限度地减少乳房的运动和疼痛。运动文胸的设计明显影响乳房的支撑力和不适。虽然使用钢圈已被证明可以增强胸罩的支撑力，但没有关于钢圈性能与胸罩性能之间关系的定量数据发表，以指导设计师和制造商选择钢圈。本研究旨在定量研究钢圈刚性与乳房运动和不适之间的关系。研究人员招募了10名参与者，让他们在6种胸罩条件下在跑步机上跑步：一种没有钢圈，另一种有不同硬度的钢圈。随着钢圈刚性的增加，乳房垂直位移、乳房感知运动和不适呈下降趋势。确定了钢丝下刚度和乳房垂直位移之间的显著指数关系。然而，没有发现明显的关联感知乳房运动和感知乳房不适。这些发现强调了在测试条件下（胸罩尺码75c的年轻女性在跑步机慢跑/以7.5和10公里/小时的速度跑步时使用相同的胸罩型号），为运动胸罩的设计和制造提供了有价值的见解。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Human Factors and Ergonomics in Manufacturing & Service Industries 管理科学-工程：制造

CiteScore

5.20

自引率

8.30%

发文量

审稿时长

6.0 months

期刊介绍： The purpose of Human Factors and Ergonomics in Manufacturing & Service Industries is to facilitate discovery, integration, and application of scientific knowledge about human aspects of manufacturing, and to provide a forum for worldwide dissemination of such knowledge for its application and benefit to manufacturing industries. The journal covers a broad spectrum of ergonomics and human factors issues with a focus on the design, operation and management of contemporary manufacturing systems, both in the shop floor and office environments, in the quest for manufacturing agility, i.e. enhancement and integration of human skills with hardware performance for improved market competitiveness, management of change, product and process quality, and human-system reliability. The inter- and cross-disciplinary nature of the journal allows for a wide scope of issues relevant to manufacturing system design and engineering, human resource management, social, organizational, safety, and health issues. Examples of specific subject areas of interest include: implementation of advanced manufacturing technology, human aspects of computer-aided design and engineering, work design, compensation and appraisal, selection training and education, labor-management relations, agile manufacturing and virtual companies, human factors in total quality management, prevention of work-related musculoskeletal disorders, ergonomics of workplace, equipment and tool design, ergonomics programs, guides and standards for industry, automation safety and robot systems, human skills development and knowledge enhancing technologies, reliability, and safety and worker health issues.