Ergonomic design of sport-specific sports bras and customisation for female athletes (Hong Kong Sports Institute) : full report with feedback from elite athletes

Abstract

An online survey revealed that most of the female athletes are unaware of their correct bra size and lack knowledge about bra sizing, leading to frequent fitting issues with sports bras. To address this, a workshop was conducted for 40 elite athletes, providing information on sports bras and helping them choose suitable styles and size. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with 100% finding the workshop helpful and 97.4% receiving valuable advice on sports bra selection. Two sports bras were tailor-designed for elite athletes in racket sports teams to enhance upper body movement while providing support. The bras received positive feedback on design style and fabric use, with satisfactory ratings in areas like shoulder straps, underband, and overall comfort. Objective evaluations compared the bras' performance with commercial sports bra, focusing on shoulder and elbow angles and power in tennis and badminton. Results showed that the asymmetrical design features were crucial for improved performance, offering less restriction compared to commercial options.