How Posture Bras Can Improve Your Workday Comfort

The workplace can be full of hazards — even if it consists of little more than a laptop, desk, chair, and mug. Yes, spilling your coffee is the worst but more insidious dangers are likely taking hold over time. If you’re among the 80% of Americans with a job that is mostly sedentary, you’re at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease and are more prone to experiencing discomfort, pain, or other side effects of prolonged poor posture (1).

Even if your job doesn’t revolve around a desk but involves lots of standing, walking, driving, lifting, carrying, or repetitive movements, your posture is likely taking a hit.

Keep reading to learn why posture bras matter in the workplace and how wearing one can help improve your posture, increase your energy, and boost your productivity. (Don’t believe us? Keep reading and try a posture correcting bra for yourself!)

Why Posture Bras Matter in the Workplace

The workplace looks a little different for all of us, but one thing that’s typically common is doing something — whether it’s stocking shelves or typing at a keyboard — repeatedly, often for long periods of time. This can be tiring for the body and the mind and can lead to serious neck and back pain. 

Let’s take stock. At your job do you:

• Sit or stand for hours at a time
• Work with a computer or other electronic device
• Lift and/or carry heavy loads
• Bend, crouch, stoop, stretch, twist, or reach
• Complete repetitive tasks?

If you can answer “yes” to any of the above, there’s a good chance you could benefit from using a bra for posture during the workday.

While you may have good intentions — and even the best ergonomic furniture on the market — it’s easy to slip into bad posture habits as the hours pass by. A posture bra can help keep you in line as you stay on task.

Benefits of Wearing a Posture Bra During Work Hours

Wearing a comfortable posture bra that fits you properly can provide many benefits, no matter how sedentary or strenuous your work.

The key is to wear it regularly. The Etalon posture correcting bra works to draw the shoulder blades together, open the chest, and encourage proper alignment of the spine. Wearing one throughout your workday can help improve your posture, reduce pain and risk of injury, and even increase your focus.

 

 

Improved posture

Of course, the main aim of a posture bra is to promote good posture — and not just when you’re wearing it. The Etalon Posture Bra works little by little to help you build muscle memory around the neck, shoulders, and upper back. Over time, good posture should come more naturally, with or without the bra. 

This is especially helpful for those with desk jobs who tend to slouch. Along with wearing a posture bra, there are a few helpful tips to maintain good posture while sitting, like:

• Keep your feet flat on the floor or on a footrest
• Keep your chin parallel to the ground
• Raise or lower your computer monitor to eye level
• Relax your shoulders
• Avoid crossing your legs

Learn more strategies to overcome slouching.

Reduced back and shoulder pain

Good news: acute musculoskeletal pain due to poor posture can be reversed. An effective posture bra will encourage you to open your chest and build muscle memory around the neck, shoulders, and upper back. With regular use, you’ll be able to correct the muscular imbalances that are caused by (and causing) poor posture and contributing to discomfort and pain in the back and shoulders.

Enhanced comfort

Simply put, if you’re not comfortable it will affect your mood, focus, and performance. Even moderate pain is associated with more effort during a cognitive task (2). Wearing a posture bra can help alleviate pain and discomfort in the neck and shoulders and also help you perform more physical tasks with better posture and technique. 

Better focus and productivity

Good posture is linked to more energy, better focus, and enhanced productivity. There’s a physical reason for this: better alignment puts less stress on your body and allows oxygen and nutrients to flow more efficiently to the brain, keeping you more clear-headed and awake. There’s also a mental component to this: studies have found that sitting or standing with good posture can actually make you feel (and look) more confident (3).

Choosing the Right Posture Bra for Work

What does your typical workday look like? Are you lifting or carrying heavy items? If so, you may want to choose a posture bra that offers support for your lower back. Are you sitting at a desk for the majority of the day? You may do best with a posture correcting bra like Etalon that works to prevent slouching by drawing the shoulder blades together and opening the chest.

In general, you’ll want to choose a posture bra that offers enough support throughout your workday while being comfortable and durable.

Support Level

A posture bra should be snug and supportive but not wrench you into place or restrict your movement. With the Etalon Posture Bra, you can adjust the support level. You’ll start at the first setting (the loosest). You will feel the gentle tug of the bra guiding your shoulder blades into a better position. You’ll then slowly work your way to tighter settings as you start to train and strengthen your postural muscles and improve your proprioception.

Comfort & Wearability

Don’t just settle on any posture corrector. Avoid posture bras that are bulky, restrictive, and make you feel awkward or self-conscious. Make comfort a priority and make sure you’re choosing the right posture bra size. Here’s a few details to watch for when choosing the right posture bra for work:

• Adjustable straps for customization
• A fit that is snug but not too tight or too loose
• The underband lays flat against your sternum
• Your breasts are fully covered
• You feel the bra gently guiding you into a better posture

High-Quality Material & Breathability

Whether you’re in a climate-controlled office or on the field in variable conditions, you should always demand the best quality material. Choose a posture bra made with breathable fabrics that are gentle on your skin and don’t cause chafing.

Incorporating a Posture Bra into Your Workday

Your typical workday is undoubtedly full of distractions. Thinking about your posture is likely not front of mind — maybe until your shoulders start to ache and your back stiffens up. 

While you don’t need to wear a posture bra for your entire workday, you can incorporate one like Etalon during long periods of sitting, standing, or repetitive movements. If you’re new to a posture bra, start by wearing it for several hours at a time. Feel free to take breaks from it so that your body can start to find its optimal alignment on its own.  

Over time, you should experience improved posture, reduced back and shoulder pain, and better focus and productivity.

SOURCES:

1. American Heart Association. “Gamifying Accelerometer Use Increases Physical Activity Levels of Sedentary Office Workers.” https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1161/JAHA.117.007735
2. Journal of Psychophysiology. “The impact of pain on subsequent effort and cognitive performance.” (2022). https://www.researchgate.net/publication/354184586_The_impact_of_pain_on_subsequent_effort_and_cognitive_performance
3. Health Psychology. Do slumped and upright postures affect stress responses? A randomized trial. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2014-37739-001

 

Photo by Maxim Ilyahov on Unsplash

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