The Problem With Women’s Exercise Tops

Exercise tops don’t all fit alike. So put as much thought into how they feel on your upper back and shoulders as to how they look. Five years ago after I suffered a severe rotator cuff injury, I looked at this for the first time. My physical therapist mentioned posture exercises as being an important part of my rehab and said the muscles and tendons in the shoulder complex were more likely to move unimpinged if the upper posturals were in proper alignment.

The next morning I worked my way into an exercise top I planned to wear all day. I felt an immediate tugging in the injured part of my shoulder and then went and looked in a full length mirror to see that the way the top fit, it hunched my shoulders forward. I decided then to get rid of these tops. When you try them on, look in the mirror to make sure the “tightness” equally pulls on the front and the back of the shoulder.  This should be of even more concern to larger breasted women (not me), who will tend to slump forward already because of the amount of weight they have to support in the front.

Even  exercise tops that don’t pull me unevenly sometimes overtighten my neck and upper trapezius with prolonged wear to the point that I’m uncomfortable. Now I try to teach class and then change into a regular bra to avoid unnecessary soreness and strain at the end of the day.

I hope this post will get you thinking about your upper body exercise wear and how you can choose clothing that will keep you more comfortable while in motion and afterward.