Sporting giant Adidas has extended its partnership with’reactivewear’ engineering business Rheon Labs in an attempt to address the prevalence of running-related breast soreness, which has been linked to a number of academic results, including the fact that 72% of women experience it.
As a result, Rheon developed a patented reactive super polymer that “adapts to support the breast during high-intensity movements” in the Techfit Control Bra.
It functions by carefully placing strips of strain-rate-sensitive polymer throughout the breast tissue. It only gets rigid under vigorous action before becoming soft and flexible again, much like jogging on wet sand. “This offers complete support during exercise without being unduly constrictive or compressive.”
Each piece is computer-modeled to have an ergonomic shape, size, and location that “offers the optimal support for key muscle groups during exercise.”
With wearers becoming more reluctant to stride out, “poor breast support for runners can lead to a reduction in stride length of up to 4cm,” the product’s overall promises are to maximise running performance, eliminate lost energy, and increase support. A runner’s performance can be enhanced by 7% with proper breast support, meaning that a mile is wasted for those who run without it over a marathon course.
Additionally, Rheon has been included on Adidas’s sports kits for team GB, France, and Ethiopia for the Paris 2024 Olympics, where he is prominently featured on the legs, backs, and busts.
Olga Kravchenko, Head of Design at Rheon Labs, said, “In sport, everybody should feel inspired by what their bodies can achieve but women’s needs are historically underserved when it comes to sportswear designed to support the female form. Sports bras are a foundational piece of kit, but research into the category uncovered vast dissatisfaction from women who weren’t being properly supported.”
