Know Your Body: What Are Cooper's Ligaments?

Most people realize that our breasts will look differently in our 40s than they did in our 20s. We all know breasts lose some of their perk as we age. If we've been pregnant, our breasts will have changed from that, too--even if we didn't breastfeed. But do you know about the band of ligaments that supports your breasts, and how to best care for them?

Cooper's ligaments are thin bands of tissue that support the bulk of your breasts. They connect your breast skin to your collar bones and the breast tissue to your pectoral (chest) muscles. Your Cooper's Ligaments are responsible for the shape of your breast, and over time they become more lax until your chest starts to look a bit like that tomato pictured above.

But tomato pics aside, running without proper support causes repetitive trauma to the Cooper's ligaments and can result in a condition called "jogger's breast." Women complain of breast tenderness, even pain, independent of menstrual cycle or hormonal changes. 

So what can you do about it? Consensus seems to be that your first step is to wear a supportive sports bra. It sounds simple enough, but women with large breasts, in particular, have trouble finding a sports bra that works for them...unfortunately the sports bras at box stores are often pretty flimsy. Lucky for you, we have supportive options at Levana Bratique, whether you're nursing or not. 

In addition to wearing the right undergarment, sports medicine guru Marie Bell suggests chest strengthening exercises to tone the pectoral muscles. In this article, Bell talks through the basics of exercises like pushups, chest fly, and chest press.

Want to learn more about Cooper's ligaments and the importance of a good sports bra? Check out this piece from The New York Times.

Tomato photo: Dan Zen/Flickr