2012 Volume 53 Issue 6 Pages 461-469
This study was conducted to clarify the characteristics of brassiere frame shifts during arm elevation. Subjects consisted of 12 women with breast asymmetry after unilateral breast cancer surgery including 7 women after mastectomy and 5 after breast conserving surgery. Images of the breast and brassiere frame during repetitive arm elevation were recorded using a CCD camera and analyzed with a movie image analyzing system. Data were taken under 4 conditions: wearing a sample of No.1 brassiere with/without pad and wearing a sample of No. 2 brassiere with/without pad.Brassiere frame shifts were greater along the lower border than the upper border of the brassiere. An upward shift was especially evident under the anterior cup of the brassiere. During the repetitive arm movement, brassiere frame shifts were the greatest in the position of full elevation, followed by abduction and forward flexion. Brassiere frame shifts at the end of arm movement were greater in the group of mastectomy than in the group of breast conserving surgery. The shifts were greater on the diseased side than on the healthy side. Because the breast was flat thoroughly from the bottom to the top on the diseased side, the shifts made during arm elevation still remained after the movement. When wearing brassieres with pads, however, the amount of shifts was decreased both in women after mastectomy and those after breast conserving surgery. The shift decreases were especially evident on the diseased side. It was found that applying pads was useful to decrease brassiere frame shits.
