Tag: Bra

The concept of wearable posture-improving pieces isn’t exactly new—nor does it need to be so expensive, explains Dr. Joseph E. Herrera, D.O., FAAPMR, director of Sports Medicine and chairman of the Department of Rehabilitation and Human Performance at Mount Sinai’s Icahn School of Medicine. “There are a number of different braces and devices to help with posture and breathing,” he says, with many available online for around $20. Plus, posture-focused brands like Intelliskin and AlignMed that “act as reminder” to straighten the spine, mainly via compression, have been around. What IFGfit brings to the table, apart from the sleek design, is the way it relies on horizontal tension—not traditional compression—to provide that support.

Dr. Herrera suggests that IFGfit’s sports bra function like built-in partial braces, doing the posture-improving thing because the garment “acts as reminder, and ‘pulls’ at you” to encourage a straighter spine. “But it only works if you’re compliant with it,” he says—meaning that, just like a $20 brace meant to be worn under your clothes, IFGfit’s bra could help improve posture “when the bra tugs at you to remind you” to sit or stand straighter… and you actually do it.

“If you’re constantly slouching despite the reminder, [the bra] is not going to help you. A brace alone is not good enough to change your posture,” Dr. Herrera says. “Yes, you’ll have improvements with back pain, neck pain, and breathing. Does it do that by itself? I don’t think so. You’ll need to do physical therapy, and/or at-home exercises” to truly feel a difference.

Still, I decided to give IFGfit’s bra a shot.

IFGfit Women’s Lisa Posture Bra

IFGfit

$178

Buy Now

When I put it on, I felt a subtle tug on my shoulder blades and head—as if someone was gently pulling my shoulders back, like a puppeteer. It’s not uncomfortable, but it does feel slightly odd at first (kind of how it feels to put in retainers.) Within 10 minutes, I actually did feel some mid- and upper-back aches subside. Worn for 10 to 12 hours straight, the chronic, sometimes-burning knot in my right shoulder and neck, while not completely gone, got significantly less bothersome…both during and after wearing the bra. Added bonus: The bra made my boobs look extra-perky by guiding my shoulders back, and chest upwards.

At $178, it’s certainly a splurge for a bra, period. I tried the Lisa, and while I dig the sculpted, interesting, not-too-sporty silhouette, it was tricky to conceal under my summer wardrobe. (It’d be easier to hide in fall and winter’s sweaters, turtlenecks, and hoodies, though.) The neckline and back are cut high, so I felt mostly limited to crewneck tees—anything with a deeper or wider neckline looked awkward. But unlike sports bras, the fit is flattering and smoothing without being aggressively tight, and there are no skinny or criss-crossing straps that cause back or armpit spillover. I did wear the Lisa as a crop top with a high-waisted skirt, a rare styling move for me because it usually means over-exposure somewhere, and was pleasantly surprised: its full-coverage, 8-panel design looks chic and legitimately passes for an actual top, instead of seeming like I was wearing a bra in public.

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