Bra Straps Digging Into Your Shoulders

The thirty-second test

With your bra on, slide both straps off your shoulders and let them hang.

• The bra stays roughly where it was: your band is doing its job. The straps are too short, too narrow, or badly placed for your shoulders.
• The cups drop and your breasts sag: the band is not supporting you. The straps were doing all the lifting.

If the band is the cause

This is the usual result. A band that is too big cannot grip, so the weight of the breasts hangs from the shoulders. Other signs will be there too: the back of the band riding up, and a nearly new bra fastened on its tightest hook.

Go down one band size and up one cup letter, which keeps the cup volume the same: 36D becomes 34DD, 34E becomes 32F. The sister size calculator gives the size for any starting point. Then loosen the straps. With a firm band they need far less tension than you are used to.

If the cups are too small

Cups that cannot contain the breast leave part of its weight hanging off the strap at the top of the cup. If you also have a ridge over the cup edge, go up a cup on the same band. See spilling out of your bra cups.

If the band passes the test

The straps are too tight

Let them out until two fingers fit underneath. If the top of the cup then gapes, the cup is too big or too tall for you, and tight straps were hiding it.

The straps are too narrow

A thin strap concentrates pressure. For cups from about an E upward, look for noticeably wider straps, and wider still as cup size goes up. Padded or cushioned straps help on bony shoulders.

The straps sit in the wrong place

Straps set wide apart pull outward on narrow or sloping shoulders and press on the edge of the joint. A style with centre-pull straps, a leotard or U-shaped back, or a racerback fitting moves them inward.

The bra has little support built in

Bralettes and some fashion bras have stretchy bands and rely on the straps by design. They are fine for lighter busts and short wear, and not for all-day support of a heavier one.

What does not work

• Tightening the straps further. It pulls the band up at the back and makes the band even less effective.
• Strap cushions on a loose band. They ease the symptom and leave the weight on your shoulders.

Long-term strap pressure is one of the complaints people most often link with shoulder and neck ache. What is known about bras and pain is covered in back pain and the wrong bra size.

Frequently asked questions

Why do my bra straps leave dents in my shoulders?

Because the straps are carrying weight that the band should be carrying. That happens when the band is too loose, and it is made worse by tightening the straps to compensate.

Will wider straps stop the digging?

They spread the pressure and feel better, so they are worth having with a fuller bust. They do not fix the cause. If the band is loose, wide straps will still be doing its work.

How tight should bra straps be?

Tight enough to stay on your shoulders and keep the top of the cup against you, loose enough to slide two fingers underneath. They should not lift the bra.