Bras can be pain in the neck

Bras can be a pain in the neck -- and elsewhere -- for many women in the United States, a new poll said.

Fifty-nine percent of the women responding to the online poll said their bras caused back, shoulder or neck pain, WebMD.com said Friday. The poll was conducted for the non-profit North American Spine Society, LaGrange, Ill., and the Bayonne, N.J.-based Maidenform bra company.

Respondents who said they experienced pain listed bra straps as the most common cause, followed by the bra's rib cage band, underwire support, the cup size or the cup fit, WebMD.com said.

Thirty-nine percent of respondents said their bras didn't cause any aches, the online service said. Another 2 percent said they don't wear bras.

The poll, conducted in August, did not seek information about other sources of pain, WebMD.com said. It has a margin of error of 4 percentage points.

Copyright 2006 by United Press International