Papers by Brooke Brisbine
Ergonomics, Aug 3, 2021
Abstract This study investigated whether female soldiers experience bra integration or breast dis... more Abstract This study investigated whether female soldiers experience bra integration or breast discomfort/injuries related to body armour use and whether these issues were associated with breast size. Ninety-seven Australian Defence Force female soldiers completed a questionnaire and had their breast volume assessed (range: 91–919 ml/breast) using three-dimensional scanning. Twenty-two percent (n = 21) of participants reported integration issues between their bra and body armour, 63% (n = 61) reported breast discomfort while wearing body armour and 27% (n = 26) reported experiencing a breast injury related to wearing body armour. Although bra-body armour integration was not dependent upon breast size, female soldiers with medium-large breasts reported significantly more breast discomfort and injuries when using body armour compared to participants with small breasts. These findings highlight the importance of developing body armour systems that cater to the range of breast sizes of female soldiers in order to improve bra-body armour integration and reduce breast discomfort and injury. Practitioner summary: This exploratory research provides evidence of bra integration issues, breast discomfort and breast injury experienced by female soldiers when wearing body armour. Given the growing representation of women in military organisations, strategies to alleviate these issues for female users of body armour, particularly those with larger breast sizes, are required.
Applied Ergonomics, Jul 1, 2021
Despite female soldiers representing a growing user population, military body armour systems are ... more Despite female soldiers representing a growing user population, military body armour systems are currently better suited to the anthropometric dimensions of male soldiers. The aim of this study was to explore issues that female soldiers experience with current Australian Defence Force (ADF)-issue body armour. Following a sequential exploratory design, an initial questionnaire was completed by 97 Australian female soldiers. Subsequently, 33 Australian female soldiers participated in one of three focus groups. Descriptive statistics of questionnaire data considered alongside thematic analysis of focus group transcripts revealed problems with the design (fit, form and function) of current ADF-issue body armour, as well as problems with the issuance and education surrounding use of the system. It is recommended that anthropometric data of female soldiers be better incorporated into future body armour designs, that these data inform processes surrounding both acquisition and issuance of body armour and that training protocols for body armour use be reviewed.
Chapter 5: Brisbine BR, Steele JR, Phillips EJ and McGhee DE. Breast injuries reported by female ... more Chapter 5: Brisbine BR, Steele JR, Phillips EJ and McGhee DE. Breast injuries reported by female contact football players based on football code, player position and competition level.
Applied Ergonomics, 2022
Most female soldiers report that in-service body armour systems are too large. We investigated wh... more Most female soldiers report that in-service body armour systems are too large. We investigated whether a smaller prototype body armour system could improve thoracolumbar range of motion (ROM) and reduce interference when female soldiers performed dynamic postures. 97 female soldiers completed three ROM tasks and seven dynamic postures wearing no armour, an in-service body armour system, and a smaller prototype system. Feedback on comfort of the prototype system was also obtained. Thoracolumbar ROM and dynamic posture completion were both hindered by using body armour, although the participants' performances were significantly less impeded when they wore the smaller prototype system compared to the in-service system. A smaller body armour system that is better matched to the anthropometric dimensions of female soldiers appears to improve overall fit and function. An increased range of body armour sizes and female-specific designs should be systematically explored to further enhance fit and function of body armour.
PLOS ONE
Objective To explore the effect of personal protective equipment (PPE) fit on functional performa... more Objective To explore the effect of personal protective equipment (PPE) fit on functional performance across a range of occupational domains. Background PPE introduces an ergonomic, human systems integration, and mass burden to the wearer, and these factors are thought to be amplified if PPE is ill-fitting. However, few studies have considered the role of fit (static, dynamic, and cognitive) when evaluating PPE-related performance detriments in occupational settings. Method A systematic literature review was conducted to identify relevant studies, which were then critically appraised based on methodological quality and collated to compare key findings and present evidence-based recommendations for future research directions across a range of occupational domains. Results 16 published studies met the inclusion criteria, 88% of which found that the fit of PPE had a statistically significant effect on occupational performance. Poorly sized PPE resulted in slower or increased reaction ti...
Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, Nov 1, 2021
OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether a simple 4-factor model using self-reported data could be used to p... more OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether a simple 4-factor model using self-reported data could be used to predict exercise-induced breast pain in elite female athletes. DESIGN Survey study. SETTING Online or hard-copy surveys completed at sporting competitions and training facilities around Australia. PARTICIPANTS Four hundred ninety female athletes competing nationally or internationally across 49 sports. INDEPENDENT VARIABLES A binomial logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the strength of a predictive model that included 2 continuous independent variables (age and body mass index) and 2 binary independent variables (breast size and sports bra use). Odds ratios were also calculated to determine the likelihood of an athlete reporting exercise-induced breast pain in association with each of the 4 variables. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Exercise-induced breast pain was the binary dependent variable. RESULTS The model incorporating athlete age, breast size, body mass index, and sports bra use was found to be statistically significant, but weak, in its ability to predict exercise-induced breast pain in elite female athletes (correctly identified 66% of athletes). For every 1-year increase in age, a significant 2.6% increase in the likelihood of experiencing exercise-induced breast pain was observed. Athletes with medium-to-hypertrophic sized breasts were 5.5 times more likely to experience exercise-induced breast pain than athletes with small breasts. CONCLUSIONS Although the current model was not sensitive enough for use by clinicians and coaches, age and breast size were both identified as critical variables in the prediction of exercise-induced breast pain. Future research is encouraged to investigate whether incorporating additional variables such body fat percentage, bra fit, and other relevant factors can add strength to the model.
Applied Ergonomics, 2022
Most female soldiers report that in-service body armour systems are too large. We investigated wh... more Most female soldiers report that in-service body armour systems are too large. We investigated whether a smaller prototype body armour system could improve thoracolumbar range of motion (ROM) and reduce interference when female soldiers performed dynamic postures. 97 female soldiers completed three ROM tasks and seven dynamic postures wearing no armour, an in-service body armour system, and a smaller prototype system. Feedback on comfort of the prototype system was also obtained. Thoracolumbar ROM and dynamic posture completion were both hindered by using body armour, although the participants' performances were significantly less impeded when they wore the smaller prototype system compared to the in-service system. A smaller body armour system that is better matched to the anthropometric dimensions of female soldiers appears to improve overall fit and function. An increased range of body armour sizes and female-specific designs should be systematically explored to further enhance fit and function of body armour.
Applied Ergonomics, 2021
Despite female soldiers representing a growing user population, military body armour systems are ... more Despite female soldiers representing a growing user population, military body armour systems are currently better suited to the anthropometric dimensions of male soldiers. The aim of this study was to explore issues that female soldiers experience with current Australian Defence Force (ADF)-issue body armour. Following a sequential exploratory design, an initial questionnaire was completed by 97 Australian female soldiers. Subsequently, 33 Australian female soldiers participated in one of three focus groups. Descriptive statistics of questionnaire data considered alongside thematic analysis of focus group transcripts revealed problems with the design (fit, form and function) of current ADF-issue body armour, as well as problems with the issuance and education surrounding use of the system. It is recommended that anthropometric data of female soldiers be better incorporated into future body armour designs, that these data inform processes surrounding both acquisition and issuance of body armour and that training protocols for body armour use be reviewed.
Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 2022
This study aimed to provide normative data characterising the torsos and breasts of female soldie... more This study aimed to provide normative data characterising the torsos and breasts of female soldiers and to determine which torso and breast anthropometric measurements contributed to reports of poor body armour fit. Ninety-seven female Australian Army soldiers completed a questionnaire about their experience with current-issue body armour, including perceptions of fit. Participants also attended a single testing session where we took a three-dimensional scan of their breasts and torso and collected several anthropometric measurements to characterise their torso size and shape. Sixteen of the 22 breast and torso measurements collected were significantly related to the perceived fit of current-issue body armour systems. To improve perceptions of fit for female soldiers and, in turn, reduce movement interference, discomfort, and barriers to occupational performance, future body armour systems should cater to the wide range of female breast and torso shapes and sizes.
Journal of sports science & medicine, 2019
Female breasts are vulnerable to direct blows or frictional injuries during sport; however, littl... more Female breasts are vulnerable to direct blows or frictional injuries during sport; however, little research has investigated breast injuries experienced by female athletes. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence, causes and perceived performance effects of breast injuries in elite female athletes across a wide range of sports. A custom-designed survey was distributed to female athletes aged over 18 years who were competing nationally or internationally in their chosen sport. The survey included questions about breast injuries sustained during training and competition and any perceived performance effects of these injuries. 504 elite female athletes from 46 different sports completed the survey. 36% of participants (n = 182) reported experiencing breast injuries and 21% (n = 37) perceived that their breast injury negatively affected their performance. Contact breast injuries were reported by significantly more athletes involved in contact or combat sports and by athletes with...
Although breast pain is problematic for many active women, no published research has investigated... more Although breast pain is problematic for many active women, no published research has investigated breast pain experienced by elite female athletes. This study aimed to examine the extent to which mastalgia and exercise-induced breast pain affected the sporting performance of elite female athletes during training and competition. A custom-designed online survey with questions related to sport participation, as well as the frequency, severity and perceived performance effects of mastalgia and exercise-induced breast pain, was distributed to sporting organisations, coaches, medical staff and teams/clubs throughout Australia. Five hundred forty female athletes competing nationally or internationally across 49 different sports participated in the survey. Thirty-three percent of athletes reported that their mastalgia worsened during activity and 44% reported experiencing exercise-induced breast pain during training or competition. Both types of breast pain were also reported to negatively...
Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, Oct 1, 2019
in a pre-professional ballet cohort, and Lee et al. (2017), who studied medical attention injurie... more in a pre-professional ballet cohort, and Lee et al. (2017), who studied medical attention injuries in a combined cohort of ballet and contemporary pre-professional dance students. Similar findings of injuries to a different site and of a different nature exist in rugby sevens, and water polo. This investigation shows the majority of injuries are different to previous injuries, and that recurrent injuries show a trend to decrease across tertiary dance studies. My co-authors and I acknowledge that we have no conflict of interest of relevance to the submission of this abstract.
Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport
Journal of Sports Sciences
Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine
Science and Medicine in Football
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Papers by Brooke Brisbine