Hormones, Outcomes, and Pain Pathways in Exercise Study

Recruiting now · Phase 1

Conditions studied: Breast Pain, Mastalgia, Back Pain, Back Pain, Low, Neck Pain, Chest Pain, Activity, Motor, Healthy Aging, Weight, Body, Inflammation, Gonadal Steroid Hormones, Neuronal Plasticity, Neuromuscular Manifestations

In brief

The goal of the proposed project is to evaluate a mechanical intervention (sports bras designed specifically for full busted women) to alleviate neck, shoulder, arm, and back pain in full-busted women and investigate the contribution of non-mechanical pathways associated with this type of pain in women. Specifically, the investigators will investigate how sex-hormones, inflammation, and remapping of specific regions of the brain contribute to the manifestation of neck, shoulder, arm, and back pain in full-busted women across the lifespan.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07579182

Run by

University of Houston

People needed

140

Starts

2026-05-17

Expected to finish

2029-09-01

Last updated by the study team

2026-06-02

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 60. Sex: female. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Able to provide informed consent
• Age of 18 to 60 years
• Assigned female sex at birth
• Right-handed by self-declaration
• Willing to participate in one online testing session and up to four in-person testing sessions
• Bra band size between 32-40"
• International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Form (IPAQ-SF) score of 2 or higher
• An answer of "NO" to any item of the general health questions of the PARQ+
• No history of surgery to the: back, neck, or shoulders or joint replacement
• No history of implanted pacemakers or other stimulation devices
• No history of spinal cord injury (SCI)

You may not qualify if…

• Inability to provide informed consent
• Age 17 years old or younger or 61 years or older
• Assigned male sex at birth
• Left-handed by self-declaration
• Not willing to participate in one online testing session and up to four in-person testing sessions
• Bra band size greater than 40" or less than 32"
• IPAQ-SF score of 1 or lower
• An answer of "YES" to any item of the general health questions of the PARQ+
• History of limb amputation (upper or lower extremity)
• Presence of open pressure sores on the upper or lower extremities
• Currently pregnant or lactating/breastfeeding
• History of surgery to the: back, neck, or shoulders or joint replacement
• History of breast cancer and/or mastectomy
• History of implanted pacemakers or other stimulation devices
• History of spinal cord injury (SCI)
• History of joint disease including osteoarthritis and/or Rheumatoid Arthritis
• History of the following neurological diseases: Cerebrovascular accident (CVA, stroke), Alzheimer's Disease (AD), Dementia (of any form), Huntington's Disease, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Spinal cord injury (SCI), Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Parkinson's Disease (PD), Polio, Paraproteinaemic Demyelinating Neuropathy (PDN) and/or Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance (MGUS), Myasthenia Gravis, Muscular Dystrophy, Guillain-Barré Syndrome, Scoliosis, Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disorder or other hereditary neuropathies
• Additional Inclusion Criteria for Intervention Group:
• a. Self-declared breast size of D-I cup (US sizes: D, E, F, G, H)
• Additional Inclusion Criteria for the Control Group:
• a. Self-declared breast size of A-C cup (US sizes: AA, A, B, C)

Where it is running

• University of Houston — Houston, Texas, United States (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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