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WEDNESDAY, Apr. 12 (eFit.com) —

Listen up, ladies. We all know running is a great way to get fit, lose weight and improve our energy, but even the added benefit of stress relief is not enough to get some of us in a pair of running shoes. We are held back by an age-old fear that the bouncing motion of running will take away our perky breasts and lead to total deflation. Now is the time to ditch the fear and hit the road because this is a myth.

Breasts are largely made of fat and, unfortunately, they will naturally start to travel south over time. Genetics also plays a role in the shape and appearance of your breasts.  "The breasts are filled with Astley-Cooper ligaments, and when these stretch, the breast loses its elasticity," says Laurence Kirwan, M.D., a board-certified plastic surgeon with a private practice in Connecticut and England.

Loss of elasticity can be blamed on breast growth during puberty, weight loss and gain, pregnancy and breast-feeding. "Running does not help breasts and can in fact stretch the ligaments supporting them," says Kirwan.

It's all a lie, according to Mindy Solkin, owner and head coach of The Running Center in New York City and head coach at Reebok Sports Club/NY. "Running does not make your breasts sag. When you run, you are moving forward through space, with your arms pumping back and forth and your legs going forward. Running involves a slight forward lean, with the shoulders relaxed and down, not rolled forward." She coaches her clients that proper running form should never involve a hopping motion. "If you hop, you are wasting energy."

"Running does not take away the elasticity," says exercise physiologist Amy Brummerloh, but "I would not go jogging without the proper sports bra." She suggests performing back-strengthening and chest-stretching exercises to improve your running stance. Strengthening the back and shoulder muscles in particular will improve your form and help you run more efficiently.

No amount of exercise can correct an already sagging set of breasts, but taking certain steps can help maintain firmness and prevent damage.

Wear a fitted sports bra.  The most important method of keeping the droop at bay is to wear a heavy-duty sports bra, one that contours to the shape of the chest and does not allow any vertical or horizontal movement. Champion, Speedo and Nike all carry sports bras made specifically for jogging. 

Never exercise braless.  Whether you are running, cycling or strength training, exercising without a sports bra is asking for trouble, as this can be extremely painful. "I tell all my patients they should always wear a sports bra," says Kirwan.

Avoid yo-yo dieting.  Constantly stretching the skin and ligaments can cause irreversible damage. Maintaining a healthy weight with minimal fluctuation can help support breast elasticity.

Strength-train to improve your running posture.  Brummerloh recommends exercises such as seated rows, external and internal rotation (a shoulder exercise where the arm is anchored to your side) and lat pulldowns, in addition to chest stretches, to improve your running form.

Avoid bouncing when you run.  Watch your form when you run. Never hop or bounce and never bend from the waist. Solkin recommends what she refers to as the 10-percent lean: When running, lean from the ankles with the feet slightly behind and the chest slightly forward. The feet should land squarely under the navel, your center of gravity.