Super Netball: Melbourne Mavericks goaler Eleanor Cardwell on her side-gig reviewing sports bras on social media
English netballer Eleanor Cardwell is going viral weekly - and not because her Super Netball feats. The Mavericks star is on a quest to find the perfect sports bra, and it’s catching plenty of attention.
Netball
Don't miss out on the headlines from Netball. Followed categories will be added to My News.
She is the English netballer who reviews sports bras on social media as a side-gig and now Eleanor Cardwell has opened up on her mission to help other women understand the booby traps of having ill-fitting support.
In what has become a passion project for the Melbourne Mavericks goaler, Cardwell can be regularly seen modelling sports bras on her social media accounts as she reviews their level of support, functionality and offers size-fitting tips for other women.
Cardwell revealed in a recent post that 75-85 per cent of women were wearing the wrong sized bra and 50 per cent of elite athletes also wore the incorrect sports bra.
The English international is now using her social media platforms to educate other women about the importance of having the correct fit and how insufficient support can increase the risk of injury.
Cardwell fell into the sports support space after initially turning to social media to ask others for advice on the best sports bras on the market after her own were left in “bad shape” when washed in the communal laundry at the Commonwealth Games.
She has since created an “awesome community” online, sharing advice and rating the best bras for super support.
“It’s a real passion of mine,” Cardwell said.
“It pretty much started after the Commonwealth Games. I got my sports bra out after those Games and the communal laundry there, they obviously don’t really look after your clothes and my sports bras came back in a pretty bad shape, so I decided to go on social media to ask women out there what their recommendations were.
“I tried to go online and (have a) look for myself and it was pretty overwhelming. I didn’t know what I was looking for. I didn’t know if they were the right bra or right fit.
“From that I got so many replies from women, either giving me advice or asking me for the advice that I had been given.
“There are a lot of women out there needing help, so I decided I have a bit of a platform to have a voice for all these women who need help and a lot of companies were kind enough to send me some sports bras so I can review them.
“I learnt a lot along the way as well; about what I need, how to get fitted, what best suits me.
“I’ve done a lot of reviews and I’m really looking forward to helping people with the education piece about knowing what best suits them and answering people’s questions about it.”
In a recent Instagram post, Cardwell pulls out an old-fashioned measuring tape and shows women how they can easily measure themselves at home to determine their correct fit.
The 30-year-old foundation Maverick said she had been blown away by the response from both women online and in person.
“Women come up to me and ask me about sports bras or tell me that they took my advice and I love it,” Cardwell said.
“I have had women lift up their T-shirts and show me the sports bra that they have got on for the day, it’s an awesome community to be a part of.”
Cardwell said the flow-on effects from ill-fitting sports bras could be detrimental, especially for athletes, posing a greater risk of injury.
A study published in the Journal of Applied Biometrics identified a link between breast support and risk factors associated with ACL injuries, namely landing biomechanics.
“The impact of having an ill-fitted sports bra … it’s quite shocking hearing the stats,” Cardwell said.
“There was some research done and the impact of having an ill-fitted sports bra, especially on D+ sizes, has an increased risk of ACL injury for women if you don’t have a correctly fitted sports bra on because of the force that’s going through your knees and stuff.
“There is a link with it because of the force that comes down and gets generated when you are landing.
“Obviously your breasts are constantly moving and if it is not properly supported, there is going to be a bigger force coming down.
“You will be able to jump higher if it is correctly fitted, the stride length gets better and it’s just less painful.
“There are so many benefits of having a correctly fitted sports bra, it’s just (so important) that all athletes get fitted and women in general.”
More Coverage
Originally published as Super Netball: Melbourne Mavericks goaler Eleanor Cardwell on her side-gig reviewing sports bras on social media
Athletes or the boardroom? Which women really wield power in sport
Women hold some of the most powerful positions in Australian sport - and boast some of the country’s most recognisable athletes. But who really holds the power?
‘Big shoes to fill’: Vixens elevate star to leadership role
The Melbourne Vixens have confirmed their team leaders for 2025 with a star goaler stepping up into a key role as the team aims to strike back from its grand final loss last year.