My $0.02, for whatever it's worth:
http://www.plussizebras.org/ is a pretty decent resource. For one thing, they provide a 'standardization' of bra measurement, and provide a chart comparing various vendors' bra sizes and how they compare against each other, and against the proposed standard. Enlightening, to say the least.
They also provide resources for custom-made bras, whether you want to pay someone else to make it, or if you're handy with a needle and thread, make them yourself.
I used to chat online with one busty woman who used to wear a 44II bra and couldn't wait to take it off when she got home, because it was so uncomfy. After finally getting her to do some measurements (based on the plussizebras.org site), it seemed she should have been wearing a 42T (I think... memory is a little vague now). She contacted one of the independents to make a bra for her. It cost her $107 at the time. When she finally got it, she commented that a) it felt a little snug, and b) she found she could wear it a LOT longer than her old bras before getting tired of it.
That's about all I can offer on bras. Oh, except that it's important to get cups which prevent them from spilling into the armpits.
On your GF's back pain, here's another $0.02:
If you're managing to relieve her back pain with massaging her back, don't both with chiropractic, unless you want her to become a lifetime client of chiropractic. Chiropractic fixes symptoms, but does little to prevent them from returning. It sounds like she needs some increase in strength, at least in certain areas. She should probably work on:
- abs - increased abdominal strength will improve back strength/posture
- lats - rowing exercises should improve the appropriate area of the back
- trapezius - shrugs should improve the strength of supporting muscles, not directly in the area, but should still be of some benefit
- deltoids - exercises focusing on these should also provide some benefit, although perhaps not as much as the others
I should probably be deferring to Sadistyk, as my dedication to physical fitness pales in comparison to his.
Hope this helps.
Jim{ruby}