How to Wear a Back Support While You Sleep

Back supports and braces help people who are recovering from a back injury, surgery, or chronic backache conditions. Though providing necessary support and pain relief, back supports can be extremely uncomfortable, especially while sleeping. The key to healing your back is to keep moving and do not immobilize yourself unless directed by your physician. Moving around and keeping your muscles and joints in motion helps speed up the healing process and ensures you will not lose as much strength or flexibility requiring a much longer recovery time.

Things You'll Need

• Back support or brace
• 2 body pillows
• Extra regular-size pillows

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Instructions

• 1

  Secure your back support. Be sure it is not too tight, cutting off circulation, but also that it will not fall off during the night.

• 2

  Place the body pillows on each side of where you will lay on the bed. You need two body pillows to ensure you cannot roll over easily. This will add support and make you aware of when you are moving so as not to pull a muscle and strain your injury.

• 3

  Place the extra regular-size pillow by the spot where your knees are while laying down.

• 4

  Sit on the edge of the bed, carefully. Keep your back straight to not inflict pain or discomfort.

• 5

  Swing one leg at a time up onto the bed.

• 6

  Lay down carefully. It is usually best to sleep on your back. However, if your doctor permits, carefully roll to the side you prefer to sleep on.

• 7

  Place the pillow at your knees under your knees. If you are on your back, this pillow will raise your knee to ease pressure on your back. If you are sleeping on your side, place the pillow between your knees to relieve pressure.

• 8

  Move as little as possible throughout the night. The body pillows should help to deter you from flailing or any other movement that may cause pain or reinjury.