How to Pick Out a Back Brace

According to the American Chiropractic Association, 31 million Americans are experiencing back pain at any given time. The pain may be related to poor posture, injuries, repetitive work, or stressful lifestyle. A back brace can ease your pain by repositioning your posture, supporting your muscles, or providing heat and cold to sore areas. Choosing a back brace can be challenging because there are so many on the market. When selecting the right brace for you, consider your needs and know what to look for.

Instructions

• 1

  Consider your pain. Before you can properly search for a back brace, you need to figure out where your back hurts. Does it hurt between your shoulder blades, near the bottom of your ribs, or in your lower back? Pinpoint the pain, and you will be able to eliminate many of the braces immediately.

• 2

  Consider choosing a back brace that pulls your shoulders back if you often sit or stand with your shoulders hunched forward. There are many styles of posture support braces, but most of them have straps that loop around the shoulders and pull them back to remind you to not hunch them.

• 3

  Look at orthopedic braces if your back hurts in the middle to lower section. Most orthopedic braces wrap completely around your torso and fasten with Velcro. They offer support for weak or overworked muscles and help to prevent soft tissue injury. For those who must lift heavy loads on their jobs, they may choose to wear orthopedic-style braces.

• 4

  Consider rigid braces if you have scoliosis. These braces have a hard shell to force your spine into a straighter position. Rigid braces are also recommended after spine surgery to restrict motion while the back has a chance to heal.

• 5

  Choose a brace designed especially for pregnancy if you are pregnant. Pregnant women know that carrying a baby puts extra strain on the back and leads to nightly backaches. There are special pregnancy back braces on the market that help to support the extra frontal weight while giving the back muscles a break.

• 6

  Choose a hot/cold brace following an injury. Hot/cold back braces allow you to slip a hot or cold pack into the brace, so you can go about your activities while getting some heat or cold therapy. Hot/cold back braces are especially helpful after an injury.

• 7

  Check the fit of your brace once you determine which style of brace would best suit your needs. You want to make sure the brace fits snugly but not too tightly. When you try on the brace, wear it as you would normally wear it with your clothing. If the material is itchy and you think you would normally wear an undershirt between your skin and the brace, make sure you try it on with an undershirt.

• 8

  Check with the seller to make sure the brace can be returned if it does not feel right after a couple of days. It is difficult to tell how well you'll like a back brace in a store because you have only worn it for a few minutes. After a couple of days of constant use, you will have a better idea about how well it suits your needs.