A back brace or support (or splint) is a device that will help you with upper or lower back pain or with other injuries that can cause general back pain. The injuries that are treatable with a back splint include:
Broadly speaking, there are three types of back brace – those for postural problems, those for lower back pain due to excessive stress on the lower (lumbar) spine and the surrounding muscles and a third category that employs targeted compression to address certain other types of back problems.
People sometimes refer to back braces for postural problems as posture braces. They are normally worn on the upper back. Another name for a back brace that provides support to the lumbar spine area is a “back belt“. You wear this brace on the lower back (lumbar spine area).
Upper back braces support your upper back and help you to maintain proper posture. They do this by encouraging you to adjust posture by straightening your shoulders and keeping your upper back straight. This in turn will help you to avoid or relieve pain in your lower back that may be due to improper curvature (inadequate lordosis) of your spine.
Lordosis usually refers to the normal curvature of your spine (although this term is sometimes used to mean excess curvature). Maintaining normal curvature reduces the load on your lower back due to the weight of your upper body. Many people fail to maintain proper lordosis by “hunching” their shoulders forward as they walk or sit. In particular, they have a tendency to do this after sitting for long periods.
A back support for the upper back can help you to keep your shoulders straight. As a result, you will maintain proper posture that will reduce the risk of experiencing lower back pain due to the pressure of your upper body’s weight on the lower back. This is the reason that this type of back brace is also called a “posture brace”.
As we mentioned earlier, you wear a lower back brace around your lumbar spine area. The thinking behind these back support braces is that they reduce forces on your spine and increase intra-abdominal pressure.
As we also mentioned, another term for this back splint is “back belt”. Other names for them are “lumbar support belts” and “lumbar braces”. The main reason is this brace actually looks like a large belt and is usually worn just above your waist and over your lumbar spine area.
If your job requires you to frequently lift heavy objects as part of your daily activities, you should probably look into wearing a back belt. It can help you to keep your spine stable while lifting and thus avoid back injuries. However, you should nevertheless be careful to maintain proper lifting technique by bending your legs and keeping your spine straight while lifting. This will ensure that you are lifting the weight using your powerful leg muscles instead of your back.
In addition to wearing a back belt, you should also look into starting a course of physical therapy that will strengthen your lower back muscles. Your doctor can refer you to a physiotherapist for this purpose.
The third category of back splints includes back supports that treat other causes of back pain such as herniated discs, spondylolesthesis (displaced vertebrae), degenerative disc disease and even osteoarthritis. The braces in this category operate by applying targeted compression to specific areas. Compression helps to improve blood circulation and accelerate the removal of waste materials that cause pain and inflammation. We can call this third category “targeted compression back braces“.
The targeted compression from these types of back splints differs from the compression that you get from back belts. Back belts apply compression to the entire lumbar spine region and do not target specific areas
In addition to compression, these back braces may include built in hot and cold packs that supplement the pain relief from compression. Hot & cold therapy can be particularly effective in treating causes of pain such as osteoarthritis.
It is important to understand that although these braces may be effective in treating back pain due to the conditions we have mentioned, they do not necessarily address the underlying problem. To do that, your physicians may need to use additional approaches up to and including possible surgical intervention.
If you have questions about the various back brace models on this website, we would encourage you to contact our customer service personnel. They will only be too pleased to clarify any issues that may be causing you uncertainty.
However, if you have any questions about the back injuries that may be causing you pain, we would advise you to contact your healthcare advisor for professional medical advice. Please note that back pain can in certain situations be due to extremely serious medical conditions such as gall stones or even cancer. Therefore, you should always get medical professional help in identifying the cause of your back pain before deciding whether or not a back brace will help you.
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The Mueller Sports Medicine Adjustable Back Brace offers you custom fitting, courtesy of its tapered cut. The Adjustable Back Brace features eight steel springs with the flexibility that allows them to conform for superior lumbar support. Additional support comes from its main 9 inch elastic band. You can also adjust the tension using its 4″…
The Mueller Sports Medicine Adjustable Back Brace with Lumbar Pad features a removable lumbar pad for targeted lower back support, an internal molded plastic component to eliminate rolling or bunching and two outer elastic tension straps for adjustable support. You also benefit from additional back stability and support from the supporting springs positioned along your spinal column. This brace is a great treatment for lower back pain or for sprained, strained or aching backs.
The Mueller Sports Medicine Back Brace, White is a comfortable and lightweight solution to back sprains and strains, an arthritic back, moderate disc conditions, muscle spasms, sciatica, chronic unstable lumbar spine or for strains of sacroiliac area. Equipped with a 9 inch wide elastic band, a large foam pad and supportive steel springs. The pad conforms to your lower back area and supports your back in the most critical areas. There is also a second 6 inch wide outer elastic band to secure the pad and provide additional back support.
SIZING: (Measure around waist) SM 28 – 32″ (71 – 81 cm) MD 32 – 36″ (81 – 91 cm) LG 36 – 40″ (91 – 102 cm) XL 40 – 44″ (102 – 111 cm) XXL 44 – 48″ (111 – 122 cm)
Targeted compression for effective back pain treatment
The Bio Skin Back Flex is a simple and effective treatment for a variety of causes of lumbar pain. it is also helpful as a post-procedural treatment for stabilization, compression, and cold therapy. The brace includes two hot/cold gel pads that attach to the lumbar panel to enhance patient comfort and maximize pain relief.
The patent-pending design of the Back Flex provides unrivaled support and pain relief to the lower spine. The solid lumbar panel is attached to a mechanically-advantaged cinching mechanism which provides adjustable pressure to the lumbar spine. Because the cords attach the side panels to the back panel, engaging the cinching mechanism focuses the compression on the spine and provides better support than is possible with other designs.
Pain relief and stabilization. Promotes proper positioning during healing.
The Bio Skin Back Plus combines the pain relief of compression with therapeutic stabilization after an injury or a medical procedure to promote proper positioning. Includes two hot/cold gel pads that attach to the brace’s lumbar panel for additional comfort and pain relief.
The Bio Skin Back Skin – Standard Cut helps to treat lumbar sprains, overuse pain and muscle strains and also improves posture.
The Bio Skin Back Skin with Flexible Support helps to treat lumbar sprains, overuse pain and muscle strains and also improves posture.
The Bio Skin Back Skin – Standard Cut helps to treat lumbar sprains, overuse pain and muscle strains and also improves posture.
The Bio Skin Back Skin – Standard Cut helps to treat lumbar sprains, overuse pain and muscle strains and also improves posture.
Use Mueller’s Back Support with Suspenders to combine the health benefits of suspenders with less pain from sore and overworked back muscles.
The Bio Skin Baja 627 provides unrivaled lumbar support and pain relief, allowing you to return to normal activity. It has a double lacing system with the two banks of pulleys positioned on the sides of the torso. When the patient engages the cinching mechanism, the posterior panel is drawn forward, focusing the compression on the soft tissues that support the spine.
A recent study using the bilateral cinching mechanism of the Baja 627 showed an average reduction in VAS scores of 40% and a 41% improvement in Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire scores in patients with chronic low back pain.
The LP Clavic Brace will help you improve your posture by strengthening your neck and upper back muscles to help you keep pressure off your lower back and avoid pain in that area.
The Mueller Green Back Brace helps protect against lower back pain, fatigue and weakness while providing optimal support. One size.
The Bio Skin Lumbar Foam Pad partners with the Back Skin – Standard Cut to relieve lower back pain by providing additional support to the lower spine.
The LP Sacro Lumbar Support helps you to avoid muscular atrophy and ease your low back pain. The Sacro Lumbar Support features four pliable metallic stays to further stabilize your back. If you need to increase the compression level, you can increase the tightness of both external hook and loop closures. In addition to the…
The Mueller Waist Support product is a great choice for you if you need to reduce your waist size. It also has a neoprene based design that will keep your hip region warm. This in turn will help boost blood circulation through the hip region and reduce hip joint stiffness. This product is One Size…
The LP X-Tremus Back Support features an X pattern Stable Contoured Structure that provides lumbar spine encirclement protection and a C pattern Magic Power Band contoured to fit the core muscles. It also has semi-rigid stays positioned on the back support to stabilize the lumbar spine without limiting performance. Its durable Fitting Knit with high permeability fabric ensures wearing durability and breathability. Finally, its pocket closure design makes it easier to wrap in front. Available in sizes Small, Medium, Large, X-Large and XX-Large.
