Do back braces work? Answer: sometimes

If you suffer from neck or middle back pain, you have thought about getting a brace of some kind. But do back braces work? The typical kind, there are hundreds of choices on Amazon, is where you put your arms in loops and slide those loops up over the shoulders to keep them back. Think of putting on a backpack. The device acts like your muscles should by keeping your shoulder blades back and preventing you from rolling your shoulders forward or slouching.

There is a place for back braces to be used. That is when there is pain and using it relieves that pain. This is because the body is forced into proper posture and the pressure on the back muscles is eased. However, this should not be considered for long-term wellness. Let me explain.

1. Limits your range of motion – by keeping your shoulders back artificially and permanently, at least while you have the device on, your range of motion is limited by your arm length because the shoulder girdle is fixed in place. This can cause you to compensate with other muscles like your low back when reaching for something that you would not ordinarily have to use. Tying your shoes would require you to bend more at the waist. If you already have poor posture from sitting all day and general lack of exercise, bending forward more is going to be hard on your low back.

2. Your muscles atrophy – when you don’t use a muscle it gets smaller and weaker. This is the case when you use back braces to do the work that should be done by the middle trapezius and rhomboid muscles. A weaker muscle can’t perform its function as well as a strong muscle and the problem becomes worse when the brace is taken off.

So what is the solution? If you need to use a brace to alleviate the pain, then go ahead and do it. However, at the same time a strength training program should be in place so reliance on the brace can be reduced.

The Hands-Free Middle Back Strengthener is perfectly designed for that task. It looks just like a back brace where you slide the loops up your arms. However, the device goes on the front of your body, and you squeeze your shoulder blades together to strengthen the muscles in your back. Strong muscles equal less reliance on back braces. Also, the device only needs to be used for 2 minutes a day. That’s the same time to brush your teeth!

Back braces work but only for the short term while a permanent fix to the problem of slouching and neck and back aches is to strengthen those muscles. The body is a beautiful machine. Let it do the work it was designed to do without the aid of braces.

Get your Hands-Free Middle Back Strengthener here.

Enjoy!