Before using a back brace, you must consult with your doctor. A doctor will evaluate whether you can benefit from a brace, as well as the type of brace that you need to wear. Your doctor can also advise you on how to best wear a back brace. It is especially important to know that a back brace is prescribed as a part of a treatment program, which means that in most cases it is combined with other treatment options.
What conditions can benefit from a brace?
Back braces can help to heal and provide relief from pain. There are different kinds of conditions that it can help with.
One of them is for post-operative healing. Rigid braces can be prescribed after spinal surgery and have the goal of reducing the pressure that is put on the spinal column. They can also add stability and limit movements, as well as micro-motions. This can provide a healthy and healing environment.
Back braces can also help those who suffer from isthmic spondylolisthesis. A back brace has been shown to minimize the amount of vertebral slippage and can also improve pain levels as well as the ability to walk. A rigid brace can limit excess motion at the segment that is fractured, which can help to control pain and to lessen the damage to the joints, nerves, and muscles.
Spondylosis patients can also profit from back braces. A semi-rigid or rigid brace can be recommended to those suffering from spondylosis, as it can reduce pain and can also allow fractures to better heal. A lumbar brace can help to reduce or completely prevent a possible vertebral slippage.
Pain caused due to osteoarthritis can also be reduced with the use of a semi-rigid back brace or a rigid back brace. A brace can also help to reduce the pressure that is being put on facet joints, which can make moving from a seated to a standing position easier, or vice versa.
Vertebral compression fractures are another condition, where wearing a rigid or semi-rigid back brace is recommended. In such cases, back braces can help to reduce the pressure that is being put on the spinal column.
Degenerative disc disease can also require wearing a back brace, as it can help to reduce micro-movements that might affect the spinal segment, as well as to help stabilize the spine. Back braces can also be used to limit any bending or twisting, which might prolong the healing period.
Spinal stenosis is a condition where bracing can help to reduce pressure on the lower spine, as well as micro-motions. Pressure and micro-motions of the lower spine could otherwise lead to radicular pain and nerve root irritation.
Muscle tensions and strains might also require a back brace. In such cases, muscle tension can be alleviated, as it reduces pressure on the spine. At the same time, the amount of strength that is necessary to support the spinal column is reduced. Pain relief can also be reached as a brace helps the tense muscles to relax. It is important to note that a back brace for muscle injury or muscle weakness is not recommended for longer than two to four days.
In some cases, a back brace may not be recommended for the above conditions if other treatments are likely to be as or more effective, such as physical therapy, heat, or ice application, and/or pain medications.
Although back braces can’t help to alleviate all cases of back pain, many patients can profit from wearing a back brace along with other treatment options.
What is necessary for a back brace to function?
Certain factors can contribute to bracing being beneficial and effective. For once, you must wear your brace just as your doctor advised you to do. It is one of the most important factors for its success, although there are many different reasons why a back brace might be difficult to wear, such as interference in daily activities or discomfort. If it is too uncomfortable for you to wear your back brace, you must speak to your doctor about it. Your doctor might help you adjust the brace or advise another type of brace for you.
Many studies have shown that your point of view on the back brace can play a big role. If you find the brace to be beneficial and believe in its effect, it is more likely for the brace to help you. If, on the other hand, you have a negative point of view on the brace, chances are that its outcome will not be as positive as well.
It is also especially important to note that a back brace is only recommended on a short-term basis. If you wear a brace for longer than it is recommended, dependence on the brace can occur or muscle atrophy, which can further weaken the back, worsen the pain and increase the chance of suffering from an injury.
There are cases, where patients get over-the-counter braces on their own, without consulting their doctor first, or who decide to continue wearing one, even after the doctor didn’t recommend it. This should be avoided, and it is crucial for your well-being that you advise your doctor before starting to wear a back brace.
A prescription brace also comes with instructions on how to use it and how to take care of your brace. Such instructions include information, such as how to put it on and take it off, how to fit it, how to clean it, and take care of it. The instructions provided by your doctor and instructions provided with the brace need to be strictly followed. In many cases, wearing a back brace incorrectly can lead to pain that is worse and further injury.
Some patients decide to stop wearing their back brace because they believe that they have gotten better already. However, it is just as important to continue using it until your doctor has advised you not to do so.