Braces for Posture
What are They? How do They Work?
A posture brace is a garment that helps treat pain caused by bad posture in the shoulders and the back area. It is commonly used to treat spine deformation issues such as scoliosis and Upper Cross Syndrome. In the same way, physiotherapists prescribe braces to help patients heal from injuries.
However, we use braces not only to treat preexisting conditions. Some people use braces to correct their posture or prevent holding a bad posture while doing different activities or practising sports. For example, while walking, sitting in front of a computer and others.
The way posture braces work is they fix posture by teaching the muscles in our body to remember how to position correctly. By repeating many activities while wearing the brace, the muscles start memorizing this posture. After a certain period, our body will remember how to position correctly even without the braces. Especially, while working out, this can be significantly helpful because it will help us learn the correct posture for carrying out different workouts such as lifting and squatting, among others. Doing this will make your exercise sessions more efficient while helping you avoid injuries.
Additionally, while wearing the brace, our chest muscles stretch. By doing so, our muscles strong and get used to being in a good posture.
Are they Effective?
Despite all the benefits of posture braces, they might not be the solution to all your posture or spine problems. Posture braces help stretch front muscles, hence, helping that area. However, there are different kinds of bad posture, and it will not help solve those that involve stretching the back muscles. When taken off, the body will go back to its original position.
How to Reinforce the Brace’s Work?
A posture brace could be a good idea if you are planning to improve your posture or if your doctor describes a posture brace for any spine issue or injury you may have, it will help with the treatment. However, it is not the ultimate solution to all your posture issues. There are some other recommendations you can follow to contribute to this.
Stretching is always beneficial if you are doing it safely. We advise focusing on stretching the muscles responsible for your posture. This way, these muscles will become stronger and will be able to prevent your head and neck from hunching. Practice stretches that target your neck, shoulder and chest muscles, and you will notice an improvement in your posture.
Another thing you could do to help your posture is to visit a chiropractor. They can do some adjustments to misaligned body parts that may be causing your bad posture.
Orthopedic Corner | Leon Mead MD Orthopedic Doctor | 730 Goodlette Road North, Suite 201 Naples Florida 34102 | Phone: (239) 262-1119