7 Back Brace Benefits for Recovery
Back braces are not meant to be worn permanently. But wearing one while you work or exercise can be a lifesaver if you suffer back pain.
Let’s talk about the benefits of a back brace, so you can better understand how your life would change if you started wearing one.
Benefit #1: It helps immobilize your back and spine
If you suffered a back injury or are recovering from spinal surgery, your doctor has probably recommended wearing a back brace. This is because a back brace immobilizes your back and your spine, preventing movements such as flexion, extension and rotation.
With a limited range of motion, your back can heal properly. Your back brace will also prevent you from aggravating a back injury.
Listen to your doctor’s recommendations to get a back brace designed to immobilize your back while being comfortable to wear.
Benefit #2: It helps prevent back pain
Another benefit of back braces is that they help prevent back pain. Many people are dealing with back pain in their daily lives. Some suffer from mild back pain, while others have severe back pain.
Perhaps you have noticed that a certain movement or position triggered your back pain. If this movement or position is necessary for your job, wearing a back brace while working will help prevent back pain.
On top of immobilizing your back and restricting your movements, your back brace will also help alleviate the stress on the different parts of your spine as it supports your back.
Benefit #3: It helps relieve back pain
By alleviating the stress and pressure on your spine, your vertebrae, and your intervertebral discs, your back brace will also help relieve back pain. Whether the pain you feel is chronic or the result of a back injury, wearing a back brace should allow you to feel better.
If your back muscles have spasms, your back brace will help them relax. Plus, keeping your tight back muscles wrapped in a back brace for some time will warm them up.
The heat and support provided by your back brace will relieve the tension in your back and the pain you feel.
Benefit #4: It helps your body heal from a back injury
As mentioned, a back brace can help your back and spine heal by immobilizing them. By restricting the movements and the strain on your back, your brace will allow your body to heal much faster from a back injury.
But the heat provided by your back brace will also play a part in helping your body heal faster.
Why? Simply because heat increases blood circulation, and blood circulation reduces inflammation and promotes healing.
For these reasons, it only makes sense to wear a back brace if your body is trying to recover from a back injury.
Benefit #5: It helps treat different back conditions
Braces can’t help cure back conditions but can help treat their symptoms.
If you have scoliosis, herniated discs, spinal cord injuries, spinal fractures, sciatica, whiplash, osteoporosis, back muscle sprains, or ankylosing spondylitis, for example, wearing a back brace could help you feel better.
However, before you get a back brace to treat your back condition, speak with a healthcare professional. They will help you find a model brace that will help relieve your pain instead of making your condition more painful.
Benefit #6: It helps improve your posture
We all know that having a good posture is important. And yet, slouching seems much easier than improving our posture, doesn’t it? But unfortunately, poor posture results in back pain.
A back brace can help you improve your posture by keeping your spine straight. Plus, back braces are easy to wear, and most can comfortably be worn under your clothes, so no one will have to know you’re wearing one.
However, talking to your doctor about this would be a good idea to ensure the brace you wear will help instead of weakening your core muscles.
Benefit #7: It helps strengthen your core
One of the most overlooked benefits of a back brace is that it can help strengthen your core muscles. If you have the right model and the right size of back brace and use it correctly, it will straighten your spine and tuck in your tummy.
Core muscles are the ones that are supposed to support our bodies, but unfortunately, many people have weak cores. Their back muscles are then the ones supporting their body, but this often results in back pain.
A back brace can force your core muscles to work harder, eventually strengthening them.