Discover the Benefits of a Lumbar Support Belt
Low back pain is one of the most irritating pains that can be mild and merely annoying to severe and debilitating. It can come and go, and possibly get worse over time. It can be caused by an injury or a disorder. Sometimes, even the smallest of movements like getting up from a chair, walking or even coughing can feel torturous. Around 85% of people will experience some form of low back pain in their lifetime.
If you are one of those people who feel like a giant electrified claw has claimed the lower part of your back, tearing into each nerve in that part, you might need to look for options that can help you relieve this pain and feel more comfortable. Having your very own spa pool can be very beneficial, as you can reap the benefits of hydrotherapy. However, there are many other more affordable solutions, such as investing in a lumbar support belt. Specially designed to give support to your back, these practical aids can do miracles for your health and well being.
Benefits of Wearing a Back Brace
A back brace might help you relieve pain from a plethora of conditions. Doctors recommend wearing lumbar braces for post-operative healing, spondylolysis, osteoarthritis, vertebral compression fractures, lordosis, muscle tension and strain and similar conditions and disorders. Most back support braces have a compression strap that pulls the back brace snugly around you. When the strap or straps are pulled, they cause compression to the core musculature. The result is an overall decrease in the volume of the intra-abdominal soft tissue. This decrease in the volume of soft tissue acts as a stabiliser, directly surrounding the spine.
Wearing a back brace can provide additional spinal support. It can add stability when the low back is unstable due to injured or weakened spinal structures. By holding the torso in a safe, supportive posture, a high-quality lumbar support belt can help create a healthy healing environment for the current injury and prevent additional injuries. The immobilisation it provides is crucial for your back to heal properly.
Special lumbar support belts help massage and relieve muscle tension in the affected region. At the same time, they might improve your posture and elongate your spine. Sometimes bad posture can be the cause for severe back pain. Your spine should be in an upright position, your shoulders back, your chest up, and your core tucked in. The truth is, many people don’t sit and stand in this position. Bad posture also causes spinal weakness and can even result in deformities and make you more prone to injuries. If you’ve noticed that you have started developing posture issues, your safest bet is investing in a lumbar brace. By forcing your spine into a straightened position, you can improve your posture.
Studies show that wearing back braces can minimise the amount of vertebral slippage and significantly improve your walking ability and pain level. They limit excess motion at the fractured segment, helping control pain and potentially lessening damage to the joints, nerves, and muscles. These helpful aids are doctors’ recommendation for people with Isthmic spondylolisthesis, spondylolysis and osteoarthritis.
What to Look for in a Lumber Belt?
There are many types of back braces on the market today designed for different parts of the back: mid-spine and lower lumbar spine, and the tailbone or sacrum. Whether you are buying based on a doctor’s prescription, or you are purchasing one over the counter, it’s essential to choose a model that’s suitable for your condition. If you’re suffering from severe lower back pain caused by moderate lumbar deformity, you can opt for a back brace that comes with either a cushioning lumbar or sacral pad. This lumbar brace can massage and relieve muscle tension in the affected region. Stabilisation can be customised by removing the pads in the later stages of the rehabilitation process.
The best models feature flexible aluminium stays that provide further back support and facilitate correct posture in the lumbar spine. Some of them have a height-adjustable functional strap, providing a comfortable fit for everyone. People with SI joint instabilities, SI joint arthritis, and SI joint syndrome might benefit more from a back brace made of two-part gel cushion with massage nubs. This cushion massages trigger points during movement, which promotes blood circulation to help with the healing process. Opt for a brace with tensioning straps that can help stabilise and straighten the pelvis. These straps assist in relieving tension in the surrounding muscles and ligaments of the sacrum.
Since you’re probably going to wear your lumbar support belt a lot, make sure to choose one that is machine washable. Good quality models can be put into a clothing bag and washed on a gentle cycle on cold temperature. The best way to dry it is to put it on a towel and allow it to air dry.
How Many Hours a Day Should You Wear a Back Brace?
The key to getting the best results from your back brace is not to overuse it and not to underuse it. The period of use mostly depends on the injury and condition you have. The usual recommendations are to wear it for two hours a day, to avoid your back brace to do all the work all the time. You might feel improvements within a few days, or you might need to wear it for several weeks to see the first results. You can also wear training back support belts when you’re exercising to protect your back against strain, and improve your proprioception for maximum movement control.