Treatments

Prescription Back Braces

Back Pain Treatment Home » Alternative Treatments » Prescription Back Braces

carefully fitted prescription back brace

A carefully fitted prescription back brace can be an excellent additional treatment for lower back sprains and strains. Back braces have been shown to improve mobility and lower pain, better than the combination of physical therapy and pain medications alone.

A Prescription back-brace has a few complementary goals:

A back-brace is generally able to:

Reduce pain and pressure and micro-motion of the vertebral segments and other spinal structures. By reducing spinal pressure, a back brace may reduce pain from inflamed discs, nerves, joints, ligaments, and muscles/tendons.
Add stability and provide additional spinal support. The brace can assist the ligaments in providing spinal support and help improve awareness of the body’s positioning (proprioception), which allows the wearer to consciously adjust posture for improved back health. The brace can also reduce pulling on the spinal structures from weak abdominal and core muscles.
Reduce range of motion during healing and restrict painful movements. By holding torso in a safe, supportive posture, a back brace can help provide a healthy healing environment for the current injury.
Increase function during activity. By providing postural support and reducing Range of motion, a back brace enables the wearer to engage in physical activities, while preventing excessive movements and thereby preventing injury.

Types of Back Braces

Flexible Back Braces

Flexible orthoses are made of a soft material, such as cotton/elastic blends, canvas, and/or neoprene (a type of synthetic, flexible rubber). Flexible lumbar belts typically come in a variety of sizes and designs. A corset brace typically includes vertical metal or plastic stays at the front, back, and/or sides of the brace that provide stability and some motion restriction. It allows for some limited bending. Lumbar belts and sacroiliac belts provide somewhat more restriction in movement and are typically made of a sturdier fabric without stays.

Rigid Back Braces

Rigid braces consist of a sturdy layer of material (typically cotton or canvas) that wraps around the torso, and includes rigid panels that cover the front, back, and sometimes sides of the brace. Some models include hard plastic or metal bars that cover the outside of the brace.

Semi Rigid Back Braces

A semi rigid brace is one that combines elements of both flexible and rigid orthoses such as a flexible lumbar belt that includes additional padding or molded plastic inserts for some additional support and stability to achieve pain relief, protection against injury and support to enable healing.

Use

A back brace is not a permanent part of a treatment plan. A lumbar brace is typically prescribed to be worn for a certain number of hours each day, and the regimen may range from a couple days to several weeks depending on your condition.

A doctor or other qualified health professional who has trained in fitting braces, will measure and fit the brace to ensure it is safe, comfortable, and effective.

Back braces can be used as part of a more comprehensive treatment plan for the following conditions:

Post-operative healing
Isthmic spondylolisthesis
Spondylolysis
Osteoarthritis
Vertebral compression fractures
Degenerative disc disease/lumbar herniated disc
Spinal stenosis
Muscle tension and strain

(508) 231-5700

(508) 231-5700

Treatments

Prescription Back Braces

carefully fitted prescription back brace

A Prescription back-brace has a few complementary goals:

A back-brace is generally able to:

Types of Back Braces

Flexible Back Braces

Rigid Back Braces

Semi Rigid Back Braces

Use

Treatments

non-Surgical Treatments for Back Pain

Short Term: Medications, Trigger Point Injections, Steroid injections