Back Support Belt

Should you wear a back support belt for back pain?

Many people who experience lower back pain from herniated discs, degenerative disc disease and back strains/sprains may consider using a back support/brace. Although these problems are the most common causes of low back pain, this can only be determined with a proper diagnosis by a chiropractor. Once you've determined that you have a disc injury, sprain/strain, or a degenerative disc disease, you can discuss the pros and cons of using a back brace with your chiropractor. This can help you cope with your condition, as using a back brace can help you recover faster and relieve pain, allowing you to do the physical things you need to do.

On the other hand, if your pain is due to subluxation or spinal misalignment, a back brace may not be the best option. The reason is that misalignment occurs when one or more joints in your spine do not move or "lock" properly. If you immobilize your spine with a back brace, your back may actually take longer to heal in this case. Additionally, continued use of a back brace can weaken your spinal muscles, making them more prone to injury.

Here are five reasons to wear a back support belt .

1. Back Pain Relief

One of the main reasons to wear a back support belt is to relieve low back pain. Back braces create intra-abdominal pressure by compressing the abdominal cavity and the muscles and joints in this area. This compression helps support the muscles, promotes forward movement of the spine, and helps reduce chronic and intermittent low back pain.

2. Lift the lift pose

A back support belt can help you maintain proper posture when lifting heavy objects and operating machinery or equipment. By preventing you from turning, lifting, or bending in ways that could hurt your lower back, these belts promote good posture and remind the wearer to use proper weightlifting techniques. This way, you can perform activities that might be too painful without a support belt and prevent future back injuries.

3. Sacroiliac Joint Stability

The sacroiliac joints form where the spine and pelvis connect, and they act as shock absorbers when you walk and move. People with sacroiliac joint problems experience pain in these joints when they move too much or not enough. The sacroiliac brace can relieve pain, promote stability of the sacroiliac joint, and reduce pressure on the pelvis.

4. Pregnancy back pain

The extra weight a woman puts on the front during pregnancy can stiffen the back, causing pain and discomfort in the lower back. Maternity support belts lift and support the abdomen, reducing weight on the back, bladder, ligaments and veins. This support can relieve back pain and promote better health outcomes in the future.

5. Better liquidity

If your back pain is preventing you from leading an active lifestyle or completing your daily activities, a support belt can help. By providing compression, comfortable support, and preventing unnatural movements, back support straps reduce stress on the spine and lower back, making it easier to move without pain. 

Here are five reasons to wear a back support strap.

1. Back Pain Relief

One of the main reasons to wear a back support belt is to relieve low back pain. Back braces create intra-abdominal pressure by compressing the abdominal cavity and the muscles and joints in this area. This compression helps support the muscles, promotes forward movement of the spine, and helps reduce chronic and intermittent low back pain.

2. Lift the lift pose

A back support belt can help you maintain proper posture when lifting heavy objects and operating machinery or equipment. By preventing you from turning, lifting, or bending in ways that could hurt your lower back, these belts promote good posture and remind the wearer to use proper weightlifting techniques. This way, you can perform activities that might be too painful without a support belt and prevent future back injuries.

3. Sacroiliac Joint Stability

The sacroiliac joints form where the spine and pelvis connect, and they act as shock absorbers when you walk and move. People with sacroiliac joint problems experience pain in these joints when they move too much or not enough. The sacroiliac brace can relieve pain, promote stability of the sacroiliac joint, and reduce pressure on the pelvis.

4. Pregnancy back pain

The extra weight a woman puts on the front during pregnancy can stiffen the back, causing pain and discomfort in the lower back. Maternity support belts lift and support the abdomen, reducing weight on the back, bladder, ligaments and veins. This support can relieve back pain and promote better health outcomes in the future.

5. Better liquidity

If your back pain is preventing you from leading an active lifestyle or completing your daily activities, a support belt can help. By providing compression, comfortable support, and preventing unnatural movements, back support straps reduce stress on the spine and lower back, making it easier to move without pain.

How does a back brace help?

A back brace can help you by providing extra support for your spine and muscles. By keeping your body in the correct position, this will help reduce pressure on the spinal nerves, muscles, and joints, which can help reduce pain.

Using a back support can also help you perform your daily activities without putting extra stress on your back. Especially activities like bending over and lifting weights. In addition to good weightlifting technique, a back brace can help acute injuries heal faster and prevent further injury to an already injured area. Straps are less and less helpful for chronic back problems.

Conditions that can benefit from  back support belt 

In addition to other non-surgical treatments, a back brace may help heal and relieve pain caused by:

  • Postoperative healing. Rigid braces may be prescribed after spine surgery with the aim of reducing stress on the spine, increasing stability, and limiting movement and micromotion to provide a healthy healing environment. A questionnaire completed by spine surgeons found that the most common reason for a postoperative brace was restriction of activity and movement. The same questionnaire showed that back braces are generally recommended between 3 and 8 weeks after surgery, but the duration varies depending on the patient's needs. 1
  • Isthmus spondylolisthesis. Treatment of isthmic spondylolisthesis with a rigid back brace has been shown to minimize the amount of spondylolisthesis and significantly improve walking ability and pain levels. 2 Rigid braces limit excessive movement of the fractured segment, help manage pain and possibly reduce damage to joints, nerves, and muscles.
  • Spondylolysis. Similar to isthmus spondylolisthesis, semi-rigid or rigid braces may be recommended to minimize painful fretting at the level of the fractured vertebral body, reducing pain and potentially allowing the fracture to heal. Lumbar braces are thought to prevent or reduce spondylolisthesis (isthmus spondylolisthesis).
  • Osteoarthritis. The use of rigid or semi-rigid back braces can reduce the instability and painful fretting of spinal osteoarthritis. Additionally, braces can reduce pressure on the affected facet joints, reduce pain and make daily movements easier, such as moving from a sitting to a standing position and vice versa.
  • Vertebral compression fractures. For vertebral compression fractures, rigid or semi-rigid posterior braces are recommended to reduce micromotion at the level of the fractured or affected vertebral body, as well as reduce stress on the spine.
  • Degenerative disc disease/lumbar disc herniation. When a disc ruptures and/or herniates, rigid or semi-rigid posterior braces can help stabilize and reduce micromotion of the affected spinal segment. Back braces can also be used to limit bending and twisting and help carry some of the weight that the discs normally carry.
  • Spinal stenosis. Braces for lumbar spinal stenosis are designed to relieve pressure on the lower spine and limit fretting, both of which can lead to nerve root irritation and nerve root pain. In some cases, a brace can help adjust posture or transfer weight to the abdomen to relieve pressure on the spine.
  • Muscle tension and strain. In relatively rare cases, a flexible back support may be recommended to treat a lower back muscle strain. Back braces can help relieve muscle tension by reducing spinal pressure, thereby reducing the amount of force the muscles need to support the spine. Additionally, the heat from the brace can help relax tense muscles, which can help relieve pain. Muscle injuries or weak back braces are generally not recommended for use beyond 2 to 4 days.

How often should you wear a back support?

It depends on whether they are in severe pain and which activities make the pain worse. The more pain you have, the more often you may need to use the brace. If you experience more pain from physical activity, you should only wear it then. If you experience pain while resting, you should not wear a back brace as it becomes less beneficial, and overuse of a back brace can weaken your postural muscles, making your spine more vulnerable to further injury. You should not wear a back brace if you have mild pain or no pain at all. It might be a good idea to wear it if you're going to be doing an activity that involves a lot of physical work and can cause back pain. In this case, you can put it on and take off as needed.