Have back pain and muscle stiffness become an inherent part of your life? Do you feel self-conscious because of posture?
Bad posture can be caused due to an injury, incorrect habit, or genetic predisposition. However, with adequate time, effort and the correct devices, your muscles can be retrained, and posture can be corrected.
Poor posture can negatively affect your daily quality of life, from sitting and maintaining an active lifestyle to your emotional state.
Incorrect posture and alignment can lead to disrupted pressure distribution, muscular imbalances and increased chances of lower-body injuries.
Muscular imbalances, pressure disturbances and the resulting discomfort due to poor back posture can have a debilitating effect on your health and well-being. But with the use of a proper back posture corrector, you can retrain and activate your muscles for achieving your natural stance.
Various back posture braces, posture shirts and specific exercises can improve your posture. The fitting will vary from individual to individual depending on the cause, size and body ergonomics.
Back posture brace UK can be helpful if you choose the correct type and size for your individual requirements.
So, what are the different types of back posture braces available?
Table of Contents
Types Of Back Braces
Rigid Braces
Rigid braces offer the greatest level of support and stability to your spine. Mostly rigid braces are engineered with hard panels on the back, sometimes front, back, and/or the sides of the brace.
These rigid elements are generally attached together through a sturdy layer of cotton or canvas wrapping around the torso. Some models can even feature hard plastic or metal bars encircling the outer side of the back brace for ultimate support.
Due to their rigid, unbendable construction, these braces are not ideal for generic posture support therapy. Rigid braces are generally recommended by doctors when you have severe pain due to any medical condition or are recovering from trauma or surgery that requires complete immobilisation of your back.
These braces impart relief and extended support to your spinal structures by applying firm pressure, thus shifting weight from the spinal column and relieving pressure from weakened or injured muscles.
These rigid back posture correctors also drastically limit your range of motion and even micro-motion in the vertebral column, which is excellent for post-surgical recovery.
Semi-Rigid Braces
Semi-riding braces present the combination of both worlds. Semi-rigid braces combine the design components of both flexible and rigid braces within a single posture corrector.
These braces feature stiff supports and rigid padding. Sometimes these added supports can be removed for washing, cleaning and also for providing a customised level of stability for your unique requirements.
A Corset brace is a popular semi-rigid brace that resembles a woman’s corset, featuring vertical metal or plastic structures to provide stability and limit movement.
These rigid structures can either encircle the complete circumference or be positioned unjust in a few places where more support is necessary.
Semi-rigid braces are sometimes recommended by doctors for certain medical conditions.
Flexible Braces
Flexible braces impart firm support to your back muscles and spinal structures through softer materials such as elastic, neoprene, cotton, canvas, etc.
As the name suggests, this form of back posture corrector is flexible. It enables a greater range of motion and is often recommended when you require more versatile back support. Flexible posture support braces are available in various styles and shapes.
Some flexible structures are ergonomically designed and have moldable features to complement the natural curvature of your spine.
Flexible braces apply gentle pressure to the torso, thus activating posture adjustment and also relieving excessive pressure from the spinal column.
They help reduce excessive movement, including impactful bending, side-to-side motions, and twisting. The efficient compression stabilises the spine to minimise micromotion in loose joints or weakened muscles.
Flexible braces are the most popular and best back braces to support postural anomalies due to their ergonomic design and discreet style.
Understating The Mechanism Of The Back Posture Corrector
Posture Brace UK counteract your muscles habitual tendencies to round shoulders and hunch. When you sit with your shoulders rounded and bent forward for extensive periods of time, the soft muscle tissues become tight across your chest.
With chronic bad posture practices, your muscles get strained, and you’re unable to hold your shoulders back straight or to stand upright. Your back gets back to the rounded position, and shoulder blades move forward.
When you wear a back posture corrector, your muscles get pulled back to their natural position. Even wearing your back brace for 15-30 minutes, a daily tissue adaptation mechanism is initiated. You can retrain those weakened muscles and enjoy the natural alignment.
So, if you’re wondering whether posture support devices are actually effective, the answer is yes! With the correct type, sizing, regular usage and certain back strengthening exercises, you can start feeling the difference in a couple of weeks.