bracing

Hi all

So I know a lumbar brace to keep my bones in place is not good for any length of time. However it helps tremendously in pain management and less meds. Any fans out there. Pros and cons? Better than bed rest non??? Aging spine and muscles do not want to get with the program. 67 yrs. One step up two steps back. Bones are weary after life of wear and tear.

Any fans out there of long term bracing??? In conjunction with exercise????

Lumiere

My ortho & 3 different pm drs all shot me down when I asked about a back brace. Their response was a back brace would cause more harm than good because I my muscles would become weak from depending on the brace. I am stooped over, I cannot stand up straight but a couple of minutes without help or be standing up against something like a wall. I honestly thought one would help but not according to them.

Back many years ago if a person had a back injury of any kind the drs immediately put a person on one week of bed rest, Now this was in the olden days & if I remember this I am sure you do too, you are not much older than me, I am 61. I have been put to bed before for one week, lol. However, all of that has changed, if you hurt your back now the drs say do not lay in bed.

They want us up moving around because their studies revealed inactivity made the injury worse instead of better and inactivity made the injury longer to get over. I have to agree with this at least with me. I know any time I have been in the hospital for several days it seems to take me longer to get back up on my feet. I lose a lot of strength if I lay around. I do my best to stay out of the hospital & I will not lay around, I keep moving around even if I have to move a little slower.

Thanks guys

You gave good info. I will be careful.

Lumiere

Lumi -

I'm a little older than you, have spine problems in all sections. When I'm tired I stoop, making pain worse.

My rheumi said years ago no back brace, do exercises.

My rehab pain doc ordered a soft back brace for me a few years ago. He tells me to use it when I need it. It makes sense! It's no good if you are in severe pain and stoop and stagger around with awful posture crunching your vertebrae even worse. I don't use the thing - it's just a wide wrap - unless I can't hold my back at all and need to lie down.

Going to bed is no answer. I lie down in front of the TV and do core exercises every morning. I also get session after session of PT, which doesn't do much that I can tell except help with range of motion, but I guess that's worth something.

I have a soft neck brace I use when it gets bad too, but using it less and less.

Bottom line is do what you have to do, using your own sense of your body.

Hold on, hold on,...

I believe they have a time and place! So don't toss your brace out quite yet.

Yes, it's beneficial for some when it comes to pain relief.

As I see it, problems arise when the patient relies exclusively on the support provided by the brace and in turn, foregoes any type of rehab or strength training to self-support. That's where it gets dodgy.









M.