Do You Need a Back Brace

On a daily basis, thousands of people in a large metropolis will develop an acute case of back pain. There are numerous types of back pain, many which are muscular, others which can be structural. Structural lower back pain is often a problem when an injury brings on other symptoms such as radiating pain down the buttocks and leg, numbness in the limbs, or weakness. An acute muscle spasm or a bursitis could also cause these symptoms. However, it is safest to be evaluated by a doctor when these other symptoms occur. When you move a certain way, and feel your back spasm,”seize up”, or have difficulty changing position due to a pain in a specific part of the back that is tender to touch, it is likely your pain is muscular in nature. It is also likely you were not preventing your injury well, and that it has occurred before. You need a medical orthotic! Safety First It is very common for workers who do a lot of lifting and bending to have this back pain come back with certain repetitive activity. One of the most important precautions that can be taken is to stretch prior to activity. However, this is difficult for employers to enforce. What can be enforced, and is the simplest manageable precaution, is having employees at risk, and those who have had previous back problems wear a back brace, or back support orthotic. Medical equipment suppliers can sell the equipment and various back supports to a company, and have their health staff fit the employees with the appropriate orthotic device. Other employers allow their staff to document proper use of their own brace. This is often at a cost savings to the employer. The question becomes who needs what type of brace, and where do they get them? Which Brace Do You Need? Durable medical equipment (DME) suppliers have multiple back support garments. The simplest supportive garment is one used preventatively, and often the one that hard labor workers use to prevent injury. The brace is a simple wrap around the waist secured with Velcro and held in place often with suspenders. Suspenders are not necessary, but many employees prefer them. These braces are inexpensive and are purchased easily in any pharmacy in the medical equipment aisle. However, if someone has a history of back problems, these employees should be assessed by a provider of occupational health, and an order written for an appropriate back garment. Various garments can be recommended, ranging from a Velcro wrap with tension pulls to fit, to a brace with a hard lumbar shell that protects the structures of the spine with increased efficiency. When a patient has had surgery, very specific fitted back braces are recommended by the surgeon, and are beyond the scope of this discussion. Suffice it to say, prevention is always the best measure, and the industry that keeps their employees safe, saves expense, energy, aggravation, and even lives.