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What is a Body Brace?
A body brace is a piece of medical equipment worn by someone with a severe back injury or a condition such as scoliosis. Its job is to keep the spine’s movement limited to within a certain range while the spine is healing. A body brace can be constructed from a variety of materials, both hard and soft, depending on the patient’s needs.
To wear a body brace correctly, several parts need to fit into the correct location. The lower part goes around the person’s pelvic area, while the middle portion of the body brace wraps around the patient’s abdomen. The upper part of the body brace fastens on the back and ribs.
Each part of the brace resembles a shell. The shell of the section that wraps around the back contains both a left and a right portion. The center section of the brace attaches to the lower portion of the brace via two swivels that snap into place. The separate parts of the upper section each then attach to the center section via a swivel that snaps into place.
The brace also has holders that connect to the upper, lower, and center portions to keep the device in the proper position during wear. The design and placement of the brace allow for a patient to move around as much as possible without doing damage to the spine while the brace is on. While few people are likely to say they truly enjoy wearing a body brace, the alternatives are possibly damaging a surgically repaired spine enough that another painful and expensive surgery is required or failing to treat a medical condition that could lead to crippling pain down the road. With those possibilities in mind, wearing a body brace almost constantly during the necessary treatment or recovery time may not seem as bad.
A body brace can serve a purpose in many scenarios. Following spinal surgery, such as a spinal fusion, the brace prevents the patient from moving to the extent that the fusion could be damaged or destroyed. For someone with scoliosis — a condition in which the spine curves to the left or right by an angle of more than 10° — a brace can help force the spine into proper alignment and allow for proper body development. Wearing a body brace may be a long-term prospect, but it is a temporary one. Most people can safely remove the brace once they have healed from surgery or their spine has responded to the bracing treatment.
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![Body braces can be used to treat scoliosis, which is an abnormal curvature of the spine.]()
By: laurent dambiesBody braces can be used to treat scoliosis, which is an abnormal curvature of the spine. -
![A body brace can be worn to treat a severe back injury.]()
By: Syda ProductionsA body brace can be worn to treat a severe back injury.
Discussion Comments
@donasmrs-- What kind of injury are you referring to?
Different body braces are needed for different injuries. It depends on where the injury is and what type of support is needed. If there are multiple injuries affecting the spine, as well as the legs for example, there are comprehensive full body braces. These are often used in hospitals or in home care after serious accidents such as a fall or a car accident.
If the injury is in the back, such as a compression fracture, something like a Jewett brace may be used.
Which type of body brace is best for immobilization after an injury?
Healing is not really what occurs when a spinal brace is used for scoliosis. The body brace in this case is to keep the scoliosis from worsening. It can actually correct the scoliosis to some degree when used correctly and worn for long periods.
This is why body brace for scoliosis must be used during childhood or adolescence because the body is still growing. So correction can occur more easily at this stage. It's much more difficult to achieve some correction in adults with scoliosis. Of course, everyone is different and has very specific needs. I don't mean to make any generalizations and I'm no expert. A doctor will always give the most accurate and helpful advice when it comes to using body braces for scoliosis.
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