Do Back and Waist Support Belt Help with Back Pain?

Introduction

If you have undergone back surgery or an injury, you will need a support belt to aid your recovery. When you come home following the surgery you will often find that you are very uncomfortable with pain and muscle spasms, and wearing a lumbar belt will prevent this from happening. Speak to your doctor about wearing the right support for your back as often people don't wear it properly. A lumbar support belt is a quality product that when worn properly will support your back all day.

What is a Back and Waist Support Belt

The support belts come in a variety of materials, and ideally, you should have one to put on before you even leave the hospital. It will aid your rehabilitation program to have the right lumbar support to protect your muscles from moving too much during the healing process. The brace or belt restricts unnecessary movement and helps to aid the right posture by minimizing micro-movements in the spinal column joints and preventing additional nerve injury. Studies have shown that a back and waist support belt can provide immediate relief. The belt prevents accidental jerking or movement of muscles that could end up damaging the operation site. The main thing to be aware of is the correct time to commence Physical Therapy and to avoid the back muscles from becoming weak from being in the support belt. The back brace or support belt is not a long-term solution but is worn to give the wearer short-term relief. When the time is up, you'll be shown some exercises to rebuild core strength. If you have a disc injury or a degenerative disc disorder, it could take a long time for your back to heal, however, it is a much safer way for healing to take place, with the lumbar fully supported.

Advantages of a Back Support Belt after Surgery

• Following back surgery, some people are very immobile, and they may have trouble getting out of a chair. This is where a back and waist support belt can help, as the added support enables the wearer to stand up without help.
• Wearing the belt lessens pain, and you can take it off when you go to bed.
• It will enable you to return to work and remain comfortable all day.
• It rests the area where the surgery took place, aiding healing.
• It enables the wearer to start limited Physical Therapy while wearing the lumbar support belt.

Disadvantages of a Back Support Belt

• If you wear the back belt for too long the muscles can atrophy around the spinal cord. So wearing time should be limited, and exercises to build strength are then prescribed by the medical team.
• The belt must be the right size for the wearer, and this is worked out by measuring the size of the person. You can't just wear any old belt. You need AOFIT as we provide quality back and waist support belts.
• If the belt is too tight it may cause digestive upsets, so it should be fitted by the medical team.

Reasons for Wearing a Back Support Belt

If you are working as a manual laborer and have had back surgery recently, it may be advisable to wear a back and waist support belt at work. Most of the materials in the brace are made from nylon velcro and spandex and are comfortable and in some cases can be laundered. When wearing a support belt it is better to wear layers of clothes rather than anything tight that won't fit well. People who are recovering from scoliosis may also benefit from wearing a lumbar support belt when they are working. By restricting the motion around the spinal column means that the wearer won't have pain, and if you wear the belt to work, take it off when you come home.

Don't Wear Your Back Support Belt to Bed

As mentioned before, unless you have scoliosis, don't wear your support belt to bed. Take it off and have a shower, and unless you are told to by the doctor, don't wear your back support belt in bed. The back support belt is usually prescribed for acute conditions, and wearing it day and night will weaken the muscles in the back. You may be told to wear the brace for 3-4 months, and after that time you should be fully recovered and working with the Physical Therapist to rebuild core strength. Usually, Physical Therapy starts as soon as the pain subsides, and then you mostly stop wearing the Back Support Belt.

All Backs Are Different

For those suffering from back pain, it can be caused by various reasons. Back pain is a common medical problem and is one of the most commonly diagnosed ailments in the USA. There are many causes and it might be a dull or sharp pain when you are lifting something heavy. Or in some cases, you just wake up with it. As we age degenerative changes take place, and in some cases osteoporosis causes the spine to crumble. In cases of osteoporosis, the sufferer will be in pain and is often advised to wear a back support belt during the day. This type of injury can't always be prevented, as it is is a person's genetic makeup. One of the few things that do help is diet and weight-bearing exercise like walking. The diet has to be rich in calcium to make a real difference, and the condition is diagnosed with a bone scan. Walking should ideally take place daily for half an hour, and a diet rich in dairy and calcium needs to be followed. For those with osteoporosis, when walking, it is advisable to wear the back support belt if you have pain. Once osteoporosis is diagnosed, the aim is to stop it from causing more damage and pain.

Conclusion

We take our backs for granted, and it is not until something goes wrong that we need help. If you have back pain see your doctor, as you may need a back and waist support belt.