Should you wear a brace for lower back pain?
Remarkably, there isn’t a lot of scientific evidence to support the use of back braces. A 2018 study published in Orthopedic Reviews found back braces reduced pain and improved ability to move with few side effects. But the study was small, and the paper’s authors noted more research was needed.
“The idea of supporting the lower back is a phenomenal idea, and the body has a natural back brace, called the transverse abdominis [the TVA muscle], which looks like a back brace internally,” Dr. Danesh says. “If you use a back brace, that muscle that nature has designed is going to get weaker and weaker.”
And that raises the potential issue with using a back brace: The more you wear it, the weaker your TVA will get. Without a back brace, your core can do its job—stabilizing your back.
When should you consider a back brace?
Don’t rule out the devices entirely—there are some cases where a back brace may be helpful, Dr. Danesh says, including after surgery when you’re waiting for the body to heal.
In a study in The New England Journal of Medicine, back braces were helpful for adolescents with scoliosis, which is a curve of the spine.
Before you opt to wear a back brace, consult with your doctor to determine whether you’ll benefit from wearing it. Bonus: Your doctor can give you a better idea of the type of brace you need and for how long you should wear it.
How to wear a back brace correctly
If you’re aiming to address your chronic low back pain with a brace, Dr. Danesh suggests wearing it for no more than 30 to 40 minutes at a time, and only during movements that might require work, like standing to do the dishes, working construction, or weight lifting. This might be beneficial for those who aren’t finding relief from other interventions and simply need to relieve pain as they do daily activities.
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