Mechanical or Muscle?
Is a posture brace the secret to a better posture or would you be better off working on muscle tone to naturally support your back? This is a valid question that many people ask when looking for ways to improve their posture or fix existing back pain.
The Posture Brace Path
Caution: Without doubt there are effective posture braces on the market, BUT, there are also many ineffective and poor examples too. If you do choose to try one, please ensure that you do your homework or ask for expert medical advice.
With the point above in mind, there are several advantages to choosing a posture brace. We can summarise them as:
- Easy to use
- Immediate results
Easy to use – assuming that you choose an effective example, you can have the new posture brace on and doing its job quickly and without much effort at all. ( Contrast this with the muscle strengthening method below.)
Immediate results – you put it on and it’s working. Simple. A properly designed brace will instantly provide your back with support.
Cons – wrongly used, a posture brace may lead to increasingly weak muscles. This is a negative outcome that becomes more likely the longer you wear the brace. It is also possible to choose a brace that is too restrictive and that can reduce your mobility. This is something to avoid if you want a healthy back.
The Muscle Strengthening Road
As it is likely that your core supporting muscles are weak, or simply not providing much support to your back, it makes sense to work on strengthening them. While a brace is mechanical and separate to your body, your muscles are purpose designed to keep you upright, active, and pain free.
The advantages include:
- Long term results
- Natural solution
Long term results – if you start a programme of core muscle strengthening, and stick to it, you are setting your back (and whole body) up for long term health benefits. Muscles do not have to be put on each morning and are incredibly adaptable. Assuming that there is no underlying injury or pre-existing condition, a carefully designed exercise programme targeting the core supporting muscles will set you up for continuing health. This is particularly important if your job or lifestyle (for example prolonged sitting), means your muscles become weakened over time.
Natural solution – you are using your natural physical systems to stay healthy and pain free. This is obviously the best way to approach health in general, and back health in particular.
Cons – it takes commitment and time over a long period. Many people start off an exercise programme with great intentions but falter after a while. It is also vital that you are correctly performing the strengthening exercises.
Combination of Both
We believe that the most effective approach can often be a combination of the two. You can use a posture brace to provide support at the same time as doing an exercise programme aimed at long term back health. The key to this approach is to choose a brace that allows as much mobility as possible while still helping you develop an effective posture.Our Top Reviewed ProductsAll Reviews
