If you are between 30 and 50 or even an active adult in your twenties, you have no doubt experienced sciatica-related back pain!
Sitting at your desk, going to the gym, or just doing daily routine activities can trigger this type of back discomfort.
Sciatic back pain is often hard to identify and treat. Sciatica braces can offer you the support and relief you may need to improve your quality of life and get back into the swing of things. We have a vast selection of braces to choose from, but let’s first take a look at what sciatica is and what causes this gnawing pain.
What is Sciatica?
Sciatica is a pain and numbness in the leg that may be caused by a herniated disc, pinched nerves, or another condition. The pain and numbness can travel from the lower back down the legs, causing pain when you walk, sit, or lie down. Sciatica can also radiate into the buttocks, back, and other parts of the legs.
What Causes Sciatica?
- Herniated disc: One of the most common causes of sciatica is a herniated disc in the lower part of the spine. It’s also called a slipped disc. Although a herniated disc can occur at any age, it tends to happen more frequently in middle age and later. It happens when a spinal disc's jelly-like core bulges through a tear in the disc's outer casing. When this occurs, the substance may press on and irritate a nearby nerve. Sciatica results from aberrant signals being given to the brain by this nerve pressure.
- Spinal stenosis: The spinal cord and the nerves that go up and down the spine are shielded by the spinal canal. Spinal canal narrowing is known as spinal stenosis. When this happens, nerves may be squeezed, resulting in pain. Lumbar stenosis is the most prevalent kind of spinal stenosis because the lumbar vertebrae experience the most continuous stress while bearing the greatest weight.
- Spondylolisthesis: The bones of the spine are stacked on top of one another, separated by discs. Spondylolisthesis occurs when one spinal bone slips forward in relation to the bone below it. When the L4 vertebra moves over the L5 vertebra, it can cause a kink in the spinal canal leading to pressure on a nerve root and sciatica.
- Trauma: The sciatic nerve itself is susceptible to damage from any injury or accident that affects the buttock or stretches a hamstring, one of three muscles at the back of the thigh. Falls, car accidents, and sports injuries may lead to sciatica.
Best Back Braces for Sciatica
Ease your pain of sciatica with the Vive back brace. This brace soothes lower back pain from sciatica, spasms, slipped or herniated disks, scoliosis, or injuries.
How to use the Vive Back Brace?
- Insert the removable lumbar pad, if desired.
- Wrap the brace around your lower back and secure the inner straps. The brace should be supportive but not too tight. Ensure the secondary straps are detached from the inner straps to allow for maximum stretch and compression.
- Attach the two outer straps around your waist securely. Make sure the brace is not too tight so that you can't breathe comfortably.
Features of the Vive Back Brace
- Optimal Support: Reinforces the lumbar region to keep back and posture supported without restricting movement.
- Targeted Pain Relief: Soothes lower back pain from sciatica, spasms, slipped or herniated disks, scoliosis, or injuries.
- Additional Lower Spine Cushioning: Removable pad provides extra compression and pain relief.
- Easy to Fit: 2 sizes accommodating waist sizes between 26” to 62" - just wrap, secure and go.
- Strong and Dual Fasteners: Customize your fit with adjustable fasteners that won’t slip or bunch.
- Moisture Wicking: Breathable neoprene makes your brace lightweight and durable for daily use.
The Ossur Formfit Advanced Back Support device is intended to provide gross immobilization of the lumbar spine and/or compression. It is mainly used for lower back conditions that may benefit from gross motion restriction, such as muscular lower back pain, lumbosacral strains, chronic lower back pain, or sciatica.
How to use the Ossur Formfit Advanced Back Support?
- Unfasten the elastic straps and secure them to the brace so that there is no tension on the strap.
- Align the brace behind the patient with the lumbar pad centered on the lower back.
- Wrap the brace arms around the waist.
- Pull the elastic straps around to the front of the brace to tighten and secure them in place.
- Reverse these steps to release the brace.
Features of the Ossur Formfit Back Support
- Compression Formed Lumbar Pad: Through our patented three-dimensional molding technology, we have created a firm yet comfortable lumbar pad which provides optimum support.
- Mesh Panels and Ventilation Hole: These features increase breathability and enhance comfort.
- Overlapping Double Pull Strap Design: These straps provide additional support to the lumbar and abdominal areas.
- Flexible Stays: Positioned to provide optimum support in the lumbar area.
- Gripper Strips: Rubber material is strategically sewn inside each support to prevent migration.
The Core CorFit Sacroiliac Back Support Belt is designed specifically to relieve instability and painful stress of the pelvis and sacroiliac joints. It also stabilizes the hip joints and helps relieve sciatica pain and scoliosis caused by pelvic instability. Best used after an injury, with hypermobility of the sacroiliac joints, or after a pregnancy.
How to use the CorFit System Sacroiliac Spinal Support?
- Loosen the elastic side pull straps.
- Position support around hips.
- Insert hands into closure assists and close support, making sure there is a generous overlap.
- Grasp the side pulls and stretch them out and down to provide maximum inward and upward lift.
- Fasten side pull straps to the front panel of the support
Features of the CorFit Sacroiliac Back Support Belt
- Elastic construction with CorEdge finish provides 10% more stretch.
- Sacroiliac Belts conform perfectly to the body without binding or irritation.
- Stabilize hip and SI joint to ease lower back and/or sciatica pain.
- Proportional sizing system for a proper fit.
- Easy closure assists provide leverage with minimal effort.
- Flexible stays help increase support and stability.
The Vive Groin Brace is used to reduce muscle stiffness and soreness. It also reduces aches and pains associated with a pulled groin, quad or hamstring, hip flexor injury, hip bursitis, labral tear, sciatic nerve pain, and SI joint pain.
How to wear the Vive Groin Support Brace?
- Adjust the waist wrap securely to your waist. The connection between the waist and leg straps should be over the hip flexor
- Adjust the compression as needed
- Adjust the thigh wrap securely around your leg
- Adjust the compression as needed
Features of the Vive Groin Support Brace
- It helps in reducing stiffness and increases blood circulation to promote healing.
- Lightweight and breathable.
- Provides relief from hamstring pulls, hip bursitis, labral tear, sciatic nerve pain, and SI joint pain.
- Adjustable compression wrap soothes stiff and sore muscles for increased mobility.
- Unisex support brace can be worn on the left or right side and over or under clothing as needed.
The Core Semi-Universal Sacroiliac/Trochanter Belt aids in immobilization and helps relieve muscle strain when stretched as in postpartum applications. Elastic side pulls increase sacroiliac pressure, help relieve muscle strain and supplement abdominal muscles while healing. Durable, plush, 4-inch-high hook and loop design provide maximum support to the sacrum.
How to wear Core Semi-Universal Trochanter Belt?
- Start with the back and finish in the front.
- Center support from the back forward.
- The top of support should be at the distal sacrum (crease of buttocks) in the back.
- Top of the support should be at the groin level in the front.
- Top of the belt must be fitted directly over the hip joint.
- Usually, the straps fit right over left, and the straps are pulled out away from the body and then across.
- Add compression from bottom to top.
Features of the Core Semi-Universal Trochanter Belt
- CorEdge finish for added comfort
- The goal is to control the motion of the hip joints.
- Useful in reducing inflammation.
- Relieves muscle strain supplementing stomach muscles that are stretched or weakened.
- Used for postpartum, post-traumatic, and hypermobility of hip joints.
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