Back Braces: Support Where Needed
Among the more welcome pieces of safety equipment to be broadly adopted by employer and worker alike is the back brace. Most often seen over the smock of your friendly neighborhood Home Improvement Store associate, the girdle-like garment has been the savior of many hard working people. However, even a back brace can not be a cure all for back related pains at the work site.
The most common use for the back brace is to be cinched up nice and snug around the torso for performing lifting exercises where a heavy object or load is lifted from a lower level and placed higher. Lifting lumber from a floor level to a shelf that is about at the lifter’s chest or shoulder level is an example. But not just the weight of the object should relegate the use of a back brace. Continual or repetitive lifting of even light objects can sometimes lead to muscle and or even spinal stresses that could make the back sore. Construction workers that load packs of shingles from a truck bed to a conveyor belt that takes the shingles to the roof location is an example of the potential need for a back brace. Much like any other orthopedic brace, the back brace is used to support the muscles in the back that are used for lifting and provide proper posture during lifting motions. The structural reinforcement of a back brace during heavy lifting helps correct posture and can be a blessing while actual lifting is being done, but not all situations need such support.
A common complaint with the back brace is that it is too constrictive during some lifting operations. Causes for such constriction could be cause by simply having the brace too tight, or at an extreme, it could be the improper shape or size brace for the person using it. As with all other safety garments, fit, style, and size should all be taken into consideration before slipping it on for a full shift of rigorous use. It is also a piece of equipment that may not need to be fully cinched up for the entire day on the work place. Most modern back braces come with attachment points that allow for easy adjustment for when it’s not needed.
A back brace is not the cure-all for back soreness. Proper lifting form should still be used even while wearing a back brace. Naturally, over exertion by lifting something too heavy will always be a recipe for back soreness no matter what kind of brace is used.
As with all safety gear, nothing worn can be a substitute for sound judgement. A back brace is no protection against prior injuries that can be exacerbated by continued lifting. Should back pain continue or worsen, medical treatment should be sought. Proper selection and use of a back brace can and has protected many workers from back injury. If used in conjunction with sensible lifting habits, it is one piece of equipment that the worker can accurately say “It’s got my back.”
Tags: back brace, health, pain management, safety