- Low Profile Lumbar Back Brace for Sciatica & Herniated Disc

I like this brace. It is well constructed with quality materials. It will join but not replace my existing brace. Here’s why.Compression products abound. It’s important to understand what type of support your back needs and what a given product is designed to do. If you have persistent backache, seek a professional opinion. A chiropractor diagnosed my spondylolisthesis and disc narrowing years ago. He recommended exercises and wearing a lumbar support whenever stooping (pulling weeds, etc.) and lifting heavy objects (luggage, furniture, etc.).I’ve long used the Back Booster, endorsed by the American Orthopedic Association (shown on top in the photo). It uses vertical plastic ribs spaced across the lower back with hook and loop fasteners attached to wide elastic straps. Tightening or loosening is simple: grab an end in each hand and pull tighter as needed.The Brace Direct model I received, a medium, is roughly the same length, about 44 inches (shown on bottom in photo). Like the Back Booster, you wrap it around your lower back and fasten the right side over the left before tightening. Instead of elastic straps, this brace uses an innovative cord and pulley mechanism that allows adjusting with one hand. Printed instructions emphasize starting with the cords opened to the maximum and sucking in your stomach for a tighter fit.If tight is what you’re seeking, this brace fills the bill. After a few minutes, I decided I had over-tightened the brace, causing my sciatica to flare. Loosening and tightening this brace to fine tune the pressure is easy with one hand--so easy you might overshoot without realizing. Continued wear also suggested that the stiff plastic pads that hold the pulleys might require a breaking-in period to stay comfortable over longer periods.This brace is flat and lightweight enough be worn under a loose-fitting untucked shirt unnoticed. I rarely wear a brace longer than an hour or two while doing chores around the house. I strive to avoid overtaxing my back while also avoiding wearing a brace so much it becomes a crutch, leading to a weaker back.Given its sturdiness, I am going to keep this Brace Direct model in my car for short lifting needs, like loading and unloading the trunk. Cinching the brace tightly provides firmer feeling support than my elastic Back Booster. It will also travel with me for a boost when handling luggage. For longer, more varied tasks that require bending and stooping, I’ll stick with the softer and less vise-like Back Booster for more flexible support. I like having both options now.

The packaging for this back brace is rather basic and the way this brace works is somewhat minimal, so do refer to the pictures in this product page to allow proper fitment. This back brace is decent in helping alleviate pain and have a lower profile to fit under almost all shirts or tops, but you do have to tighten the brace a bit for added support. This is due to the low profile design, so more support does require more tightening around your waist and mid-section, so do adjust accordingly to your wardrobe and planned daily activities. Thank you for reading!

I've lived with intermittent back pain and sciatica and back braces are pretty much on hand to keep the pain from flaring up worse. Out of all the braces I've used I still love my Mueller Sports Medicine back brace, but this one is easily a close second.I have a medium build and a waist size of 34" and the medium size fits true to their size guide.This backbrace has very little elasticity to its compression but its not a problem since adjustment is so easy. There is the main belt that you can strap on slightly loose. Then there is just one adjustment strap that tightens the corset-like laces in the back. The pulley style set up multiplies the work so tightening is very easy.The lacing style is great too. The cinching and gliding is VERY smooth. And even though I thought tangling might be an issue, it isn't. Flinging it around, stuffing it in a bag, or just being careless storing it away has not once caused any tangling.This brace is also very comfortable. I have a similar brace that does not have as rounded corners so you feel a bit of jabbing (not too bad though). But the brace here is so well thought out that it gives it an edge in comfort.The lines/laces look very strong and wear-resistant. Unfortunately if they ever break, replacing it would be a pain (tied off and sewn closed at the adjustment buckle). However it wouldn't be impossible to replace if it ever happens.Even though the brace is fairly low profile, I wouldn't wear this with more fitting clothes. I'd stick with my elastic band style back brace from Mueller if I needed to wear it with more fitted clothes.

This back brace is very different from the one I usually wear, and has some nice features.> "Open" design in the back is ideal for women with "hourglass" figures, because the panels can angle to be wider at the bottom and narrower at the top. So many back braces are designed for men's straight torsos, and don't fit well on a woman's curvy waistline -- this brace solves that problem.> Getting the brace situated and centered in the back takes some practice, but the pulley system allows quick adjustments and a very fine-tuned fit.> Front belts that cross over the abdomen are comfortable and nice and wide, so they won't fold over or bind.> If you are recovering from back surgery or have back problems you should consult with your doctor about using this brace. It might not be appropriate for your situation because it is open in the back and doesn't completely immobilize the spine, it just provides some support.

Provides good support to lower back - it's a little awkward to put it on the first couple of times. Also, if you're wide in the hips and narrower in the waist, getting it to "sit" right is a little tough (digs into the hips). Once positioned, provides relief quickly and is SUPER adjustable. The tension adjustor is an ingenious system: single point of adjustment across the entire brace, simultaneously! Essentially, place the velcro at the loosest point desired, then pull the adjustor to your comfort and you're set. This is robust velcro - it's not a quiet activity to adjust - FYI.