back brace

[trapper]

Broke a couple vertebra's in lower back over 30 years ago.    Been bothering lately when lifting.  Anybody use a back brace that works for them?

[Old Greenhorn]

I know you don't want to hear this (I wouldn't) but find yourself a good chiropractor. I had a number of back injuries and other stupid incidents that I was unaware were building up. Finally I hurt myself doing something simple (pushing my manual mill head) and could not walk. It was dang scary and I asked friends for recommendations. 3 Friends recommended that same guy and I went to him. I was in bad shape, really bad, using two canes, and he looked at me and said "I can't touch you without hurting you, lets wait a week". I said "Doc, you can't hurt me anymore than I hurt right now, try something, anything. I promise I will not swing at you." He worked on me for 2 hours and I walked out on 1 cane. Did a few more sessions, 2 days out, then 5, then 10 and eventually he got me fixed on that score. But I kept going every few weeks and he started finding, and reminding me of, injuries from decades ago and a LOT of it he could either fix, or make a lot better. Now I go monthly for a tune-up. I just went this morning. He keeps me working with no pain and that is really saying something. If I had not gone to him I would be a couch potato these days in miserable pain. You have to find the right person for you with the right skills, this is the key. I hit it on the first shot. My guy used to work construction until he became disabled from a back injury and then started studying to fix his own problems and eventually started his own practice, so he gets us folks who beat the heck out of their bodies.

 Those back braces never worked for me. They would help during the work process a little, but when I took it off at the end of the day the pain of the days work would still come out. Braces treat the symptom, not the problem itself.

[Southside]

OG is spot on. Your body is telling you something isn't right, listen to it.  No brace is going to stop a disc from blowing out and then you have a real problem.  I broke my L5 at 21, L4 9 years later, and 8 years ago a bone chip broke off and landed in a nerve root, likely the last two major events are related to the first as that was a really, really, bad fall.  Have had 5 back surgeries and countless other procedures, found a good chiro doc and like OG now I go once a month for maintenance.  Not all docs are created equal, find one that works for you, I have been through a few.  

[Peter Drouin]

I have gone to a bone crusher before, did not last for long, the fix,
I went to a misuse. You see the mussels in your ass work your back.
She found the knot there, like a Charley horse you can't feel like your legs. She used her elbow to break it up, retrain the mussel.
The charly horse will keep pulling on your spine, The bone crusher will put it back only to have the mussel pull it back out.
Just feel back there and if you feel a sore spot ,[top half of your ass]
Ann would do mine, a little oil and elbow, Hurt like the hell when doing it. Next day I was 100%
Now I use the tip of my thumb when my back gets sore. Yup there it is I say, just a little work on it when I go to bed.
The back brace will make your mussels week. After a while, you can't work without it. I don't use one.
I know every one is different, But, this works for me.

[Magicman]

Not a back brace as such but I always wear a weight lifters belt when sawing:


 


 
Not tight, just snug.  I also wear the belt when bending and working below waist height.


 
And then my welder's waist apron goes over that. 

[trapper]

Sounds like most are in agreement on a chiropractor.  Will have my wife  make me an appointment at the one she goes to.  He helped her a lot.  thanks all.