Spine-care product guides
Thinking of buying a back brace, posture corrector, inversion table or mattress? Here is what the cited research and health services say.
Back braces & lumbar support belts
Back braces, also called lumbar supports or corsets, are worn around the lower back. A Cochrane review found moderate evidence that they are no better than no intervention, or than training in lifting, at preventing low back pain, and said it is unclear whether they help treat it. The AAOS says braces are not always helpful, but some people report feeling more comfortable and stable wearing them.
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Posture correctors
Posture correctors come as harnesses, shirts with special panels, or pads that stick on your back and use vibrations or other cues. The Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) says they can build your awareness of good posture and are best used alongside a posture-strengthening exercise routine. Physical therapist Christina Rodriguez, quoted by HSS, suggests limiting use to only a few hours a day. None of the sources on this page reports a trial of how well they work.
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Spinal decompression & traction devices
A 2007 paper describes spinal decompression therapy as a form of motorised traction, and Cleveland Clinic calls inversion therapy, hanging upside down, a spinal decompression technique. The 2007 paper found only limited evidence to warrant routine use of non-surgical spinal decompression, and the AAOS says traction is often used but there is no scientific evidence of its effectiveness. For inversion tables, a Cleveland Clinic doctor says the research is mixed.
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Mattresses for back pain
The studies on this page compare types of mattress, mostly by firmness, not brands. One trial found medium-firm better than firm at 90 days for pain in bed and disability, in long-term low back pain with no specific known cause and no pain spreading elsewhere. Two reviews favoured medium-firm for comfort, sleep quality and spinal alignment (one, a mattress subjectively identified as medium-firm and custom inflated). Cleveland Clinic says a medium-firm mattress from one brand may feel very different from another's.
Read the guide →These guides organise information from cited sources (such as Cochrane, the Cleveland Clinic and Harvard Health) for general education. They are not medical advice. A qualified clinician can advise on your own care.