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Brace Yourself with a Pneumatic Vest for Back Pain
It is said that over 90% of adults today have some form or another of lower back pain; this could be acute or chronic. It is also said that there are some six million Americans that are in the thick of treatment for this back pain everyday, making this a clear problem for many people. Many times the pain from this chronic or acute condition that affects the back can easily be a very troubling and crippling thing, it can affect you when you stand, walk, sit for too long or just perform regular everyday tasks that some people take for granted. Sometimes the only relief that these people get is when they are able to lay flat on their backs and remain very still. As one could imagine, this is not really the best way to live your life. One of the most appreciated things for the sufferer of these back pains is the fact that it generally does not require surgery. Now there are many different options for the person that suffers the chronic back pain and they are developing new forms of treatment everyday. The new line of treatments include the likes of:
Spinal injections
Physical therapy
Bracing
Chiropractic
Pain medications
One method in particular seems to be garnering a large amount of attention lately, that is the Orthotrac Pneumatic Decompression Vest. The initial goal of the vest is to limit the movement of the spine, making the unstable area of the injury stronger and taking the load off of weak discs. Most of the time these braces are used just after surgery, or when there is a very severe case of the pain itself. Generally, when these vests are prescribed to be worn, it is for the entire day as it helps people to complete the mundane tasks in life that are often taken for granted by people that do not have this type of continual back pain. These activities can include simple things like going shopping, doing the dishes, making beds and so on.
In addition, rhere are different vests that are made, some are of the very soft materials that are minimal in their restriction, and there are also vests that are very firm that almost completely immobilize the person that is wearing the vest. The pneumatic vests these days have many functions and are not quite like the spinal braces of old, however the materials and the general properties are just about the same. Both the spinal brace, and the pneumatic vest are designed to lighten the load on the lower back, and they both use lifters that are inflatable.
Have you ever noticed that when you lay down flat on your back, any pain that you may have had prior to laying down is now gone? There is a very simple reason for this; it is because the back no longer has to carry the large amount of weight that it was previously carrying. This is what is known as unloading, this is not a method of back correction or treatment however, as laying flat on your back all the time is not really health for you nor is it practical. It will not serve you well if you have a job, or if you are going to school as you will fall behind rather quickly and you will not have that position for long. This is why most people find that having a major back problem is one of the most interfering aspects in their lives. Not only is there constant pain, but it greatly affects the quality of your life as well. In essence what these vests do is transfer approximately 50% of a person’s body weight from the lumbar spine down to the pelvic region known as the iliac crests. Due to the inflatable disc separators and lifters, most of the force the body goes through is absorbed through the inflators. The vest is to be worn by the client for no more than 20-30 minutes a day, on regular patience with simple back pains there are of course exceptions to this rule, and they can include:
Spondylolisthesis
Facet Syndrome
Degenerative disc disease
Foraminal stenosis
Spinal stenosis
Nerve root entrapment
Herniated or bulging discs
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