Do Posture Correctors Really Work?

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Hunched shoulders and a rounded spine might have you wondering: do posture correctors really work?

There are so many posture correcting devices on the market. Each one is supposed to help you stand up straighter. From shoulder braces to high-tech wearables that buzz when you slump over, the options are endless.

Seems like a great idea, right?

A brace to hold your shoulders back, a gentle buzz to remind you to sit up straight…

But what you don’t know about posture correctors could actually be hurting you…and your pocket book.

So before you go shelling out $80 (or more!) for posture training devices, here’s everything you need to know from a posture pro about whether these things really do their jobs.

Related:

• The Best Office Chair for Sitting Long Hours, According to A Posture Expert
• Computer Posture: How to Work at A Desk All Day Without Destroying Your Back
• Perfect Posture For Life: How To Finally Stop Slouching, Stand Tall And Move Freely (Even If You Sit At A Computer All Day)

Posture Braces

What they are:

Soft, elastic material that wraps around the front of your shoulders and attaches around your rib cage.

What they’re supposed to do:

Hold your shoulders back and keep you from slouching or hunching over.

Cost:

$25-$40

Do they work?

Generally speaking, I’m not a fan of posture braces of any kind. Why? Because your body is designed to move, and no joint is more inherently mobile than your shoulder.

The humerus — or upper arm bone — attaches to the shoulder in a very shallow ball and socket joint. It’s so shallow, in fact, that it’s easy to dislocate. Your hip, also a ball and socket joint, is so much deeper than the shoulder. When you see the two next to each other, it’s easy to understand that the shoulder joint is meant for uninhibited movement.

Additionally, the shoulder girdle — which is what we call the bones of the shoulder that sit on your rib cage — basically hangs in a hammock of muscles. Your shoulder only has one bony attachment to the rest of your body where your collar bone meets your sternum.

Again, the shoulder is meant to move. Hunched over shoulders aren’t actually a shoulder problem at all — they’re a rib cage problem. Shoulders merely rest on the rib cage like  glass on a table. If the rib cage is caddywompus, the shoulder will be, too — just like a glass set on a wobbly table will also be unstable.

Posture correctors that brace shoulders don’t fix the underlying problem — a collapsed rib cage. And worse, they inhibit shoulder mobility, promoting unnecessary tension.

The verdict:

Don’t buy one.

A better option:

KT tape (Amazon) gives you the same proprioceptive nudge as a posture brace while still allowing free movement and range of motion in the joint.

Posture Wearables

What they are:

Tech devices that you wear on your back to monitor slouching.

What they’re supposed to do:

Wearable tech posture training devices provide a gentle vibration when your body rounds forward, reminding you to sit up straight.

Cost:

$80

Do they work?

Here’s my problem with these devices (okay, a couple of the problems I see): they in no way provide input on how the person achieves upright posture. They simply measure the position of the device.

I’ve been practicing with real clients — real, live human bodies — for nearly fifteen years now. Let me tell you, if you ask a person to sit up straight, it’ll reveal some interesting neural patterns. We all think we know what straight is, but many people are still sitting on a tucked-under tailbone, hyperextending their lower backs, or craning their necks to hold up collapsed rib cages.

These devices say that 92% of users report improvements to posture when worn. I’m asking: how is this measured? Is it based on app reports of how often the device needs to buzz at you to make you “sit up straight?”

Because that’s not a really great metric. A wearable that truly measured posture would take into account way more than just the position of your upper spine. It would assess lumbar curve, pelvic orientation, muscular engagement of the lower back, and so many more data points.

Also, holding your body in an upright position frankly isn’t all that useful. Of course, culturally speaking, we have a very rigid definition of posture. We assume it’s a snapshot on the cover of a magazine. But the reality is that posture is a mode of expression. Yes, it’s influenced by your daily activities, be they sitting in front of a computer, driving for hours, weight lifting, yoga, running or anything else.

But posture is dynamic. It’s the result of a lifetime of neural conditioning. Good posture isn’t about holding one single static position for hours on end, it’s about having a multitude of options.

In fact, studies have repeatedly shown that posture is a terrible metric for physical health. It doesn’t seem to have much of an impact on back pain, either. Why? Because when we’re measuring “posture,” we’re measuring something static.

(It should be noted that posture does matter, but it requires a bit of a shift in how we understand what posture actually is.)

The verdict:

Nope, don’t like ‘em. Your money would be better spent on a luxurious dinner out.

A better option:

Consult a pro, someone who can realistically assess your body and help your brain find new, more efficient neural pathways so you don’t have to constantly “mind” your posture.

Also, set up a more ergonomic workstation.

Lumbar Support Cushions

What they are:

Pillows that work to support the lumbar curve of your lower back.

What they’re supposed to do:

Alleviate pain by making it easier to sit up straight, thereby taking strain off of the muscles of your lower back

Cost:

$15-30

Do they work?

Here’s the thing about lumbar supports: they’re behind your body, meaning you have to lean backwards to get any benefit. When you’re sitting in an upright position, the weight of your body compresses downwards, not backwards.

So, lumbar supports do work, but only if you’re already reclining and not sitting up straight. I’ve found that, in general, lumbar supports tend to promote slouching rather than correct it.

Also, due to the over reliance on hip flexors in daily activities (sitting), most people already have too much lumbar curve.

The verdict:

Not worth it.

A better option:

Most people would benefit more from learning how to sit properly in the first place. Lumbar supports are only helpful to correct already poorly set up workstations. Simply raising a person’s seat so that their hips are above their knees will do wonders for lower back strain.

The Bottom Line On Posture Correctors

Ugh, are you feeling a little depressed that posture correctors aren’t worth their hype? I feel ya. I know what it’s like to want to fix your body in the worst way but not know exactly where to turn.

The good news is that fixing poor posture actually isn’t all that hard once you understand why muscles get tight and cause those hunched shoulders in the first place.

That’s why I created the **free** Pain Free At Any Age video series that will help you heal your body in no time.

Click below to get access and start living with less pain today.