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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: dxhall on June 19, 2021, 06:50:25 PM

Title: Motorcycle back braces
Post by: dxhall on June 19, 2021, 06:50:25 PM
I’m having a lot of back pain on longer rides.  I’m thinking about trying a lumbar support brace, like this one:

https://www.backaline.com/

Anyone tried one?

Title: Re: Motorcycle back braces
Post by: Ncdan on June 19, 2021, 07:02:36 PM
I think that style is common to construction workers as well as bikers.
Title: Re: Motorcycle back braces
Post by: RinkRat II on June 19, 2021, 07:24:51 PM

     Hi DX, It certainly wouldn't  hurt to try, however most peoples back pain eminates from your overall posture, beginning with the feet. I would highly recommend to find a Pilates instructor that will do a Postural assessment. You may be pleasantly surprised  as to what they find and with some simple strengthening exercises you can improve your health.  Pilates was developed as a rehabilitation program for the core and all connected systems. My $.02

       Paul B :boozing:
Title: Re: Motorcycle back braces
Post by: JayDee24ca on June 19, 2021, 07:56:56 PM
I wear one similar to that when I cut our grass (every 5 days for three hours a shot) on a riding mower. The one I use is available at drug stores, and is made by Orbus. I have also used it on longer bike trips, and it makes a difference. I crushed the L3 vertebrae picking up my Quota a few years ago and get a lot of pain, so the Orbus helps.
JD
Title: Re: Motorcycle back braces
Post by: john fish on June 19, 2021, 08:34:10 PM
I'm an orthotist.  That's a fine brace at a decent price.  Basically, people like to be squeezed.
Title: Re: Motorcycle back braces
Post by: kingoffleece on June 19, 2021, 11:13:52 PM
https://www.ruoutside.com/backthing-perforated.html

This is what you want.  perforated makes a huge difference.  The main belt secures the back thing.  The side wings control the tension.  nothing else comes close to that kind of adjustment.  it's totally worth it.
Title: Re: Motorcycle back braces
Post by: moto-uno on June 19, 2021, 11:27:02 PM
  I've had and used a 'back align" belt for over a quarter century , and there's been times it's a life saver . Peter
Title: Re: Motorcycle back braces
Post by: Chuck in Indiana on June 20, 2021, 06:47:44 AM
Back in the day, MCN did a test of back braces, and the clear winner was Backaline. I got one for my Sweetie and she still loves it.
Title: Re: Motorcycle back braces
Post by: twowheeladdict on June 20, 2021, 06:52:29 AM
I have a collection of braces from an elastic belt, a Back Align, to a $1400 medical brace, and wore a ladder brace for several years before a surgery.

Nothing replaces having strong core muscles.  The brace should be a last resort because it compensates for you using your muscles to hold your body in the correct position.

Frequent breaks and walks while riding helps also.

I definitely recommend doing some core strengthening exercises as well as stretching exercises. 
Title: Re: Motorcycle back braces
Post by: balvenie on June 20, 2021, 08:00:43 PM
I have a collection of braces from an elastic belt, a Back Align, to a $1400 medical brace, and wore a ladder brace for several years before a surgery.

Nothing replaces having strong core muscles.  The brace should be a last resort because it compensates for you using your muscles to hold your body in the correct position.

Frequent breaks and walks while riding helps also.

I definitely recommend doing some core strengthening exercises as well as stretching exercises.

That bit about core muscles caught my eye. In my case only, a disc in the lower back is protruding to make contact with a nerve and the result is pain in the butt, while sitting, walking, standing and sleeping.
The solution has been to strengthen my core to the point where I can tilt my pelvis, so that the hollow in my lower back is diminshed.
The difference this has made is astonishing and simple.
Naturally YMMV :grin:   
Title: Re: Motorcycle back braces
Post by: Ncdan on June 20, 2021, 09:07:10 PM
I have a collection of braces from an elastic belt, a Back Align, to a $1400 medical brace, and wore a ladder brace for several years before a surgery.

Nothing replaces having strong core muscles.  The brace should be a last resort because it compensates for you using your muscles to hold your body in the correct position.

Frequent breaks and walks while riding helps also.

I definitely recommend doing some core strengthening exercises as well as stretching exercises.
That’s a fact TWA, ones core(stomach/lower back) muscles are the foundation of ones body’s power.
However with severe back issues it’s near impossible to preform the exercises needed to build strength in those parts of the human body.
Therefore a vicious circle in progress is the result.
Title: Re: Motorcycle back braces
Post by: kingoffleece on June 21, 2021, 01:31:41 AM
I was a big fan of MCM-even more so when my product was one of the select few to receive 5 out of 5 stars., but they did not include The BackThing in their testing.  I wrote Serle about that and he said they were unaware of it.
Title: Re: Motorcycle back braces
Post by: twowheeladdict on June 21, 2021, 08:33:46 AM
That’s a fact TWA, ones core(stomach/lower back) muscles are the foundation of ones body’s power.
However with severe back issues it’s near impossible to preform the exercises needed to build strength in those parts of the human body.
Therefore a vicious circle in progress is the result.

As someone who as spent years in physical therapy there are indeed exercises that can be done to build strength without causing additional damage.  I recommend anyone who is at the point where they can't do any exercises seek out physical therapy.

Then you can start to work on gaining core strength through isometric exercise and then working towards planking.  Exercises that make the muscles work without movement are a good way for an injured person to gain back strength. 

A back brace makes you weaker over time, and should only be used when absolutely necessary.   
Title: Re: Motorcycle back braces
Post by: redrider90 on June 21, 2021, 09:02:49 PM
I'm an orthotist.  That's a fine brace at a decent price.  Basically, people like to be squeezed.


I am also a certified orthotist, actually retired after 40 years in the field. I always wear a short custom lumbar corset for all riding including lawn mowing and heavy wood cutting and splitting or say working on a car engine for a long time. (I am 6'5" and have a long way to bend over).  I have needed a corset for difficult activities my whole life. Hence I end up with low back spasms that all the core strengthening in the world could not prevent. Otherwise I do not use a corset. I played basketball for 35 years mostly on outdoor courts and never wore a corset or when I ran in the woods on my land.  That lumbar support is a minimalist brace and would help a lot of folks with low back pain. If it doesn't work there are others to look at.
I disagree that a back brace makes you weaker over time and I do not say that because just because I have built hundreds of custom back braces in my previous vocation.  It depends on the circumstances why and when and how long a person uses one. I am married to a physical therapist who spent the last 10 years of here career as a pool therapist working on core strengthening. Core strengthening is the basis for all good lower extremity and back pelvic issues. But wearing a back brace for certain limited activities can help a person to keep good form for something like spending hours on a M/C. I cannot ride any distance without help from a corset no matter how good condition. In my prime I was running 15 miles a week, had a 1/4 acre garden, played basketball at leas twice weekly and cut and hand split all my own wood to heat my house. Some of those things I assisted my lower back by wearing a corset to reduce stress on my lower back. I have fought through to many back spasms in my life to know when too much of a good thing can put me down for a few days. 
Title: Re: Motorcycle back braces
Post by: dxhall on June 21, 2021, 09:49:45 PM
Thanks for all of the advice.  Since I retired two years ago, I’ve been doing core exercises (sit ups, leg raises, etc) three or four times each week.  On the last seven day motorcycle trip, though, I still had a lot of back pain.  I’m thinking that this could be a posture issue, rather than a core-strength issue.  Is that possible? 

I ordered the brace from Amazon.  We’ll see whether it helps.
Title: Re: Motorcycle back braces
Post by: redrider90 on June 21, 2021, 10:26:11 PM
Thanks for all of the advice.  Since I retired two years ago, I’ve been doing core exercises (sit ups, leg raises, etc) three or four times each week.  On the last seven day motorcycle trip, though, I still had a lot of back pain.  I’m thinking that this could be a posture issue, rather than a core-strength issue.  Is that possible? 

I ordered the brace from Amazon.  We’ll see whether it helps.


It is absolutely a postural issue. And maybe age and maybe a bit of arthritis and adding basically isometric muscle contractions lasting hours from distance traveling. Core strengthening is something one should always keep doing but if you continue to struggle on distance trips or even short trips wearing a corset  just while riding might be just enough help to reduce the stress on your back. It's absolutely worth trying. Back braces basically work on compression of soft tissue which unloads the areas where the brace is worn.
Title: Re: Motorcycle back braces
Post by: balvenie on June 22, 2021, 01:32:40 AM
Thanks for all of the advice.  Since I retired two years ago, I’ve been doing core exercises (sit ups, leg raises, etc) three or four times each week.  On the last seven day motorcycle trip, though, I still had a lot of back pain.  I’m thinking that this could be a posture issue, rather than a core-strength issue.  Is that possible? 

I ordered the brace from Amazon.  We’ll see whether it helps.

FWIW, the core exercise that I do does not include any of the above. You really need to be shown but briefly, it involve lying on a floor, feet drawn up so that the knees are bent. The gut muscles are drawn toward the floor, then the anus is drawn toward the pelvic area, while at the same time, the muscles just inside the hip joints are drawn down. Hold all that and breathe normally, once. Repeat 10 times.
As I said, you really need to be shown.
When you get good at that, you can further strengthen your core with wading exercises.