The 10 Best Posture Correctors
Editor's Notes
November 04, 2020:
If you like the idea of tracking your progress through an app or want to avoid wearing anything with straps, the Upright Go 2 is the best choice on our list. Due to its user-friendly nature, barely-there size, and long battery life, it remains at the top of our list. The Lumo Lift, our other digital option, was removed due to unavailability. Unfortunately, we were unable to find a similar smartphone alternative that deserved a spot on our list.
If you’d like something lightweight that you can conceal under a shirt, the Berlin & Daughter Brace is an excellent choice. It weighs just 3.2 ounces and lies flat against the skin. We removed the Bigzzia Adjustable Spine in favor of the newly added FY Posture, which weighs only 3.21 ounces and can be worn undetected beneath a shirt. We removed the heavy, plastic Anoopsyche Adjustable in favor of the Back Embrace Straightener, which is lighter and molds to your skin for under-garment use.
If you’ll be wearing your posture corrector at home or simply don’t care about hiding it, there are more options available to you. Bulkier models, like the XNature Support and the newly added Mercase KM63, work best when worn over your clothes. Though they are heavier than minimalist correctors, they may offer a higher degree of support.
If you suffer from back issues and you’re looking for optimal core support, you may want to choose a more substantial alternative that features a wrap-around waist band. The FlexGuard V097 and the Selbite Trainer are good choices in this category, and were added to our list for their durable mid-section and shoulder support combination. Along these lines, the NMT Lumbar Belt was removed. While it offers plenty of back support, it does not utilize any shoulder correcting features.
The TK Care Pro Ultimate Brace was removed due to complaints of discomfort and bruising around the armpits.
December 20, 2019:
Poor posture can be the cause for numerous ailments, from headaches to lower back pain to sciatica, so it is something you want to fix as soon as possible. While we can't guarantee that these posture correctors will completely solve your problems, they can definitely help. However, before using any of the selections on this list, we recommend you check with your doctor to make sure they are safe and suitable for your specific issues.
We believe the best options are connected models like the Upright Go 2 and Lumo Lift. Unlike straps and braces that actually hold your body in the correct position, and which could potentially weaken the muscles that you are trying to train if used incorrectly, these simply make you more aware of your posture, thereby making it more likely you'll stand and sit up straighter. In addition to being more discreet than straps and braces, these smart devices have a better chance of creating a lifelong habit of standing straighter. They will also track your progress over time and display that data on a smartphone app, so you can see how you are improving.
All that being said, braces and straps do have a place in improving posture if used correctly. Using one correctly often means that you only wear it long enough to train your body to understand what the right posture is, and then taking it off and focusing on keeping body in the same position. This way you will actually be strengthening your muscles, rather than weakening them.
For those who prefer something with a minimalist design, we recommend the Marakym Clavicle, XNature Support, and Bigzzia Adjustable Spine. These three simply wrap around from the back to the front of the shoulders and can easily be hidden under most clothing. However, if you prefer something that can provide a bit more pulling strength, you should opt for one that also has a stomach or sternum strap, like the Berlin & Daughter Brace and Anoopsyche Adjustable, or something like the TK Care Pro Ultimate Brace, which provides full back coverage.
Who Benefits From Posture Correctors?
Luckily, recent advancements in the understanding of the human anatomy and the importance of good posture have spread awareness about these useful tools.
Traditionally, posture correctors have been reserved for serious medical conditions. Luckily, recent advancements in the understanding of the human anatomy and the importance of good posture have spread awareness about these useful tools. Posture correctors are now widely available, and they provide important benefits for users from all health backgrounds.
Those looking to prevent or correct scoliosis are most familiar with posture correctors. Also known as posture braces, these correctors work alongside movement exercises and stretching routines to reduce any irregular curvature in the spine, training the muscles and vertebrae to remain in their correct positioning.
The benefits to posture from using the braces have caused many adaptations in posture correctors themselves. For women with large breasts that cause them back pain, posture correcting bras have been developed to keep the shoulders and the chest upright, reducing the load on their lower back. While breast reduction surgery reduces back pain in chronic cases, a posture corrector is a much more economical and preferable option for most than an invasive surgery.
Medical conditions do not have to be present to enjoy the benefits of a posture corrector. The devices are safe for use, and can help re-train the core muscles quicker than exercises and mindfulness alone.
How Important Is Correct Posture?
Wearing a posture corrector is not a fashion-forward choice by any means. It is, however, a forward thinking choice, as training the muscles for correct posture helps to keep the muscles limber and the spine as flexible as possible, avoiding the wear and tear often associated with aging.
This allows more oxygen to flow through the entire body, keeping all of the cells functioning at their best.
First and foremost, good posture is extremely important to reducing back and neck pain. As many as 31 million Americans experience back pain at any given time, meaning the need for prevention techniques is very high. Slouching in a chair, hunching forward to view a smartphone, and walking with slumped shoulders are all regular posture problems leading to back pain. Incorrect postures like these add strain to muscles and put unnecessary stress on the spine. This can drastically change the characteristics of the spine over time, leading to constricted blood vessels, pinched nerves, and problems with muscles and vertebrae. Posture correctors help to fix these issues.
Correcting the posture may also help to burn calories. The body can actually burn up to 350 calories a day by simply being upright. A posture corrector promotes both correct sitting and standing posture, yet also makes it difficult to be a couch potato, as it is uncomfortable to slouch in a chair watching television while wearing one.
Correct posture is also important to keep the abdominal muscles strong. The abdominal muscles work in tandem with the muscles in the back and shoulders. If one group is weak, chances are the other group is as well. Using a posture corrector encourages you to engage the core, thus strengthening the abdominal muscles.
Strong posture also helps open up the airways and ensure proper breathing. When the shoulders are up and back and the spine are neutral, the lungs rest as they need to, promoting deep, unencumbered breaths. This allows more oxygen to flow through the entire body, keeping all of the cells functioning at their best. The increase in oxygen levels also increases the body's energy levels without the need for caffeine or other stimulants.
A Change In Posture May Change Your Mood
In many animal species, good posture is often associated with power. Research is now concluding that people work in much the same way. Researchers found that people who were told to sit up straight and then write affirmative sentences were much more likely to believe those sentences than those who had poor posture when they wrote them. This reveals a strong psychological aspect to posture and shows that a small physical change can have enormous results in the brain.
It seems obvious; someone who is sitting upright seems to look taller, slimmer, more confident, and even more level headed.
It is common to be told that sitting up straight will make you appear more confident and look better for others. It seems obvious; someone who is sitting upright seems to look taller, slimmer, more confident, and even more level headed. But these results suggest that the posture actually affects what we think about ourselves, as well.
A change in posture may also influence depression, according to research done by Erik Peper. Peper carried out a range of experiments to test how posture affects energy level and depression in students. Aside from confirming that a correct posture positively influences the mood, his research also found that slouched posture encourages depressive thoughts about oneself. Students who rated themselves as generally more depressed reported far lower energy levels after slouched walking than those who were generally not depressed.
Another recent study found a correlation between posture and stress response. Researchers compared the effect of different seated postures on the stress reaction of individuals. The results indicated that adopting a more upright, correct posture when stressed can maintain confidence and increase feelings of positivity compared to an incorrect, slumped posture. Using a posture corrector may be an easy way to correct posture, thus building resistance to stress.