No Couch Potatos allowed here - Get off the Couch and ENJOY YOUR BACK, NECK or BACK NECK BODY BRACE

One thing that I notice is that what your health care provider gives you the back brace, neck brace or back neck body brace for is to immobilize the area for healing or pain. However there is another reason that goes along with this. That is to help you move around and enjoy life while you are healing or now that the pain is reduced. I have noticed a tendency of persons that are required to wear a back brace, neck brace or back neck body brace to just stay in the house on the couch or at the computer. They don’t want to be seen in public with their back brace, neck brace or back neck body brace. It should be the opposite. Learn to enjoy you back brace, neck brace or back neck body brace. Let your back brace, neck brace or back neck body brace be your best friend. Your brace is helping you (it should be). If it isn’t you need an immediate return to your health care provider. If you just sit around the house and wonder “how awful it looks” or “what are people thinking” or “it’s showing through my cloths” you are not going to enjoy life. Check with your doctor or health care provider and see how much activity and what activity you are allowed. This is particularly true for persons who wear a back brace, neck brace or back neck body brace twenty four hours a day with only short breaks out of the brace. The more activity you have the happier you are going to be. As you become more active, in particular going out in public with your brace, you are going to get used to wearing the brace and doing activities in your brace in public. Pretty soon you you will forget you are wearing a brace. Well, maybe not, but you won’t care anymore. You won’t care what other people think. Oh now and then someone, especially someone that you know may ask you “what’s that” or “what happened to your back or neck?” Oh, here is the best one yet, “you are wearing a body brace.” A good response might be, “yes and I see that you are wearing shoes today.” Try to resume as many as your normal activities that you enjoyed before you had your neck brace or back neck body brace with the approval of your healthcare provider. If you enjoyed swimming resume swimming as you are permitted. If you just enjoy going out with friends and family resume those activities. You may need another brace to go into the water if the brace you have would be damaged by water. Do some research on the type of brace you need. Remember you are your best advocate as to the proper brace you need to enjoy life to the fullest. You will find that there are back braces, neck braces or back neck body braces that don’t absorb much water and some that are actually made to be worn in the water. If you can, it is good to have at least two braces of the same type. If you have at least two braces of the same type every twenty for hours you should change braces and let the one that you have been wearing dry for twenty for hours. This will get rid of the moisture that accumulates in the lining of the brace between the skin and the lining of the brace. Another idea is say you are required to wear a back brace, neck brace or back neck body brace. It is a good idea to have two different brands or styles of the back brace, neck brace or back neck body brace you are wearing. This is because each back brace, neck brace or back neck body brace acts with different forces on your body, skin and mussels. If you switch braces you will get a break from those specific forces and have a bit of a rest because the brace you just put on is acting in just a slightly different way when it applies forces against your body, skin and mussels. You will be surprised. This changing of the back brace, neck brace or back neck body brace you are wearing can actually have a refreshing effect on you! This however should only be done under the strict supervision and approval of your health care provider and not be done until you check with your health care provider. Refreshing, that is correct! Get as active as you can and as active as your doctor or health care provider will allow you to be in your back brace, neck brace or back neck body brace! It will get you out of the house and a much fresher and improved look on life. You will like yourself better and so will your friends and family because they will see that you are enjoying yourself, enjoying life to the fullest and not letting your back brace, neck brace or back neck body brace you are wearing stop you from doing things. Above are pictures of normal people in every day activities wearing back braces, neck braces or back neck body braces enjoying life to the fullest!

The Long Handle Shoehorn No. 1 Tool! Required – Blurb # 2 - No. 2 Tool – Security Pole ~ !

I just wanted to mention that, Again, that if you are going to be wearing any kind of Back, Neck or Back Neck Body Brace you are going to need a Long Handle Shoehorn No. 1 Tool! As your # 1 tool! It is going to assist you so much in getting those shoes I told you not to wear on (see post below). I know there will be times whe you will have to wear those shoes that I suggested not to wear. Here is a link where you can find some Long Handle Shoehorns No. 1 Tools! www.nextag.com/long-handle-metal-shoehorn/search-html
(pictured above)

Is there No. 1 Tool! Required – well I think there is. Just try and get up off of a chair or couch while wearing a full body brace, chin to hips or a cervical brace that extends down to your waist. For that matter, try and get up off of a chair or couch with a bad back or neck with out a brace of any kind! It hurts OUCH. Here is the solution. Well, a solution = a Security Pole & Curve Grab Bar to assist you in getting up. This Security Pole & Curve Grab Bar (pictured above) is made by Standers and can be found on the Jansen Medical Website located at
www.nextag.com/long-handle-metal-shoehorn/search-html

(pictured above)

Things A Person required to wear Back or Neck Brace go through on a Daily Basis! - A Movie is worth a Million Words!

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. Well if a picture is worth a thousand words then a movie is worth a million words! Please what the movie below as a few examples of what a person required to wear a Back or Neck Brace go through on a Daily Basis!

Please any comments or inconveniences that you may have gone through. Perhaps someone has already suffered through the same experience and may even email you a solution!

The Long Handle Shoehorn! No. 1 Tool! Required! or Self Tying Shoes? Flip Flops & Crocks - NO SOCKS!

Whether you are required to wear a LSO (lower back brace), TLSO (full lower, mid and upper back brace) or CTLSO (full chin to hips back brace) there is one problem that you are just not going to get around. Thai is tying your shoes. This is an almost imposable task with any kind of back or neck brace. When you plan how you are going to put on your shoes, plan ahead and plan carefully so that you do not injure yourself trying. This is particularly true if you live alone. One real good suggestion is to get real friendly with your neighbors so that they will be able to come and assist you with this. Not only is putting your shoes on, tying your shoes is almost impossible; be warned! It really does not matter what king of shoes you are putting on, you are going to have the same difficulty with all shoes; I know. There is one exception, flip flops (pictured above). However flip flops go fine with shorts or jeans but flip flops do not go to well with a suit and tie. I have even just worn my flip flops almost all the time and to places like church just to avoid getting into a real shoe and tying it. Another exception is a slip on of any kind; however with most slip on shoes you are going to need a long handled shoe horn. There is one extremely good suggestion if you are dressing casually. This is the shoe known as Crocks (pictured above). These Crocks are great if you are in a back or neck brace. You just slip your feet into them and off you go. With Crocks (as with flip flops) you don’t even have to wonder and figure out how in the world you are going to get your socks on. Yes socks, that is a whole other major problem with a back or neck brace. My advice is to just go without socks if you can get away with it. It’s just not worth the hassle in trying to get the socks on. If you do have to wear socks for goodness sake have someone assist you so that you do not injure yourself trying to get them on. If you must wear socks make sure that the socks are put on before your brace and pants. That’s correct, every health care provider should be require to prescribe, every orthotic provider should be required to include and every orthotic practitioner should be required to dispenses a long handled shoe horn along with any kind of back brace or neck brace.

The NO. 1 TOOL for any kind of BACK BACE, NECK BRACE or BACK NECK BODY BRACE is a LONG HANDLED SHOEHORN! – Do not be without a LONG HANDLED SHOEHORN, a pair of FLIP FLOPS and a pair of CROCKS!

If anyone else has had the same experience with putting on socks, putting on shoes and tying them please leave some comments. This is a very important issue and matter to the community of people who wear back or neck braces! We want to hear from you on how to solve this problem!

There is one other solution. For this other solution please see the self tying shoe video below; but remember, you still have to get those shoes on. Also after you watch the video below you tell me. How practical are self tying shoes?

-=-=-=-=- Self Tying Shoes! -=-=-=-=- * Revealed! * - Click here for more blooper videos

Invitation to Participate in the discussion, forum and comminity

I INVITE ANY AND ALL WHO HAVE BEEN IN A SIMILAR SITUATION OF HAVING TO WEAR A NECK OR BACK BRACE OR FOR THAT MATTER ANY KIND OF BRACE OR CAST THAT ALTERS WHAT YOU DO ON A DAILY BASIS AND ALSO THOSE WHO ARE WONDERING WHAT IT IS LIKE TO EXPERIANCE THIS -

PLEASE SUBMIT A COMMENT OR MESSAGE AND JOIN IN THE DISCUSSION.

Stuck in a TLSO Clamshell Back Brace? Here Are a Few Tips

The thoracolumbosacral orthosis (Clamshell) brace, better known as a TLSO, is a hard plastic shell going from one's collarbone to hips. It is used in lieu of surgery for back injuries, as well as to treat scoliosis in adolescents. Here are a few tips for anyone finding themselves with a new TLSO Clamshell Back Brace.

Do not, I repeat, do not think that it doesn't matter if your shirt underneath is baggy. If you do not follow your health providers advice and buy some very tight, thin t-shirts but rather go ahead and use what you have, after about an hour you will be left wriggling around, wishing for knitting needles as the fabric will chaf beneath your shell. It is a huge pain to put the brace on and off, so save yourself the irritation and effort and chip in for a few new appropriate undershirts.

Tape the Velcro down. Yet another annoying step to life in a brace, but it will avoid trapping every pilly piece of fluff that comes your way. Additionally, it will make you look a little more normal if you wear a shirt or sweater over the brace- otherwise it looks as if you have tentacles bursting to get out.

Be sure to warn friends and family without whining. No one wants to hear your woes after the first week of recovery, but it isn't fair to then laugh when they whack their head/wrist/chest against your plastic exterior.

Wear loose fitting pants. Anything tight or constricting will not only pinch your skin where it meets with the brace, it will cut off circulation to your thighs.

MOST OF ALL
Find humor in your situation. Let's face it, if you're in a brace you could have fared much worse from being in a wheelchair to being bedridden. So laugh at your creaking, strange bruises, and new, rectangular torso because I'm sure a ton of people in the world would gladly trade places with you! Go ahead and laugh and enjoy it the best you can. You might as well enjoy the situation. You got the brace and the brace is on you!

What To Look For In An Orthotic Professional

Many people understand and exercise their right to choose their doctor. You have the same rights when you need an Orthotist (for orthopedic braces) or a Prosthetist (artificial limbs). To help you make good decisions, here are few things to consider and some recommendations from the field.

The Role of an O&P Practitioner -

Whether you are in need of orthotics or prosthetics, having an experienced, knowledgeable practitioner will make the critical difference in your rehabilitation success - and progress. Your Orthotist or Prosthetist will be responsible for the overall fit and function of your orthotic or prosthetic device. This makes your practitioner a key member of the rehabilitation team who should work closely with your surgeon, physician and others in the care team.

Choosing a Practitioner: Qualifications & Credentials -
There are two critical considerations: (1) the practitioner's knowledge and experience; and (2) your comfort with the practitioner.

When considering a practitioner's credentials, look for:

completed formal education, structured residency program, and clinical experience
passage of a series of written and clinical examinations; and
completion of ongoing continuing education courses.

Practitioners meeting these requirements generally are Certified Orthotists (CO) or Certified Prosthetist (CP) through the American Board of Certification for Orthotics and Prosthetics (ABC). You should always verify the certification, as this is an indication of qualifications. As a CO or CP, practitioners are bound to standards of ethics, making them accountable to their patient/client, the physician and the profession.

Test your comfort:

tour the facility, meet the staff and talk with the practitioner
discuss possible treatment options and get a sense of how he/she will approach your situation.

While some practitioners work in hospitals, health care or rehab centers, many are affiliated with independent O&P facilities. Picking the right facility is just as important as picking the right practitioner. Some items to consider:

Is the facility accredited? ABC operates a stringent accreditation program that lets you know the facility meets strict quality guidelines. `
How convenient is the facility? While this might not be a final factor, do consider that a good treatment plan will often include multiple visits, and consider the proximity and office hours.

MY BRACE JOURNEY BEGINS

Below I mentioned that I may discuss how the pain developed and led to my first back brace. Well actually it was not a brace. That depends on your opinion and standards. The pain kept getting worse and got to the point that it would radiate down into my buttocks and legs. Well I went to the Doc (Doctor) however I like to call them Docs. I am not so sure that they have the perfect answer when it comes to using a brace to treat certain types of back pain. I think it is important to do my own research and then go in and tell the Doc what it is that I think I need. Guess what, most of the time they agree. Well I went in and explained that I needed some kind of brace (support) to take away the pain I have described. The Doc gave me a prescription. I was not sure what it was for. He said to make sure not to wear it all the time so my mussels would not get weak. He suggested that I go (and I did) to what I refer to one of the McDonalds type of orthotic places. The reason I say that is that they take you in and if you are not getting a made to order (expensive) item, they slap it on you and shove you out the door with out listening to what it is that you really need or are looking for. They just look at the prescription, charge your insurance almost $100.00 for about a $35.00 item (for which you end up with a co-pay) (if you have insurance) and out the door you go totally unsatisfied. So the first back brace that I received was a “corset.” A skimpy thing, that is made from canvas and straps. This is pictured above in two views. I never was satisfied with this corset thing. I never gave me the support that I needed and no one seemed to want to hear that. Anyhow I had that for quite some time. I finally decided that I definitely needed something else but I was not sure what. I noticed that when my back was hyperextend that the pain would be relieved. I went and saw a Doctor who was a friend of mine and guess what. This doctor actually said where is your pain and then said (notice I said doctor) what is it that you think you need and would assist you. I explained that I wanted something that would hyperextend my back and that I could use as a temporary measure while I was sitting at work or driving. That is when I seemed to have the most pain at that time. This doctor gave me a prescription for a TLSO. Finely, I was going to get some support and something that I thought would assist me. Again, guess what? The doctor wrote on the prescription “TLSO Jewett Brace” he was listening to what I felt I needed and was going to try to assist. Off I went to the Orchardist with my TLSO Jewett Brace prescription in hand. I was for sure not going back to that same orthotics provider. I rummaged and rummaged through the telephone book to find a small orthotic provider where I would be considered something more than an ICD Code for billing and not going to get any attention if they did not think I needed a large ticket item. I did a little research on the Internet. This was just a little while after the innovation of “search engines” on the Internet. It was Pre-Google, if anyone can remember that. Well I searched and found what appeared to be a smaller orthotics company. Off I went to this smaller orthotics company with my TLSO Jewett Brace in hand. Again, guess what? This time I found an orthotic provider that listened to me for the first time. I don’t say this because he agreed with me but rather he really listened and understood that I needed some kind of more support than just the corset. He actually took the time to talk to me and ask me what he thought that I thought would assist me. We settled on the TLSO Jewett Brace (pictured above). At that time I was looking for something to use while I was sitting at work or driving a car and could be put on and taken off easily. At that time I was not really concerned much about cosmetics or what it looked like. I did not think that I would be wearing it for long periods of time or need to wear the brace in public that much. The Jewett TLSO is really a nice brace and offers quite a bit of versatility. It even fits under suits. However it does set off metal detectors. I will talk about the Jewett TLSO brace later in another segment. Just to perk your interest I will say that if you use a Jewett brace, you can’t own just one. Remember Lay’s potato chips? You can’t just eat one! You are going to want more than one for parts and versatility in what they can accomplish for you. I used that Jewett TLSO for quite some time. Even though I was getting support for my back the pain continued to worsen over time. I ended up using the Jewett TLSO more than I thought that I ever would. It really was and is a very good brace for me. However in the summer with shorts and a T- shirt, the Jewett TLSO brace is really quite a piece of body jewelry, especially from the front. Oh my goodness the looks at the mall that I would get. You think no one had seen such a brace in their life before. Eventually I got to wanting something that would give me the same kind of support but that I could wear under my clothes. Hence my voyage begins through the world of the orthotic brace world. The first deviation in this voyage was the grey plastic corset (LSO) brace that you see pictured above. The way I got this is interesting. I kept going back and back to that smaller orthotic company that I mentioned above with the orthotic provider that really listened to me. Well eventually I think he got tired of listening to me (a person can only take so much – no matter how patient and nice they are) and had me try on this grey corset chair back type thing. This was to give me something that I could get under my clothes and which would give me more support that the corset. When I went to ask how it was to be paid for the orthotic provider told me, don’t worry, it’s free, we have a lot of them. That person no longer works for that company. I wonder why. I no longer use that brace as I was later told it was putting my back in the opposite position that I wanted it to. Did I say that I got that brace for free form an orthotics company? Do they give braces to heavily insured patients for free? Hmmmmmmmmm. Some time later I was told that I should have never been given the corset either. That the corset was doing more damage than good and that the field of orthotics was steering away from corsets. There will be more discussion about that and cervical braces later, because they gave me another corset several years later. That one, I cannot figure out at all! Well it’s getting late and this post must be getting a little booooooooooring????? At some point I will get into how my back problems worsened from commuting and sitting and how I graduated and journeyed from brace to brace including a CTLSO. I sure love those Jewett braces. Let’s talk further about that. My first fitting in a Jewett TLSO brace was really rather interesting. Did I say cervical braces? I suppose I did. How does that fit in? Tune in later!