Re: full time brace wearers

[Guest guest]

If you wear a neck brace/collar full time, the neck muscles will weaken further.

Better to improve posture, which consists of shoulders back, shoulder blades

pulled down in back so chest comes forward, middle back straight, neck straight

and head--not forward. It's BEST to see your posture before and after

improvement in a photo or in a bathroom mirror. Merely assuming good posture

does not mean you can hold it and you need to do exercises intended specifically

to improve strength in the upper back so you can hold that improved posture

throughout the day. I have found that exercises targeted for the neck muscles by

themselves are not necessary and hurt like the dickens anyway (at least for me

when my neck was at its worse). The best PT I went to said that the neck muscles

are extensions of the upper back muscles anyway and will strengthen with the

upper back and with the correct posture, which results in the head not jutting

forward or out of balance; And then the front neck muscles will strengthen

themselves and the back neck muscles will stop spasming, which causes a lot of

the pain and has weakened them, and then they can strengthen on their own too,

because as they become less painful you will be able to use them more. A

physical therapist might help if given specific directions by the doctor to

improve posture, otherwise they won't 4 times out of 5. (Based on my experience

with 5 Physical Therapists. Too bad I didn't see the 5th one first.)

I assume you only have a muscle problem and no serious nerve impingement causing

radicular pain (Pain, weakness, tingling, numbness in arms). Which in that case

you should see a neurologist.

Rochelle

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> Hi, I was just wondering if any people wear a neck brace/collar fulltime and

how you find it or troubles you have found. I often wear a collar for support

but try to limit not to wear fulltime,it does help alot with easing pain and

support. just wondering that in the future i may wear fulltime. Thank

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