Advices for the brace

• Always fasten the brace as tight as possible so it will be less visible and will lead to results more quickly. Keep the brace tight when you walk, run and sit, less movement will cause less discomfort

• To put the brace on, first fit it around the body while you are standing, then lie down on a bed or floor to tighten it

• After a meal, you may feel that the brace is pressing too much on the abdomen. You may loosen the brace only slightly, but do not remove it completely. When the discomfort has passed, re-tighten the brace

• When taking the brace on or off, and when moving it, never grab it at the sternal closure (see drawing, gray area)

• When you take the brace off to perform a physiotherapy session (exercises without the brace) and you put it on again immediately after finishing the exercises, consider this time as if you had the brace on, because during this time you performed movements of active self-correction, which is similar to correction obtained from the brace

• The first few days you may find the brace is uncomfortable when you sleep, you will get used to it quickly and it shouldn’t cause any sleeping problems

• If you’re wearing the brace full-time, it will be better to spend your summer holidays in the mountains where the temperature is lower than at the seaside

• If your brace has metallic bars, you can cover them with thick adhesive tape to avoid damaging clothes and bedding

• If the brace is getting too small, do not wait until you aren’t able to wear it anymore: organise the new one as soon as possible

• If the brace gets broken, immediately contact the orthotist’s shop. DO NOT GO WITHOUT WEARING THE BRACE, just a few days without the brace can cause you to lose the correction you have obtained

What you can do while wearing the brace

• The brace allows most movements and does not limit breathing. You can walk and run, travel and drive without major problems

• You can travel by plane, but realise that the brace may set off security detectors. We recommend you take your prescription with you and have an English translation. If you wear a brace prescribed by a physician of ISICO, you can ask our secretaries for this statement.

• Check if the Highway Code allows you to drive a motor vehicle (eg scooter) while wearing a brace

• You can attend normal PE school lessons, avoiding only those activities where the brace hinders you (eg high jump, somersaults …)

• If you are already performing sports activities before starting a brace therapy, it is important to continue this practice, unless otherwise stated by your doctor. It’s up to you to choose if you perform sports in the off brace hours or while wearing the brace, (in this case please avoid those sports that require a body contact)

• Remember! It’s important to perform (at home and/or at the gym) the specific exercises. Thus the brace becomes even more effective and the muscles which support the spine remain well-trained

Skin Care

• The skin must be kept healthy, especially at those points where the pressure of the brace is higher1. Take a shower every day

It’s important:

1. It is recommended to wear a seamless cotton shirt under the brace, (or turn a shirt with seams inside out) so that the brace doesn’t come into direct contact with your armpits. Especially during the summer when you sweat a lot, we suggest attaching to the underarm of the brace those thin panty liners that you can change frequently
2. Wash the shirt with a neutral soap to avoid allergy problems
3. Check your skin frequently, especially in the first days of wearing the brace
4. Apply a bit of alcohol used as cleaning agent on all parts of the body that are more in touch with the brace, especially on the parts where the skin becomes rosy due to the pressure of the brace. The alcohol makes the skin tougher and more resistant
5. Do not use creams, lotions, talcum powder etc.., since these products tend to soften the skin
6. If the skin reddens, you can use a zinc oxide-based product on the skin. If excessive redness or skin sores occur (this rarely happens) contact your physician for a checkup and possible changes to the brace