If you are concerned about rounded shoulders and bad posture, the idea of getting a posture brace, which can provide additional posture support and help straighten you up, is appealing.

While a posture support brace can be a great posture improvement aid, remember that this kind of external posture support only is half of the solution. Posture braces can be a great aid in reminding your body of keeping a proper posture. However, just wearing a posture brace is rarely enough on its own. You also need to do corrective posture exercises to develop the muscles that allow your body to maintain proper posture after you’ve taken the brace off.

Shopping for a posture brace can be a daunting task. There are many different varieties of posture braces, and they serve different posture support issues. Some focus on reversing rounded shoulders, some on general posture support, and some on lumbar support. In this article we will focus on posture support braces for the shoulders and upper back. Lumbar support braces are a category of their own, which we will address in a different blog entry.

Here are eight tips for selecting the best posture support brace.

1. To begin with, know which aspect of your posture is the one you need the most help with. If it’s your shoulders, make sure the brace you are considering provides straps that effectively pull your shoulders back. If your concern is curvature of the spine, consider a brace with stiffer reinforcements along that area.

2. Many posture braces that correct shoulder slumping feature thin straps that can, over time, dig into the underarm area. Check to see that the product you are looking at features either larger straps, or some form of padding. Otherwise, consider wearing a t-shirt underneath to prevent chafing along the strap area.

3. Many braces advertise that they can be worn under clothing, but some are a little bulky (especially if you end up needing to wear a t-shirt underneath as well as over top). You can usually tell from product images and customer reviews whether or not the brace will be noticeable.

4. Some posture braces are constructed from latex. While latex provides flexibility, it is not in the least bit breathable. Choose a brace made from Lycra, spandex, or other fabrics to ensure proper ventilation.

5. Some posture braces provide more support that others. If the support is too weak, you will quickly forget about the brace and slump back into a bad posture. So look for a brace that is firm enough to keep reminding you of proper posture.

6. When purchasing a posture brace, don’t sacrifice quality for price. Remember, you are purchasing a device for your health, and you want one that will effectively improve your posture and/or back pain. A well constructed device will serve you better in the long run.

7. Adjustability is an important feature. Every body is built differently, and even specifically sized posture braces can’t offer the perfect dimensions for everyone. If you are having a hard time finding a posture brace that fits your body properly, look for one with adjustable straps.

8. Sizing on posture braces is not necessarily straightforward. Whenever it is possible, check the customer reviews to see whether it might be better to order a size larger/smaller.

For a review of some of the best posture support braces, also check out the following articles:

Posture Support: Our Top Picks for Posture Braces that Encourage Proper Posture

The Soft Form Posture Control Brace

If you’re looking to correct your posture, give yourself a pat on the back. More and more people are becoming concerned about correcting their posture, and for good reason. In the computer age, where many people slouch at their desk for hours, bad posture is becoming more and more of a problem. Getting an early start on reversing bad posture is your best bet for avoiding serious problems down the road.

Permanently improving posture is a multi-step process, which we have written about elsewhere on this website. But if you are concerned about a rounded back and shoulders, a posture support brace is a good place to start. While a posture brace won’t automatically reverse bad posture, the right posture support brace will help remind you throughout the day about proper posture.

Our Favorite Posture Corrector for Rounded Shoulders

While there are many cheap posture braces, you need to look for something that is not too flimsy. You need to find a brace that will provide enough posture support so that you don’t simply forget about it. While some posture control braces focus mainly on curved shoulders, braces that support that whole torso are better for reversing a rounded, hunched back.

If you’re concerned about rounded shoulders, this posture brace is our top pick. It wraps around your shoulders to pull the shoulders back, and the non-elastic bands are soft enough to provide a secure fit without cutting into your shoulders.

The main benefit of posture support braces for the upper back is that they remind you to correct your posture, they don’t automatically do it for you. Unfortunately, with cheap posture braces, you often run into the problem that the elastic band simply isn’t strong enough. After ten to fifteen minutes of wear, you forget that they are there and revert to your usual slump.

This posture brace offers strong elastic support and the fulcrum in the back also helps to prevent slouching. This posture support brace offers such strong support that the straps may begin chafing your shoulders slightly after 30 minutes wear. While that’s somewhat uncomfortable, it’s a good thing in our book–it forces you to remember to sit straight! Just don’t wear the strap so long that you experience any serious discomfort. Wear it a couple of times throughout the day 30-60 minutes each time, and you should see some good results. The straps can be adjusted to become increasingly firm as your posture improves.

Relatively speaking, this posture support brace is fairly pricy, as posture correctors go. However, while you can find less pricy versions with a similar design, they provide less durable support. The best price we have found is on Amazon.

Posture Corrective Brace

Posture Corrective Brace

And if your looking for a less expensive option:

Posture Perfect Support

Posture Perfect Support

For more information about the best posture support braces, also see these articles:

The Soft Form Posture Control Brace

If you are looking for a comfortable, adjustable posture brace that provides both shoulder and back support, the Soft Form Posture Control Brace is worth a look. The Soft Form Posture Control Brace features bendable aluminum stays, which run alongside the spine to prevent slouching. The stays can be shaped to fit the contours of your back and can also be removed, if desired.

Pros: This posture control brace has soft, adjustable shoulder straps that gently pull the shoulders back to their proper position and then criss-cross in the back for added lumbar support. The brace is latex-free and features a durable nylon exterior, a supportive foam interior and a comfortable cotton lining. Ventilated elastic side panels are designed to provide breathable pressure while they compress the abdominal region and support the lower back.

Cons: The belt around the waist has to be fastened pretty tightly for the brace to provide strong posture support. However, if your breathe with your diaphragm (deep abdominal breathing), your belly moves slightly in and out with each breath. When this posture brace is fastened tightly around the waist, that constriction makes it hard to breathe deeply and fully. If you’re not a belly breather and breathe more in the upper part of your chest, this might not be a problem for you–(but then again, upper chest breathing isn’t a very wholesome form of breathing, so you don’t really want to encourage it by constricting your belly.

Bottom line: The Soft Form Posture Control Brace is worth a try, but there are better options out there.

Soft Form Posture Control Brace

Soft Form Posture Control Brace