Do Posture Correctors Really Work? Here's What Experts Want You to Know

Fact checked by Nick Blackmer

• Posture correctors are devices worn under or over clothes that reposition the back to increase awareness of posture and adjust shoulders to align the spine.

• Correct posture is important because it decreases the stress on certain areas of your body that can, over time, stiffen up and decrease your ability to move outside of sitting.

• Experts recommend addressing the root issue of poor posture for the best long-term results.

Posture correctors may help ease the side effects of poor posture, experts say.

With an increase in technology-based work in the last few decades, many people spend at least some portion of their day hunched over phones, computers, or tablets.

While posture may not be at the front of your mind during these workdays, that doesn’t mean it’s not being impacted.

It’s estimated that Americans spent roughly $134 billion from 1996 to 2016 on treatments for neck and lower back pain due to poor posture. Roughly 40% of adults will experience back pain or posture issues at some point in their lives.

Maybe that’s why posture correctors have recently increased in popularity.

Posture correctors are devices worn under (or over) clothes that reposition the back to increase awareness of posture and adjust shoulders to align the spine. Many come in the form of a brace or a sports bra, but some are electronic devices, gyroscopes, or magnets that attach to the spine.

“Correct posture is important because it decreases the stress on certain areas of your body that can over time stiffen up and decrease your ability to move outside of sitting,” Lisa Mitro, DPT, told Health.

”It’s important to correct poor posture so you can continue to enjoy the things you love outside of sitting without any restrictions,” Mitro said.

However, not all posture correctors are made the same or intended for everyone.

Here’s what you need to know about the viral devices, as well as ways to improve your posture without the assistance of a posture corrector.

A Posture Corrector Can Help Adjust Minor Issues

In theory, a posture corrector can be a helpful reminder to work on your posture, Heather Ippolito, Alexander Technique teacher and Posture Coach told Health.

“There is no one size fits all for posture advice,” she explained. “A common instruction for someone to give if they are trying to help with posture is [to] pull your shoulders back. I see many clients who have been trying to do just that but nothing is getting better.”

That’s where a posture corrector can help.

When the shoulders are retracted, a posture corrector brings your neck into better alignment. This decreases the forward head position, which can cause the shoulders to round down.

This is important because now you can move your neck into a greater range of motion with more stability than if your shoulders were not retracted.

But, this doesn’t mean that these devices will solve all your poor posture problems, Ippolito clarified.

“I don’t think the correctors are dangerous,” she said, “but I don’t think they will create lasting change unless someone understands the individual patterns that created their poor posture in the first place and then works to correct those patterns in their body.”

Ultimately, a posture corrector is intended for individuals who want to correct minor posture issues, explained Mitro. She advises anyone with scoliosis or severe back pain to seek out a medical professional before wearing a posture corrector.

Related: What Is Tech Neck and How to Prevent It

Finding the Right Posture Corrector

When it comes to finding the best posture corrector, it depends on your specific support needs.

A shoulder brace is ideal for anyone looking to improve their neck alignment and stop slouching. A full back brace is better suited for someone who needs full support from the bottom of the spine to the top of the neck.

It’s important to ensure that the posture corrector is sized to your body.

If you’re wearing a physical brace, you want it to fit snugly while still allowing for mobility and movement. And if you opt for a digital corrector, make sure you have it fit specifically for your height and weight.

Ippolito also advises to look for FDA-approved posture correctors and to not wear them all day.

“If you decide to get a posture corrector, make sure it is one that fits, not too big, not too small,” she said. “Make sure you also work on your posture when you are not wearing the corrector as, ultimately, you have to build the correct muscles to sustain any long-term postural changes you want to make.”

Ways to Improve Your Posture Without a Corrector

Poor posture can cause problems beyond back pain, so it’s crucial to focus on proper posture for your overall health.

“Proper posture is important for a variety of reasons as we get older,” Ippolito explained. “It reduces back and neck pain, improves digestion, and helps with breathing capacity.”

While a posture corrector can help bring awareness to poor posture, there are other ways to help correct minor posture issues.

If you work at a desk all day and find your shoulders and head tilting forward, it might be time to reconfigure your office. Invest in an ergonomic workstation that has a stand-up desk or an office chair with strong lumbar support and a computer screen that hits directly at eye level. This can prevent neck and back pain.

“The best thing you can do when sitting is to keep changing positions,” adds Mitro. “Outside of work, it would be beneficial to strengthen your lower back, mid-back, and shoulders as well as your core.”

This includes workouts such as yoga, pilates, or barre classes.

Core exercises like planks and crunches are also good options as they target and strengthen the abdomen and hips, which can help keep and maintain an upright and tight posture.

Other ways to improve posture include standing tall, moving daily, and checking in on your posture every 30 minutes, correcting if needed.

Ippolito explained that while exercise and posture correctors are great, understanding and then addressing why your posture is poor is key to improving it and finding the right treatment option.

“So with a posture corrector, sure it may remind you to pull your shoulders back but posture is a full body experience that involves your head, neck, back, hips, all the way down to how you are standing on your feet,” Ippolito said. “A posture corrector will not address all that.”

Related: Sitting on the Floor May Help Improve Posture—Experts Recommend These 2 Positions

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