Paucity of Evidence Supporting Lumbar Belts and Braces – (08-03-00)

Paucity of Evidence Supporting Lumbar Belts and Braces

Too many people rely on these lumbar belts to protect them. They should be used as a reminder to always use good lifting techniques and posture.

Joint Letter 6(5):50, 2000 Enthusiasts recommend lumbar belts and back braces for both the prevention and treatment of back pain. However, two recent reviews suggest there is little high-quality evidence to support either intervention. There is no definitive evidence from scientific studies that lumbar supports can effectively prevent back pain. Mireille van Poppel, PhD, et al. performed a systematic review employing Cochrane Collaboration methodology and a qualitative meta-analysis to determine if the evidence of effectiveness (or lack thereof) is strong, moderate, limited, or conflicting.