Buying Guide: How to choose the best hip belt, support & braces for all types of injuries? List 2024 (UK)

When you least expect it, an incident can occur that interrupts daily activities. The hip belts and support belts are allied to the recovery process which will be prolonged or short depending on the severity of the incident.

What these products are used for, when they are recommended, their health benefits, how they should be washed and their characteristics, are some of the knowledge that this reading will provide you with so that you can acquire what fits your needs and at the same time allow you to feel relief, reduce inflammations and more.

In what type of injuries are hip belts and braces recommended?

Before recognising when it is the right time to wear the above-mentioned garments, one must know exactly what they are:

• The hip braces are a kind of orthotic support created to control and restrict the movements of the area, giving the necessary compressions; ideal for people who have recently undergone surgery in the abdominal area.
• While the belts, are more linked to the correction of posture and relieve the pain of sciatica, pelvic and lumbar.

Below is a list of the most common hip ailments and injuries:

• Sciatica: This is a pain that runs along the entire sciatic nerve, which extends from the lower back to the lower legs. The condition can be caused by a spur in the spine or a herniated disc.
• Pelvic fractures: This is the breakage of one or more bones in the pelvis. They can be divided into smaller ones, such as a tiny tear of a fragment of the bone. There are also the stronger ones that usually happen in car accidents.
• Lesions of the sacro-iliac joints with or without inflammation: This is characterised by intense pain in the lower back. Usually its diagnosis goes unnoticed by the doctor, which unfortunately can lead to inappropriate and inadequate treatments.
• Sacroiliac joint sprain: These are located in the lower part, on both sides of the spine. It is a synovial joint and transmits the weight of the spine to the lower limbs. Their design allows them to withstand strong tensions, although if there is strong pressure on the capsule, it can cause damage to the ligaments that surround it and produce inflammation. For recovery, the body will seek to protect itself by ordering the muscles to press upwards and this will cause them to contract.
• Instability of the sacroiliac joints: When this occurs, there is low back pain or pain in the leg, which can be similar to sciatica or pain caused by a herniated lumbar disc.
• Dynamic osteopathy of the pubis (pubalgia): It usually presents intense pain that can last for weeks or even months due to the laxity of the pubic ligaments, a muscular imbalance between the abductors and the anterior rectum of the abdomen, and finally even due to a lack of mobility in the coxofemoral and sacro-iliac joints.
• Traumatic injuries of the pubic symphysis: These can be involved in fractures, which range in severity from minimally displaced caused by falls with low energy to drastic and unstable fractures that can cause massive bleeding.
• Muscle contractures: This is a continuous and involuntary action that generates tension. It produces pain during the performance of daily activities.
• Long periods of standing: When prolonged hours are spent without sitting or resting, this can lead to discomfort in the pelvic and hip area, so the use of the garment will provide compression to reduce the discomfort.
• During pregnancy: During pregnancy, the belly grows and with it the muscles surrounding the abdomen. At this time the tissues, all the muscles of the pelvic floor and even those of the abdomen are distended and weakened, for this reason both garments are recommended.
• After pregnancy: The pelvic belt is an elastic band that fits around the hips and is used in the postpartum phase against the pains common in this process, as well as for aesthetic reasons.

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What are the health benefits of sacroiliac belts for women and men?

When using a garment of this type, it is important to know what benefits it will bring to daily life so that you can be more confident in acquiring it.

We will explain some of these below:

• Pain relief: Thanks to the compression of the product, recovery becomes a less uncomfortable process, even if healing is not immediately noticed.
• Reduction of inflammation: When the pressure on the affected area begins to disinflame, which gives signs of a forthcoming recovery. Although you must keep rest until the discomfort is completely relieved, the piece allows or acts as a support for the development of daily activities.
• Improved posture: Although many people do not consider how they walk or sit, a bad position can cause great discomfort. Above all because by making it a habit, on a daily basis, a feeling of comfort is created that is actually generating injuries. In these cases the belt is ideal.
• It provides support for the muscles: The pressure exerted by the garment is undoubtedly a support in the face of contusions, which are mostly caused by poorly executed movements. A clear example, which is actually quite common, is not warming up before practising a sport or not lifting weight in the right way and which is outside the range of the body.
• Helps in post-operative recovery: Thanks to the design of the garment which constitutes softness and firmness it is usually worn after an operation.
• Protects the incisions from surgery: It works as a protector preventing them from opening again or otherwise instead of improving, the health condition would worsen. It presses and retains pain.
• Stabilizes hip joints: Increases blood flow and reduces recovery time.
• Can be worn during pregnancy: Many garments of this style are eliminated for women when they are going to have a baby. This is not a problem to worry about because they can be worn before, during and after, with multiple health benefits because they support the belly, in cases of cesarean section and also for those ladies whose figure changed in the process.
• It applies permanent heat to the affected area: This process is positive for health because it relaxes the muscles and fights pain thanks to the temperature.
• Strengthens female pelvic tissues: One benefit for women is that if there is a weakening of the muscles and tissues surrounding the female pelvis, the garment strengthens and even helps to deal with menstrual pain in a different way thanks to the strength that is progressively generated.

What features should you consider before choosing the best hip and pelvic belt?

There are different types of hip supports and pelvic belts, but it's important to choose them according to your needs, depending on your discomfort, pain or bruises. And of course, know more details like sizes, designs and prices. Here we explain you all their characteristics so you can make the right choice.

For injuries or traumatisms

These are injuries that a patient may suffer to the organ or tissues, such as sprains, dislocations or fractures. Here are the different ways to treat an injury using a pelvic belt or hip brace:

• Sciatica brace: The design is specially made for recovery from injuries in the groin, leg and hip. Pain in sciatica is usually accompanied by numbness in the leg, weakness, and tingling caused by nerve damage. It serves to accompany cold therapy and together provide relief.
• Sacroiliac belt: This type of brace resembles a belt that is worn at hip level to reduce pain in the area, lower back, legs and the pains derived from sciatica. The name comes from the sacroiliac joint, which is located below the lumbar spine and above the coccyx, connecting the sacrum to the pelvis.
• Lumbar belt: Its function is basically to relieve pressure, stress and pain. It can be worn under clothing and sweating will not be a problem thanks to its breathable material.
  Symptoms of lower back pain can include Muscular and stabbing pains, pain that radiates into the leg, which is made worse by doing basically any kind of movement.
• Orthopaedic support: They provide support and stabilise the joints, seeking to reduce pain and inflammation. It must be taken into account that if they are to be used for a large part of the day, the material must always be breathable, thus avoiding discomfort from heat, as well as friction on the skin. It helps to improve mobility and reduces tension in the muscles.

For pregnancy or postpartum

For pregnant women, there is a soft belt that raises the tummy without compressing the abdomen so as not to harm it, and also 2 side bands that adjust to the degree of pressure and adapt to the growth of the mother's tummy. It is specially made for daily use. It can be worn comfortably under clothing, eliminates tension in the lumbar area and protects the tummy from stretch marks.

The pelvic belt is perfect for wearing during or after pregnancy. During the pregnancy process, it is used to combat the problems of socroiliac pain or diastasis of the pubic symphysis.  You can also use it just after giving birth: The purpose is to stabilise the pelvic joints and help the recovery of the floor itself. Not only is it used for women who are or were pregnant, it is also used by people with incontinence, athletes and in prolapse.

With or without lumbar support

• Lumbar support: It is a tool more than a garment, because it keeps the spine in the correct position and this, at the same time, provides stability. It is an adjustable piece thanks to the Velcro, which makes it comfortable. One of its characteristics is that it reduces the compressive loads on the spine, reducing the risk of injury.
• Rigid: They also provide benefits to the posture, they have straps with self-adhesive strips to be able to adjust according to the needs of the user. It applies double dorsal compression, limits movements and allows stabilization of the pelvis in the frontal plane. It works for pelvic pain, when there are symptoms of pelvic instability, overweight (change in the centre of gravity) and if there is the presence of a loose pelvic joint.
• Preventive lumbar belts (proprioceptive): Provides pressure on the muscles that are located in the lower back so that they are better positioned, avoiding movements that could produce an injury. More than a simple belt, it is a tool because it holds, protects, provides compression, encourages perspiration and gives warmth to the area.
• Hip support: It acts as a therapeutic reinforcement for the groin, quadruple and flexor. Its main benefit is that it helps to recover the muscle. The support and compression relieve pain and lower inflammation if it is one of the symptoms present. It fits tightly to the skin but its design does not allow it to reach the point of discomfort.
• For older women: Older people are likely to be more sensitive. Their bones are weaker and they are losing strength, so both the brace and the belt will seek to be a support garment.
• Improved posture: Relieves lower back pain and sciatica due to the adjustment it provides. This will generate a good, healthy habit to avoid long-term consequences. The daily position, when the person sits or walks is not very taken into account, but as the bad habit is created the discomfort comes and can be very painful.

Size

Failure to choose the right size may aggravate the discomfort and not provide the necessary support, nor will recovery be achieved. To choose the ideal size, follow the recommendations below. For women who are pregnant and need to use the product, the measurements are different because it must be adapted to the growth of the tummy. For more accurate measurements you can take a tape measure and place it around the area (make sure you place it about 5 cm above the hips). Then proceed to measure the contour and you will get your results.

Design

The product comes in different colours and sizes, also in different materials and even most designs are unisex. As for the material in which they are manufactured, there are neoprene, which provides therapeutic heat and accelerates recovery time by reducing pain, also come with nylon or spandex.

Both the brace and the belt, could be defined as modern in design, are comfortable and supportive products that provide great health benefits. Pregnant women have an advantage here and that is the high elasticity, the extended mesh support and the ductility of the product, which is easy to put on. And the best part is that depending on the model, it can be used as a maternity support belt and an abdominal strap by turning it backwards.

Price

Although our budget should be a reason to choose our purchases, it should be noted that when we talk about material to improve health or reduce pain, it is advisable not to skimp on price and choose the best possible product taking into account the quality of materials, design and its most essential characteristics.

How to use belts and supports to relieve hip pain?

By following the instructions you should have no trouble choosing the right belt or brace. It is important to bear in mind that when measuring the garment you should feel comfortable. Beyond the discomfort, choosing the wrong size will only cause serious consequences such as a slight recovery and may even worsen the injury.

It should be easy to put on and take off without hurting the wearer. The belt is usually placed at hip level and the compression required for the person is adjusted. If the right garment is chosen, it will begin to reduce pain in the hips, lower back, legs, and sciatica. It should be noted that although orthopaedic belts generally control movement, this should not result in discomfort when wearing them.

In the case of pregnancy, first the back is placed above the sacrum, then the front is placed above the pubic area and finally when the band is placed, the straps around the waist must be adjusted on the sides. Machine washable, but do not apply strong softeners. Do not forget the maintenance because it can bring bad smells and dirt.

The benefits of braces and belts are multiple and cover all types of people, no matter if you are an older adult or in the process of having a baby. With proper use, they are garments that have no disadvantages and are also characterized by being practical thanks to their materials and designs.