Spinal brace guidance

Video transcript

0 minutes : 04 seconds
You've been fitted with a spinal brace for management of the spinal fracture. This brace should be worn anytime when you're out of bed, when you sit, whether you're sitting, standing or walking. The brace is normally worn for a period of six weeks, although your consultant may ask you to wear it for longer than this.

0:23
It's important that the brace is in the correct position on your body. The correct position is that the top part of the brace here should be around 2 fingers width below the collarbone. If you're checking this on yourself, you should reach over to the opposite side, as raising your arm will affect the position of the collarbone.

0:42
The brace has ratchet buckles here which you use to fasten the brace and unfasten it, but that should only be done when you're lying down. You'll also see the ends of the strap on the brace here protrude, and they should be protruding an equal amount on both sides. This tells you that you've got the brace nice and symmetrical.

1:05
It's a good idea to wear a T-shirt or a vest top underneath the brace as this just provides an interface between the skin and the parts of the brace. The brace can be worn for showering. We'd recommend that you do that last thing in the day when you can then remove the layer from underneath the brace and have a shower, and then the brace can be removed at night time and should be dry for the next morning.

1:34
When you're sitting down, it's important that you sit in a chair which keeps you nice and upright. Avoid any easy chairs or couches which might be inclined to make you slouch. A dining chair is often ideal, or if you don't have a suitable chair, you can add a cushion or a pillow on the chair to raise up the height.

1:56
You will need to lie down in bed in order to take your brace off and put it back on again. Your physiotherapist will have explained how to get into bed and out of bed safely. What you should do is sit on the edge of the bed and then you lie down onto your side at the same time as you're swinging your legs up. Once you're in this position, you then roll gently onto your back, making sure you keep your head, neck and spine and hips in alignment, and then you can straighten your legs.

2:30
When you come to remove the brace, you should be lying flat on your back. There's a ratchet mechanism on each side, and to remove the brace it's only necessary to open one side. You press the red button with your finger or thumb and then the grey strap can be pulled out with the other hand.

2:51
To remove the brace, you then need to roll onto your side. To do this, raise the leg on the opposite side from which you want to roll and then roll onto your side, ensuring you keep your spine straight and in alignment. The brace can then simply be lifted off and removed.

3:15
When you come to put the brace back on, it's important that you've got it the right way up with the flat section at the top. You should be lying on your side and you then want to feed the long strap in at waist level. It's probably helpful to have someone to assist you with this, although with practise you may be able to do it yourself.

3:42
The strap is fed in at the level of the waist and you can press down on the bed to slide it into place. Ensure the back panel is positioned centrally and then the front of the brace can be put into place. Once you've got the back panel in place, you can then gently roll onto your back. You should find that the front part of the brace is in roughly the correct position. You can double check that the top of the brace is about two fingers width below your collarbone, remembering to reach over to the opposite side.

4:30
Once you're happy with the position, then the grey strap can be fed in through the ratchet mechanism. You should be able to push the strap in as far as it goes and then it can be tightened using the ratchet mechanism. Be careful not to force the mechanism because otherwise it may break. You should fasten the strap until the amount of strap protruding at the front is equal on both sides.

5:05
When you get out of bed, you'll need to perform a log roll onto your side, so bend the leg up on the opposite side from which you roll and then roll carefully onto the side, making sure you keep your head, neck and spine in alignment. You can then allow your legs to drop off the bed and push yourself up using your elbows and hands, keeping your spine straight.

5:32
We hope you you found this video helpful. If you have any questions, you can contact your physiotherapist or the orthotics department at Raigmore Hospital.