The Evolution of the Back Brace.
As anyone who is or was required to wear a back brace to treat their Scoliosis would know... they can be really annoying sometimes! Fortunately, with the advancement of technology, the back braces we use today are significantly better than the ones in the past. That being said, there is still a lot of work and innovation needed to make back braces more efficient and beneficial to the users health.
About a week ago I received a phone call from my dad about a radio segment he had heard regarding back braces and technology. After looking up the segment, I started to learn about really interesting technological advancements taking place, and I thought it'd be a great opportunity to share it with you guys!
Essentially the company Intel teamed up with another company (UNYQ), and they have created a way to monitor the effects of a back brace on the user, and how beneficial the back brace is actually being! They basically have installed a little monitor throughout the back brace, and it can monitor how long the back brace is worn, the pressure points the back brace is hitting, and how efficient the back brace is being in terms of support and decreasing or stopping further spinal curvature from occurring. They have also designed the braces to be more 'fashionable,' as well as practical for everyday, active lifestyles!
The back braces are created using a precise 3D printer, making each back brace completely personalized to the users body! They've also designed the braces to be 5mm thick, so they're almost completely undetectable under clothing - HOW COOL! According to UNYQ, there is a bluetooth application that can be downloaded to monitor progress and see how long the user is actually wearing the back brace.
New Versus Old Back Braces [Photograph]. (2016). Retrieved from https://www.dezeen.com/2016/11/04/unyq-align-fashionable-3d-printed-back-brace-replaces-current-chunky-designs/
Further technological advancements such as this one can aid in reducing the number of Scoliosis patients requiring surgery. I just thought that this was a super interesting and innovative idea that had to be shared, and hopefully it will inspire some of you to think about what tools or techniques have helped, or could help someone with Scoliosis, as on average there are around 3,000,000 new cases of Scoliosis each year in the United States. With new medicinal and technological inventions and ideas, imagine how many people's experiences with Scoliosis could be changed!
If you'd like to learn more about my personal back brace experience, feel free to read my blog post titled: 'Brace Yourselves... It's Time to Talk About Back Braces.'
ATTENTION: The next post on my blog will be May 16th, after my pre-operation appointment, and the updates thereafter will be surrounding my recovery from surgery.
Check out the full Intel article by clicking here: Intel Article
This blog is my own personal experience and journey with Scoliosis. It is not a medical blog, and if anyone has concerns about their own health, they should see a physician.