"It's really comfortable to wear at work outside here in the Georgia heat. And feels like it's working."
"I purchased the back brace for my job. I work in a welding automotive shop. I am humping steel all day long. This brace is great! I am 55 and my old bones need all the help they can get."
"My husband uses these ice packs every night at work. They are great for his back and the perfect size... We have also purchased the Old Bones back braces in the past, and they are also great."
Lower Back Support and Recovery
Lower backs take the strain of lifting, bending and standing on hard floors all shift, plus years of slams for anyone who skates or rides. Sometimes it's a long day catching up with you, sometimes an old injury that flares when you overdo it. We make two pieces for that, built to work together.
How to Choose
For support while you work, the Back Brace. Our back brace with an ice pack pocket firms up your lower back with two elastic tension straps and plastic support stays, and it's slim enough to wear under a work shirt, scrubs or a uniform. A pouch in the back panel sits over the lower back, from the lumbar spine down to the sacrum, and holds one gel pack.
For cold or heat, the OG Gel Ice Pack. The OG Gel Ice Pack is a reusable gel pack that stays flexible when frozen and warms in the microwave in 15-second bursts. It's sized for the brace's pouch, and it works on its own anywhere you want ice or heat.
Together, the brace turns the pack into a hands-free ice pack belt: freeze the pack, slide it into the pouch and get on with your day. Cold tends to suit a fresh flare-up, and heat suits stiffness that's been hanging around. For more fit and sizing detail, see our guide to back braces, and for strap-on cold and heat for other joints, see ice and heat wraps.
Who Wears Them
Warehouse crews, welders, mechanics, barbers and nurses wear the brace through the shift. Skaters, dirt bike riders and lifters wear it for sessions that load the lower back. Plenty of our reviewers wear it while dealing with sciatica or a herniated disc, as one part of their recovery routine. If your back aches after long days on hard floors, some people add insoles too: see insoles for back pain.
Sizing
Measure around your waist at your navel, not by pants size. S/M fits 27 to 34 inches, L/XL fits 34 to 43, and XXL fits 43 to 50. Right on 34 or 43? Both sizes fit: size down for firmer support, or up for a looser feel. The gel pack is one size.
When to See a Provider
See a provider if back pain follows a fall or accident, keeps getting worse, wakes you at night, or comes with numbness, tingling or weakness in a leg. Trouble controlling your bladder or bowels, or numbness around the groin, needs care right away. A brace supports you through the day; it isn't a fix for a serious injury.
Took a slam? See our hip and tailbone pads, or start at shop by body part.
FAQs
Can I ice my back while wearing the brace?
Yes. The pouch in the back panel takes one OG Gel Ice Pack, so the brace holds the cold where you need it while you move around. Keep each session to 15 to 20 minutes with fabric between the pack and your skin, and swap in a second pack from the freezer if you want another round later.
Brace or gel pack: which one do I need?
The brace is for support while you lift, sit or work a shift. The gel pack is for short cold or heat sessions. Together, the brace becomes a hands-free way to use the pack. If back pain follows a fall, keeps getting worse or comes with numbness or weakness in a leg, see a healthcare provider first.
Back brace or insoles for back pain from standing all day?
They work on different ends of the problem. The Back Brace supports your lower back directly while you work. Insoles change what you stand on, with arch support and cushioning under every step on a hard floor. Plenty of people on long shifts wear both.
Can I wear the Back Brace for skating or riding?
Yes. It's slim and stays put under a shirt, so skaters, dirt bike riders and lifters wear it for sessions that load the lower back. Save the gel pack for afterward, when you can sit still for 15 to 20 minutes.
Can I use the gel pack for heat?
Yes. Warm it in the microwave in 15-second bursts until it's comfortably warm, then slide it into the brace's pouch or use it on its own. The same pack does cold from the freezer.