Patient Instructions & Bracing FAQ's

Instructions

Please carefully follow the instructions provided with your brace. Here are some additional important points to remember:

1. As per the instructions, you must complete all 4 phases for any correction effect to become permanent.

2. The older you and/or the more severe the deformity the longer it will take and the less effective it will be.

3. Always wear over a snug fitting undershirt. Wearing directly on the skin will usually result is problematic skin irritation.

4. Do NOT overtighten your brace. Remember the correction effect is generated by constant force not by the size of the force. Overtightening and/or removing the brace for too long in Phase 2 of treatment, can result in what we call the “Rebound effect”. This is where the brace applies too much tension to the deformity and/or it is removed for too long and the deformity “springs” back to its pre-brace deformed shape each time it is removed (or sometimes even slightly worse).

How to Apply the Brace

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Pectus Brace

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Rib Flare Brace

How to Attach the Shoulder Straps

How to Apply the Brace after Shoulder Straps Attached

Overhead Method

Jacket Method

Common Brace Wearing Questions

How do I know if the brace is being worn too tight? is it pain or dark red marks?

Pain from the brace is rare but possible if the brace is worn too tight. If the brace is worn too tight, it usually results in the brace being positioned too low on the body Dark red marks are not usually a concern and implies that the brace is working correctly. however if there is a skin breakdown (rare) you must stop wearing the brace until the skin heals and then begin the program again from the beginning.

How do I know if the brace is being worn too loose ?

If too loose then the brace will be ineffective and there will be minimal redness at apex and the treatment will be ineffective. This is most likely to occur if you are using the shoulder straps.

After how long should we expect to see the prominence reduced?

Mild cases may have completely disappeared by 2 weeks, most will be 30-70% at 2 weeks and 80-100% reduced by 8-10 weeks.

When should I use the shoulder straps?

Only under these circumstances:
*Brace is tight but still falls down
*Chest appears to be over-corrected (wear straps so can wear looser)
*Brace has to be worn during physical activities
*Brace moves out of position when sleeping

I am finding it hard to sleep with the brace. What are your recommendations?

Try adding a tempurpedic topper over the mattress. This allows the back plate/pad to sink into the topper reducing the pressure from the back pad.