Do Posture Braces Actually Work?

If you’ve ever slouched at your desk and thought, “I should really do something about my posture,” chances are you’ve come across ads for posture correcting braces. These wearable devices claim to fix your posture with minimal effort—just strap one on and go about your day. But do they actually work?

Can Posture Braces Actually Fix Your Posture?

The short answer? Kind of. Posture braces can change your posture—while you’re wearing them. If you strap something to your body, it’s going to shift how your joints and bones are positioned in space. But once you take the brace off, that change usually disappears.

Why? Because the muscles that support your posture haven’t actually changed. You’ve just temporarily outsourced the job of good posture to an external device.

The Real Problem with Posture Braces

When you rely on a posture brace, your muscles stay weak. Instead of getting stronger and learning to hold your spine upright, your body starts depending on the brace. Over time, this can actually make your posture worse.

It’s like wearing a cast when nothing is broken. Sure, it keeps your body in one position, but the muscles inside atrophy because they’re not doing anything.

So unless your long-term plan involves strapping yourself into a brace every time you leave the house, you’re going to need a better solution.

The Muscles That Actually Improve Your Posture

If you want to fix your posture, you need to train the muscles that hold your bones in the right place. For most people, that means:

• The mid and upper back muscles
• The muscles in the back of your neck
• The deep neck flexors in the front of your neck

These are the muscles that help you resist the constant pull of gravity—and the modern-day slouch caused by phones, laptops, and long hours in chairs.

A Free Posture Exercise You Can Do Today

One of the best ways to start retraining your body is completely free and doesn’t require any equipment beyond a wall.

Here’s how to do a simple wall posture exercise (see video for visual demo!):

1. Stand with your feet slightly away from the wall.
2. Flatten your low back against the wall.
3. Tuck your chin and pull the back of your head toward the wall.
4. Hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds.

This trains the muscles of the mid and upper back and neck to pull backward and resist forward head posture. Just make sure you’re not looking up. Tuck the chin slightly and keep the gaze downward.

Want to Make it Harder? Add Light Weights

Once the basic wall posture hold feels easy, you can step it up with light weights.

• Lie down on bed or bench.
• Place a small plate behind your head and hold it there using your neck muscles.
• Do slow reps—dip the head slightly, then return to neutral.
• Or do isometric holds until you feel muscle fatigue.

You can also lie face up and place the weight gently on top of your head to strengthen the front of your neck. These exercises are simple but extremely effective for building real posture strength.

The Bottom Line

Posture braces might seem like an easy fix, but they won’t teach your body how to actually hold itself upright. If you want lasting results, you have to train the right muscles. And that doesn’t require anything fancy—just your body, a wall, and maybe a small weight plate.

So before you spend $50 on a goofy-looking posture brace, try a free wall exercise instead. Your body (and your wallet) will thank you.

Need More Help Fixing Your Hunchback Posture?

If your posture has gotten really slouchy and you’re ready to do something about it, check out the Hunchback Fix program. It’s a full-body program to help you build strength where you need it most—your neck, shoulders, back, and hips—so you can stand taller and move better every day.

Or try the Body Rebuilding Basics free program to get a taste of what rebuilding your posture is all about. The program will also help you break free of phone and internet addiction which is HUGE for fixing bad posture!