An Inconspicuous Brace That Will Correct Posture To Relieve Sciatica
School Name
The Center for Advanced Technical Studies
Grade Level
12th Grade
Presentation Topic
Engineering
Presentation Type
Non-Mentored
Abstract
Sciatica is a set of symptoms that arise when the sciatic nerve is compressed or inflamed which causes pain, numbness or tingling and muscle soreness and stiffness in the affected leg of the compressed sciatic nerve. It usually occurs in older adults between 25 and 50. Sciatica is mainly caused by a herniated lumbar disc, which can often be traced back to incorrect posture. People don’t always take note of the way they sit, and posture is commonly overlooked. And while braces and other interventions created to correct posture exist, they are extremely bulky and far too visible for comfort. Creating an inconspicuous product that will correct ones posture without the user having to make a conscious effort to do so will greatly help to relieve sciatica and help to solve the problem at the source as well as make their problem less obvious to others. An unobtrusive innovation would be the creation of a Tank-Brace, a slim, but firm back brace that is embedded into a tank top. The initial designs feature a back brace component lined with slim nylon webbing for support, spacer mesh for padding, and spandex for comfort and elasticity. The brace will be secured by conjoining elastic straps with thin velcro attachments on each end for adjustability. The user will be able to adjust and fasten the velcro straps under the tank top by way of slits on either side of the front of the tank top, similar to a front pocket on a hoodie. After designs are sketched and appropriate materials are gathered, the adjustable prototype will be created and tested on 6 different people of varying body types who have, or have experienced, sciatica. They will rank the Tank-Brace on a scale of 1-10, on the effectiveness of the brace. It is expected that comfort level and particularly efficacy level will reach a level of 9 or above, and that the brace will not be extremely obvious on the user.
Recommended Citation
Abrams, Chandler, "An Inconspicuous Brace That Will Correct Posture To Relieve Sciatica" (2015). South Carolina Junior Academy of Science. 150.
https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/scjas/2015/all/150
Start Date
4-11-2015 9:30 AM
End Date
4-11-2015 9:45 AM
An Inconspicuous Brace That Will Correct Posture To Relieve Sciatica
Sciatica is a set of symptoms that arise when the sciatic nerve is compressed or inflamed which causes pain, numbness or tingling and muscle soreness and stiffness in the affected leg of the compressed sciatic nerve. It usually occurs in older adults between 25 and 50. Sciatica is mainly caused by a herniated lumbar disc, which can often be traced back to incorrect posture. People don’t always take note of the way they sit, and posture is commonly overlooked. And while braces and other interventions created to correct posture exist, they are extremely bulky and far too visible for comfort. Creating an inconspicuous product that will correct ones posture without the user having to make a conscious effort to do so will greatly help to relieve sciatica and help to solve the problem at the source as well as make their problem less obvious to others. An unobtrusive innovation would be the creation of a Tank-Brace, a slim, but firm back brace that is embedded into a tank top. The initial designs feature a back brace component lined with slim nylon webbing for support, spacer mesh for padding, and spandex for comfort and elasticity. The brace will be secured by conjoining elastic straps with thin velcro attachments on each end for adjustability. The user will be able to adjust and fasten the velcro straps under the tank top by way of slits on either side of the front of the tank top, similar to a front pocket on a hoodie. After designs are sketched and appropriate materials are gathered, the adjustable prototype will be created and tested on 6 different people of varying body types who have, or have experienced, sciatica. They will rank the Tank-Brace on a scale of 1-10, on the effectiveness of the brace. It is expected that comfort level and particularly efficacy level will reach a level of 9 or above, and that the brace will not be extremely obvious on the user.
