Sleeping in a Boston Brace

Sleeping in the Boston brace has proven to be harder for Dancer Girl than we anticipated.

We certainly expected it to take some time to adjust, considering the brace is made of hard, inflexible material. But, so many posts from other users indicated that they got used to it fairly quickly (within days and weeks) so we thought it would go that way for us as well.

It didn't.

Dancer Girl is prone to restless sleep anyway.  Wearing the brace didn't help. Edges dug into her no matter which way she lay down.

Once she got to the point of needing to wear it at night to get in her 18 hours things didn't go well. She couldn't fall asleep, or, if she did manage to fall asleep she didn't stay that way.  After several hours of trying, the brace would come off in the middle of the night but the damage had been done.  Dancer Girl was tired.  All the time.

She had lots of pillows all over her bed, tried different positions, even stuffed small fuzzy socks under her brace... nothing was working.

At her check up we talked to the orthotist who added some extra foam in certain areas (along the back edge for example) and shaved down others a bit.  This worked somewhat, but not entirely.

The thing that seemed to finally work in the end was something we found on a forum post - after many, many searches.

THE TRICK: She started wearing it a bit loosely at night.  This allowed for some movement to find a more comfortable position.  She has gradually been tightening it and is now up to her full level and on most nights she sleeps through.

So, in the end, a bit of extra foam (at the bottom, back edge in particular), and the shaving down of some edges, combined with wearing it loosely at first is what has done the trick.  She also still uses pillows to provide some support.

But it has taken three full months.


It seems that for most girls, getting used to wearing it at night isn't all that difficult. Hopefully you are one of those cases!

But if not, try wearing it a bit loosely at first, gradually working your way up to making it at full tightness.

Also, be sure to talk to the orthotist.  They may be able to adjust the brace just a bit in order to make a difference for you at night.

Be assured that sleep will come.

Decorating the brace

Dancer Girl opted to get a plain, neutral colored Boston brace with the idea that she would decorate it herself. She didn't want anything too bright or something she would end up not liking a few months down the road.

We had heard that decorating them is tricky because of the plastic surface but it also meant that nothing was permanent so you could redecorate it over and over as your mood dictated.  This was actually a good thing for Dancer Girl.

She had two good friends over and together they tried out some ideas on plastic containers to see what might or might not work.


Decoupage: We tried this technique on the plastic container first.  It seemed to work well but then a few days later it had peeled off.  In the meantime she had tried a bit on the brace in a few small spots and it too peeled off.

This method might work best if you are committed to doing the whole brace (like this at Strength of Spirit) but since that was not the goal at this point this was not an option for us.


Markers: Markers, even Sharpies, seemed to go on faint and dull.  Dancer Girl was not happy with the results.  It also rubbed off fairly easily - too easily.  Redoing it every few weeks or months is one thing, but every couple of days was too much work.


Stickers: We worried they might not adhere to the surface of the brace, but in the end these have proven to be pretty good options.

Dancer Girl tried some that were glittery and while it looked fun, the glitter rubbed off and got onto her clothes fairly quickly.

We found some nice inspirational sayings and Bible verses and those have stuck nicely.  Again, they can come off if she wants to change them but they also are staying fast after a couple of months.




Tape: Decorative tape is all over the place these days.  Dancer Girl was nervous about trying the colorful duct tape. She thought it might work too well and then leave a sticky residue if she tried to remove it.


Instead we went for the smaller rolls.  We found that most work well, although one style didn't stick.

Tape is a great option because you can find all kinds of colors and styles.  We picked up most of ours at either Staples or Michael's craft store.



Rub-ons: We bought the rub-ons by accident actually, mistaking them for stickers! We weren't sure they would work but it turns out these are really nice options!

With some help from Little Sister to hold it in place, the rub-ons were applied and have stuck for quite a few weeks now.





In the end we have come up with a number of fun, easy ways to decorate Dancer Girl's brace.  She likes to be able to personalize it without too much effort, as well as the ability to change something if she wishes.

What to Wear Under Your Scoliosis Brace

Being comfortable in the Boston brace depends a lot on what is going on underneath it.

There are more options than we realized for what to wear under a scoliosis brace.  However, it does require some trial and error to get the fit and feel that is right for you.  Hopefully this post will be helpful to get you on the right track to comfort!

Basically anything under a scoliosis brace needs to be:
1. smooth without any wrinkles (stretchy and tight fitting)
2. free of thick seams or, even better, seam-free
3. thick enough to provide skin protection and not get ruined by the brace
4. thin enough to not be too hot 
5. long enough to run the length of the brace
6. high enough in the armpits to provide protection there
7. nice looking and/or stylish


TANK TOPS:

Option One: The doctor gave us a few Boston T tank tops which are seamless, thick and stretchy.

Pros:  - it has a flap to cover the high piece in the armpit
          - it is thick, tight-fitting, seam-free, smooth, and stretchy

Cons: - it is very thick and Dancer Girl gets hot in it
          - the armpit area is getting all stretched out of shape
          - we can only order them through the doctor or orthotist
          - the color choice is very limited (white and grey I think)
          - they are not stylish



Option Two: One of the first options we came across was a seamless tank top by Sugarlips.  They are not designed specifically for scoliosis braces but they were recommended by many girls who wear a back brace so we gave them a try. We purchased both "the original seamless tank"and the "misses sizing" or "slim fit" tank, as well as a "seamless long camisole"

Pros:  - they are SO SOFT!
          - they are seamless (and really soft)
          - they are stretchy, form-fitting, and smooth (and soft!)
          - they come in a variety of colors
          - they come in two basic youth/adult sizes and in kids sizes

          - the slim fit/misses size fits perfectly under Dancer Girl's brace
          - Sugarlips has other seamless products - camisoles, t-shirts, leggings

Cons: - they don't have the flap under the arm
          - you can't throw them in the dryer or they lose their softness
          - the tank doesn't quite come up high enough in the armpit
   
Our take:  We really like this super-soft tank and it is cheaper than specialized options (although still more than the average tank).  It doesn't quite go high enough in the armpits to provide complete protection but Dancer Girl is finding that to be "OK" as she gets used to the brace in general. We love the assortment of color and style options and again, they are really soft!


Option Three: (NOTE: Apparently these products are no longer being made. Hope has gone off to college and is no longer in her brace - congratulations Hope! I will leave the review up though in case someone comes across a used Hope's Closet item).

Another one that comes up a lot in web searches is made by Hope's Closet. Dancer Girl wasn't too sure about the style with the bold stitching but many girls would like the fun look I am sure.  In the end we did try one tank top because it claims to have fabric that reduces sweating - sort of like high performance athletic wear.


Pros: - it is a soft, silky material
          - the seams are very flat (but there are seams)
          - it is stretchy and form-fitting
          - it comes in two styles and a variety of colors
          - it comes in a few different sizes
          - the arm hole openings go up high into the armpit and have a double layer to provide protection from the brace
          - proceeds from every purchase go to the National Scoliosis Foundation

Cons: - Dancer Girl didn't end up liking the material's feel under the brace
          - she didn't think it reduced her sweating at all, or help keep her dry by wicking away moisture
          - the seams did irritate her skin a bit even with the flat-lock stitching
          - the armholes were too tight and caused serious rubbing and red marks
          - at $30 per tank it is expensive, especially when it didn't work right for us.

Our take: It is clear a lot of thought went into this product and I really wanted it to work.  In the end though, it wasn't right for us.  If we tried again we would get a bigger size and see if the arm holes work better and if the stitching didn't irritate the skin. Many girls seem to really like these though so I wouldn't rule it out if you are searching for this material, style, and look.  Maybe try a bigger size than you think you need.  If it works and lasts it would be worth the cost for reduction of discomfort.


Option Four and Five:

BraceBuddies Body Sock

I just came across this option today.  It seems like a good one, created specifically for girls wearing back braces.  They say each tank top is custom-made to fit right and ask for specific measurements.  They cost around the same as the ones from Hope's Closet ($30 or so).  If we find we need another option to try, this one will be on our list. We will blog about it if we get one and welcome comments from anyone who has tried the BraceBuddies Body Sock!


Tilly's Seamless Cami

This is another option we have heard of recently. They are not made specifically to wear with back braces but they are seamless.  They come in a variety of colors and sizes, included kids sizes.  From the photos it looks like it won't come up high enough under the arms to give much protection though, but it might be worth a try since the price is pretty good ($9).


INTIMATES:

UNDERWEAR:

We were told to have Dancer Girl wear her underwear up over the brace.

                      Yeah.      Right.

That was clearly not going to happen!

Her current underwear was not working - the seams and bands of elastic were too thick, causing red marks on her skin.

Fortunately we had just recently found some smoother fitting underwear she was wearing for dance and it turns out it works great under the brace too. So we stocked up!

She is wearing a brand called "Barely There" which we found at Kohl's. They are probably available elsewhere too. The waistbands are very thin and flat and have no seams.  The leg bands are also very minimal in thickness. The material is soft and stretchy, and they come in a variety of styles and colors. PERFECT!


BRAS AND SPORTS BRAS:

Dancer Girl prefers the sports bra style because of the softness and comfort and there is no clasp in the back.  We thought this would be an advantage for the brace - no wires or thick bands, etc.

However, some of her current ones actually had thicker bands than we realized and were incredibly uncomfortable in the brace.  The bands were also very wide so went too low and interfered with the brace all around, not just in the higher armpit area.

Yesterday we found a solution at Kohl's - a minimal sports bra style (called a "bralet") by Lily of France. The band is thin and the style is very comfortable.  They come in a two-pack in a variety of colors.

NOTE: The "Barely There" brand also makes a wireless thin band bra style called Custom Flex Fit.  Dancer Girl tried some on but preferred the Lily of France ones because they are more of a sports bra style.  I could see the Barely There ones being good though for a more traditional bra style.

Can I have a "real" hug?

The first time my daughter asked for a "real" hug it brought tears to my eyes.

When she is in her Boston brace she can't fully feel when someone gives her a hug.  She wanted a "real" brace-free hug.  I was happy to oblige.

Dancer Girl is a hugger.  Maybe that's what makes the brace hugs tough for her.  We try our best to wrap our arms around her so she still feels the hug, but it is different.  And for a hugger, that is hard to accept.

She has been doing so well with the brace - never really complaining (sure, there are moments of frustration but overall her attitude has been remarkable), not protesting when we tell her to put it on or trying to bargain extra out-of-brace time, even remembering herself to get in her hours (although most days she needs a friendly reminder) - that we forget sometimes how it continues to impact the little things for her every day.

But it is hard, it is not comfortable, it is inconvenient, it is restrictive, and it makes hugs less... huggy.

It also makes it so she can't feel if the seatbelt is on in the car - a strange sensation by her report.

She can't tell if her pants are slipping from her "waist" - that is where a belt adds some security!

She can't get at that itch that just popped up on her stomach, often resulting in fairly interesting attempts to poke pencils and sticks in there before finally giving up and taking off the brace in the bathroom to relieve the itching.

But the hardest part emotionally for her are the hugs.

I am glad she still wants hugs so am happy to give them whenever she needs it - brace-free or not.  It is nice for both of us.