RiptGear Posture Corrector

I was getting concerned about the slouchy hump at the top of my spine and this brace has made a noticeable difference in a very short time, even though it doesn't seem like it would have any affect on straightening your neck from sticking out too far forward, like a goose. I typically only wear it for about 30-40 minutes a day. Usually on my drive in to work. It's only uncomfortable when you try to slouch, so it really does train you to correct your posture. I've also gained a lot of shoulder mobility, which is pleasant surprise. My shoulders have been frozen reaching in a backward direction for years, despite stretching with a physical therapy shoulder pulley every day. My only complaint is that given my lack of mobility, especially in the beginning, the velco straps were nearly impossible to reach. I am 5' 2" - 190 lbs and have pretty broad shoulders and it seems like this brace may be too small for anyone who is much larger, taller, or a combination of both. The velcro irritated my shoulders until I figured out that it was sticking too close to the outer edge of the strap (towards your arms). Be sure to stick it closer to your chest on the inner edge of the strap and it won't rub.

I'm 5'11 and have a fairly broad chest. The straps are so short and so hard to grab that it makes putting it on by yourself completely impossible. The thicker part of the posture corrector also rests right in the middle of your armpit making it very uncomfortable. I genuinely tried to like this and make it work but it just proved to be far to frustrating. If you have similar dimensions to mine this is not the posture corrector for you.

I've used this about 6 or 7 times and when its on right, it does the job. But the velcro sticking to itself and the straps tangling and adjusting the backstrap up or down is frustrating. Not good for customer satisfaction. I think longer straps would help a lot, but that could be a problem in public under a shirt. However, they could give that option or design a detatchable strap extension. And the people they use to model it are young, slim, and athletic. How realistic is that.! That's not their customer base. I'm 85 years old, 6 feet and 190 pounds. If they'd create a clear, detailed video tutorial it would pay them huge profits with positive reviews. ONE DAY LATER AND I'M EDITING THIS.... I added extensions to both straps and its so much better! As I said above, it does the job once its on right. I poked two tiny holes near the end of each strap and ran a thin, strong, plastic covered wire through to make a loop about 8 inches long. Problem solved! I still maintain that moving your hand up under and behind its own armpit and then pulling up and away from your body is a pretzel yoga dexterity move that begs for a better design.

The posture corrector definitely moves your shoulders back into alignment and holds them there. It is as comfortable as can be expected. I found it straightforward and easy to put on. I believe I'd be able to use it even if I weren't as flexible. The instructions were scant, so for those of you who had problems - Before putting it on, lengthen/shorten the vertical backstrap to approximately the length of your shoulder blades. I used a visual estimate by looking in the mirror. Make the arm hole straps as large as possible, and leave the velcro loosely stuck closed so you don't have to try to weave it into its holster behind your back. Put it on like a jacket with the bottom closer to the small of your back so it's easier to reach around. Behind your back while watching in the mirror, undo both velcro straps and pull them forward so you're holding the straps in front of you. Attach them with the velcro on your front. They should be symmetrical. If one strap is longer, pull the other one until they are the same length. At this point you can adjust it so the back vertical strap is in the correct position. If it is too long/short in the back strap, at this point, take it off and adjust the middle part and start again. If you cannot reach to the small of your back, this might not be the product for you. Severe alignment or mobility issues will probably take medical or physical therapy intervention. I am not a doctor, so my recommendation is to find a professional. For those who say it is painful - correcting posture is uncomfortable business. I have found a difference between discomfort and pain. When I first started using it, I could only wear it about 15 minutes before feeling pain. I could also only attach it at my armpits. After about a week, I could wear it tighter (even more upright posture) but still only in 15 minute increments. Now I can wear it for about an hour nice and tight. I've even worn it out under a jacket to run errands and hardly noticed it until over an hour, at which point I took it off and put it in my purse. Correcting my shoulder slump has highlighted another aspect of my poor posture - my anterior pelvic tilt. I have been using a website called posture direct . com to try to correct that. I have found using the exercises from posture direct in conjunction with my RiptGear posture corrector has been the most helpful. After a month of regular use, I am finding myself aware of slumping my shoulders and tilting my pelvis, and slowly but surely, my back pain is starting to reduce. I removed a star for 2 reasons. 1) I have not found this to be wearable under clothes for myself. As a woman, my clothing is both too form fitting and too low on the shoulders to hide the upper part of the straps. 2) While soft, it is not super comfortable next to the skin. Since this is literally holding your shoulders into place, it does rub where your natural posture is pressing against it. I could see someone who wears undershirts and higher necked clothing like collared business clothes being able to wear this under their outerwear.

I have tried many posture corrector and this one is by far my favorite. Its more comfortable and previous corrector and is discreet under shirts. I have been using it for a few weeks and usually wear it when I get home and work at my desk (wear for about 2-3 hours). In the beginning my back was crazy sore because I have terrible posture, but I have defiantly seen a difference in my posture, mostly because I am much more likely to notice when my posture is bad. It is great for starting good posture habits outside the brace and you can feel the difference when you aren't wearing it. I am horrible at remembering to keep my shoulders back, but since I have been using the brace I notice my posture constantly and have gotten into the habit of correcting it. I love this brace and believe it is huge help for correcting and maintaining posture in the future.