It's not recommended to guess your size and especially not from your pants size. Place any measuring tape around your body and measure where your navel is. If you border a size, we recommend you select the bigger size.

Wearing a brace is very beneficial if it is 1) worn correctly and it is 2) worn temporarily over a period of several weeks or less, and 3) if you engage in a physical therapy or exercise program simultaneously to strengthen the areas you are protecting with the brace.

Wearing a brace is not beneficial and potentially harmful to you if you 1) rely too heavily on the brace for support, 2) continue to move with poor body mechanics, 3) continue to have weakness in the areas supported by the brace, and 4) do not engage in an exercise program to allow you to wean off the use of the brace.

In conclusion, wearing a brace can be beneficial and help accelerate your recovery from an injury by protecting injured joints and soft tissue during the acute inflammatory phase of an injury. But, in order to effectively use a brace you must engage in an exercise program to improve the strength and coordination of the injured area. Wearing a brace too long will prove to have a negative impact on your function and quality of life.