This $50 posture corrector from 'Shark Tank' might seem gimmicky - but it actually eliminated my back pain at work
The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.
- The BetterBack (as seen on "Shark Tank") is a $49.99 posture corrector that has completely eliminated any back pain I usually experience while sitting at a desk.
- I have two slipped discs in my spine and suffer from chronic back pain. I've tried plenty of treatments and products, but this is the only one that has worked.
- If you have any sort of back pain or posture problems from sitting at a desk all day, this product is actually worth your money.
Take it from someone with two slipped discs in her spine - sitting at a desk all day is no walk in the park. In fact, sometimes my back is in so much pain that an actual walk in the park is no walk in the park, either.
According to the American Chiropractic Association, half of all working Americans experience some form of back pain - including the youngest rung of the workforce. That means the "aching backs" we used to hear about from our parents now often apply to us, too.
This is often a result of the poor posture that desk jobs cause us to develop. I know for a fact that I'm not the only 26-year-old with bad posture, but there aren't quite as many people my age who also suffer from severe and chronic back pain.
In addition to things like stretch, yoga, chiropractic treatment, physical therapy, and massage, I've tried a ton of different ergonomic chairs, quite a few back rests, seat cushions, balance balls, etc. to combat the constant stress on my back that's caused by my slipped discs and generally terrible posture. After dumping way too much money into treatments that didn't help much, I found one thing that has worked for me - a $59 product you might have seen on "Shark Tank" by the name of the BetterBack.
The BetterBack isn't particularly pretty, and yes, its name is a little gimmicky, but it is extremely effective at reducing back pain. It looks almost like a harness, with a soft pad that sits behind your back and a connected set of straps that are placed over your knees as you sit. It uses the tension from the straps to correct your posture and relieve pressure from improper spinal alignment, effectively eliminating discomfort.
This is going to sound really dramatic, but hear me out: The Better Back has had a drastic impact on my quality of life at work.
After attempting so many ineffective and expensive treatments and testing out so many products to help my back, I honestly never thought that I'd be able to feel "normal" again, or that I'd ever experience what it was like to have zero pain in my spine. But the first time I tried the Better Back, it completely eliminated the buzzing discomfort I was so (frustratingly) accustomed to, which was usually at its worst when sitting at my desk.
When I try to describe to people the sense of physical relief it gave me, I pretty much come up short of words. And for a writer and someone who generally just talks too much, that's an extremely rare occurrence for me. I'm talking like, angels singing in a choir from above, children throwing flowers at your feet, suddenly a whole new person type of pain relief - I hope that gives you somewhat of an idea.
The company suggests that you use the Better Back for about 15-30 minutes a day to help correct posture and re-train your body's sitting position - but I just tend to keep mine on all day. Plus, because it folds up neatly into a built-in zippered pouch, it can also be easily transported for use at home or on airplanes.
You don't need to have a diagnosed spinal injury for the BetterBack to help out your discomfort. It wasn't necessarily invented to help severe spinal problems - it just happened to make an extra significant difference for me because of the intensity and persistence of my pain. But if it helped me as much as it did, I can only imagine how helpful it would be to others who experience general discomfort from misaligned posture.
If you suffer from back pain, particularly as a result of sitting at your desk all day, I cannot recommend the BetterBack enough.