Influence of Undergarments on the Comfort Level of Scoliosis Brace Wearers.

Abstract

Bracing has proven to be an effective method for the conventional treatment of scoliosis in young people. A brace, a therapeutic device, covers the upper body and promotes healing by applying pressure to specific areas. However, wearing a scoliosis brace negatively affects the user's thermo-physiological well-being and often leads to discomfort. In this study, we investigated the influence of T-shirts as an undergarment on the thermo-physiological well-being of the brace wearer. For this purpose, we performed a comparative analysis of six T-shirts made from different special knitted fabrics. We carried out wearing tests in a computer-controlled climate chamber according to a predetermined protocol. The test subject wore the orthopedic brace over the different T-shirts at three different temperatures. The results indicate that the knitted fabrics of undergarments and environmental conditions considerably impact the wearer's thermo-physiological comfort. In the tests, the T-shirts made from the selected functional fabrics performed very well. The T-shirt made from the classic cotton fabric containing elastane yarn also performed well and was the most environmentally friendly. Currently, due to its lower price and easier availability, this cotton T-shirt can be recommended for wearing under a scoliosis brace.