This immobilizer works fine once you get it on, but it is bulky, difficult to adjust, and difficult to put on out of the box. The elastic type of immobilizer is better because you can usually get it on yourself and its ten times more comfortable. Presumably, you are looking at this as an upgrade from the one they gave you at the hospital and I am telling you this is a purchase you will most likely regret. It has the proper design elements to immobilize your shoulder better than a standard arm sling, but those elements are so poorly put together that you are better off without it.
Needed something better than a sling to immobilize my right shoulder. The product is cheap enough but it's a case of you get what you pay for. The product is hard to put on by the person who needs to use it especially if they have limited use of one arm. Also it is hard to adjust and so far I have not been able to get it to immobilize my shoulder any better than a regular sling can do. Also because of positioning of wrist support this can lead to wrist pain as forearm is not completely supported like a sling. I would not purchase this product again.
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I am currently wearing this product as I am writing this review. It is made in the USA, which is a plus, in my opinion. It is very lightweight but it does the job, well enough. It is padded and covered with what feels like fleece and is held together with velcro straps. I found it easy to put on and take off, however, I found the shoulder strap to be less than useless so I keep it wrapped around my waist and clipped to the hand rest instead of over my shoulder. The waistband works well enough by itself to hold my arm close to my body. I have found it useful to also use the velcro tape that holds on the hand rest to further keep the waistband from coming apart. The waistband has a tendency to stretch a bit and ride up, but it is very easy to readjust. They should probably include info on the maximum waist and arm size this will fit, as a hefty person might have a problem with it being too small, but for me it is a good fit.
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I bought this product to use after having a SLAP repair done on my left shoulder (labrum tear). The cheap large synthetic brace given to me at the hospital had caused a severe heat rash all along my forearm, so I was looking for a brace that would leave this area exposed while providing the necessary support.
The problems with this product:
1) Ridiculously complicated and impossible to put on:
Forget ever being able to put this on all by yourself. Even with another person it is damn near impossible. The picture on amazon.com does not show the complex set straps, hooks, loops, etc. that run across your back in every direction to keep this contraption on you. Most are unreachable. However, even if they were, the complexity of the entire set up definitely makes it a two man operation.
2) Very little support:
I thought the manufacturer had figured out a way to immobilize the shoulder while eliminating the necessity of an arm/elbow sleeve portion to the sling. Turns out they didn't, but just went ahead and removed that part anyway. The bicep and wrist are held down while the elbow is free to swing away from your body with the slightest movement. Granted it's a very limited movement, but this jostling is really bad if you're recovering from shoulder surgery. It puts pressure on the shoulder joint in a similar way that an Kimora (aka Americana aka figure four) armlock would. This might not make sense to people who don't wrestle but it's the only way i can find to describe it.
3) Impossible to put on over clothes:
There's a reason why the guy in the amazon product picture is wearing a skintight spandex compression shirt under his brace. The series of straps, hooks, etc. running across your body while wearing this brace make it impossible to put on over any sort of regular clothing. Even a standard t-shirt will bunch up in certain areas while being stretched in others under the pressure and movement of this brace. Think about it the primary mechanism for stabilizing the bicep is a loop around your entire torso. Good luck getting this loop not to slide around over a t-shirt while allowing enough give to maintain for normal breathing.
4) Ridiculous Looking:
I thought I didn't care how I looked while recovering from surgery. This brace taught me that there are limits. There are so many straps and parts to this thing (most are visible from behind). The complexity of this contraption gives the appearance that there is something much wronger with you than just your shoulder (think full upper body neurological issues). I don't know how to describe it. A mouth operated wheelchair would turn less heads.
I have no positives to report. For individuals dealing with a heat rash, I would recommend that you alternate with a mesh sleeve style brace and use something like gold bond medicated powder. If you insist on using the heavier surgical sling you get after surgery, put a towel or something inside it. This brace is not a realistic option.
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Two weeks ago I had a level 3 AC separation, and although I have very little pain, my doc recommended that I keep the weight off of my shoulder especially when walking around. I tried two different traditional slings, but they would always creep toward my neck and cause horrendous upper back pain. Plus, I felt really cramped like I was wearing a half straight-jacket.
This new sling is amazing! The waist belt keeps the shoulder strap away from my neck, so the pressure is like a normal backpack strap. Plus almost everything (see below) is really padded and pretty comfy. I'd say it's equally difficult to get this on as a traditional sling. I also love that I can slip my hand in the cuff when I'm walking around, and then easily slip it out when need to sign a receipt, I sit down, etc.
However, I doubt any sling is perfect, and here are the minor problems I've had with this one:
I'm 5'6'' and the shoulder strap was too long to keep my arm raised high enough. However, I was able to fix this with safety pins
After wearing this for a long time, my wrist gets a little uncomfortable. However, this is nothing compared to the back pain I had from traditional slings.
The clips that attach the shoulder straps are not padded, and sometimes poke my back a little if I wear this while sitting in a chair.
I don't really see the point of the arm band (maybe it is better for a different type of injury), and I prefer to keep my arm elevated slightly above my waist, so the arm band isn't really at the right place for me. Instead, I just velcro that part down to the waist belt and it stays out of the way.
I got this about two weeks after my injury so I'm starting to move my arm a little. A traditional sling might have been better at completely immobilizing my arm, especially since the arm band doesn't work for me.
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Super cute and works well for a boys or girls room. Goes well with our tree/leaf/branches theme. Fits well after several washes.
