It’s always a shock when I see photos of me with my horrible posture on full display—my shoulders fully rounded over, my stomach somehow pushed forward while my hips are pushed back—and I’ll wonder why anyone has ever voluntarily spoken to me in public. You might think slouching is in our DNA—Neanderthals are often pictured hunching over—but a 2019 study proved otherwise. We’re the only ones to blame.
We’re slouching in front of our desks for at least 40 hours a week and then craning our necks while on our phones the rest of the time, and it’s affecting our back health. Bad posture doesn’t just cause temporary pain and stiffness, it can cause a permanent hunch.
I decided to fix my posture once and for all, testing braces, shirts, a yoga strap, and more to figure out what works. Here are our favorites. No matter which option you go with, none of them will fix your posture overnight. Start using them 10 to 20 minutes a day, and add time as you go on (and listen to the product’s directions). If you have severe back pain, talk to your primary care provider before buying anything.
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Photograph: Upright
Best Overall
Upright GO 2
The most effective way to keep your back straight is to have someone tap you on the shoulder every time you’re hunched over. Not everyone can have that (annoying) luxury, but the Upright Go 2 (8/10 WIRED Recommends) basically does the same thing. It’s a little rectangular device you place on your back via an adhesive strip, or you can wear it as a necklace (for an extra $20).
You need to make sure the companion app knows what your slouching and upright positions are, but once it does, the device will vibrate every time you stray off the upright path, reminding you to sit up straight. It might sound like the human version of a shock collar, but even at its highest setting, the vibration still feels gentle. No jolts here. It’s expensive, but this has been the only device that managed to make me think about my posture and make me sit upright every day, even when I’m not wearing it. Plus, it’s easy to conceal.
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Photograph: Amazon
Best for Full Back Support
Somaz Posture Corrector
This simple posture corrector hooks over your shoulders like a backpack and connects over the stomach. It supports both the upper and lower back, making it much more effective at keeping you straight than a shoulder brace. If you really need help and don’t want to spend the money on the Upright Go 2, this is the brace to get.
Finding the right tightness can take some getting used to. You don’t want to be in pain, but you do need to make sure that it isn’t easy to slouch over. Like any over-shoulder brace, it was slightly uncomfortable under my arms, but wearing it over a long sleeve shirt helped.
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Photograph: Amazon
A Solid Shoulder Brace
Wyllielab Posture Corrector
Less obtrusive than our previous pick, this shoulder brace isn’t as good at keeping you upright if you’ve got a serious posture problem (talking about myself, here). But for minor slouchers, it should offer relief. It’s easy to adjust the level of tightness, and it comes with extra underarm padding, which I appreciate. It won’t be completely hidden under clothes, but a sweatshirt or jacket should hide it if that’s a concern.
