An abdominal binder is a wide compression belt that encircles your abdomen. It is often used to support the abdomen and promote healing after various medical procedures. While abdominal binders can offer several benefits, it's crucial to understand both their advantages and potential risks to ensure safe and effective use.
What is an Abdominal Binder?
Abdominal binders come in many sizes and widths. Most are made from elastic and have Velcro or hook and loop closures. Some abdominal binders offer secondary lumbar support, while others have straps that hold surgical drainage tubes in place.
Common Uses of Abdominal Binders
Abdominal binders are frequently used in the following situations:
- After a caesarean section
- Following bariatric surgery
- After an exploratory laparotomy
- Following a hysterectomy
- After a tummy tuck
- After spinal surgery
In people with spinal cord injury, a carefully-positioned abdominal binder may be used to help support the abdomen, maintain abdominal pressure, and improve respiratory function. According to a 2010 study, an abdominal binder should be the first line of defense for people who experience a severe drop in blood pressure upon standing. This is a symptom known as orthostatic intolerance (OI). Research showed that applying compression to the abdomens of people with OI helped prevent blood pooling. Wearing an abdominal binder also increased standing systolic blood pressure by 11 mmHG and diastolic blood pressure by 6 mmHG.
Benefits of Abdominal Binders
There's not a lot of scientific evidence on the benefits of abdominal binders. Wearing an abdominal binder may decrease post-operative pain. It may also decrease psychological distress following your procedure. They also may promote deep breathing. After surgery, an abdominal binder is thought to support your surgical incision, relieve pain, get you moving more, and reduce swelling. A 2014 systematic review found that abdominal binders may decrease early post-operative pain and reduce psychological distress. There’s some evidence abdominal binders may also promote coughing and deep breathing after surgery, and improve overall mobility. More research is needed to prove abdominal binders definitively help prevent fluid build-up (seroma) after abdominal surgery or improve overall physical function.
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Post-Hysterectomy Support
Using an abdominal binder after a hysterectomy may help hold your abdominal muscles together to relieve pain, increase circulation at your surgical site to promote healing and decrease swelling, make physical activity more comfortable, and strengthen abdominal muscles.
Support for Orthostatic Intolerance
If you have OI, an abdominal binder may be a fast and effective alternative to prescription drugs. Many prescription drugs used to treat OI may cause negative side effects. To put these results into perspective, gravity suits worn by fighter pilots to prevent fainting during extreme flying conditions have a similar effect on blood pressure.
Core Support and Postpartum Use
Some people wear an abdominal binder to help support their core during daily activities and heavy lifting. Women may use an abdominal binder after vaginal childbirth to help shrink the uterus and lose weight. However, there’s no scientific evidence that binding your belly gets you back into your pre-pregnancy jeans faster.
Post Cesarean Section Study
This prospective randomized controlled study was conducted between September 1, 2017 and January 31, 2018 at Bakirkoy Dr. Sadi Konuk Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. A total of 89 women undergoing elective cesarean were randomized to the study (binder, n=45) or control (no binder, n=44) groups. Patients in the study group were fitted with a binder before leaving the operating room. The study found that the binder group (BG) walked longer than the control group during the 6-minute walking distance test. At the first mobilization time (postoperative 8th h), the BG (99.4±27.3 m) covered significantly more distance than the control group (81.0±22.2 m) (p=0.001) in the walking distance test. At postoperative 24th h, the McGill pain score in the BG was significantly lower than that in the control group (p=0.004).
In the early stages of the postpartum period, when pain cannot be managed effectively, patients worry about injuries to the surgical site [3]. One of the most promising non-pharmacological interventions is postoperative abdominal binder usage. The binder is hypothesized to improve postoperative pulmonary function by limiting the movement of abdominal wall muscles [5]. In particular, it might speed up the return of the uterus and the other organs to their pre-pregnancy positions by compressing the abdomen, and it might help tissue repair by increasing blood flow [6]. The benefits of abdominal binder use for reducing pain and improving mobility after major abdominal surgeries are well-established in the literature [7, 8].
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Proper Usage
You may wake up from anesthesia after abdominal surgery wearing an abdominal binder. Depending on the type of surgery you have, an abdominal binder may be worn for up to six weeks or for the full the duration of your recovery. As you heal, your doctor may let you wear the binder less.
Choosing the Right Size
You can also purchase abdominal binders at most drugstores or medical supply stores. When choosing an abdominal binder, it’s important to get the right size. To determine your size, measure the widest part of your body the binder will cover. For women, the widest part is usually the hips. For men, it’s usually the waist.
How to Wear
Wrap the abdominal binder around your abdomen, under your clothes, with the closures in the front. Make sure the binder is snug, but not too tight. You should be able to breathe comfortably.
Hygiene
Keep the abdominal binder clean and dry. If it gets wet or dirty, it may irritate your skin or increase your risk of infection. Most abdominal binders may be spot-cleaned and air dried. Follow the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions.
Risks and Considerations
Wearing an abdominal binder is generally well-tolerated. Some people find it uncomfortable and hot. Although it’s meant to ease pain, compression around a surgical site may actually increase pain. Compression around a surgical site may cause some discomfort. You may also find breathing to be uncomfortable. These garments may cause skin irritation.
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Potential Discomfort and Skin Irritation
It may also make breathing uncomfortable, although there’s no evidence that using an abdominal binder causes or worsens breathing problems. Compression garments may cause an allergic reaction, itching, rash, and other skin irritations. To reduce your risk, use an abdominal binder that fits properly and is made of hypoallergenic fabric.
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) Concerns
There’s some debate about whether or not abdominal binders increase the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). DVT occurs when a blood clot develops in at least one of the deep veins in your body. One 2007 study showed that abdominal binders increase intra-abdominal pressure. This may be associated with the development of DVT. Because abdominal surgery alone increases DVT risk, this leads some to question if using an abdominal binder after abdominal surgery is a good idea. On the other hand, a major DVT risk factor is immobility after surgery. So, in theory, abdominal binders may actually decrease DVT risk because they may help increase mobility after surgery.
Postpartum Specific Risks
While belly wraps have benefits, they might also have risks. These can include:
- Pain
- Too much pressure
- Pelvic floor prolapse
- Itchiness or rash
Most of these risks happen because of wearing the wrong kind of belly wrap or wearing it too tightly. Postpartum belly wraps are meant to provide support to your recovering body. Wearing it too tight can do more damage than good.
Not a Waist Trainer
Belly wraps aren’t waist trainers. Some people claim that a waist trainer can help you lose weight after pregnancy. There is no evidence of this, and a postpartum belly wrap isn’t a waist trainer. Waist trainers are usually made of hard material that doesn’t allow your body to move and shift very well. This kind of pressure on your waist can cause damage and other risks, including:
- Difficulty breathing
- Organ damage
- Acid reflux
- Heartburn
- Nausea
- Fainting
- Varicose veins
- Digestion problems
Types of Belly Wraps
There are many types of belly wraps, but not all of them are the best type to use after you have a baby.
Elastic wraps. The best kind of postpartum wrap is made of soft, elastic fabric. It should be flexible enough that you can breathe easily and move and shift. It should be long enough to comfortably wrap around your hips and your abdomen. You can buy an elastic wrap, or you can use a long piece of cloth.
Support belt. Adjustable support belts may be helpful for your hips and back to support good posture and sore muscles. Both good posture and hip support can help strengthen your pelvic floor.
Shapewear. Some shapewear companies make compression garments for pregnancy and postpartum. These are elastic but tight enough to compress. Choose your style carefully, though. Some full body suits or high-waisted underwear styles aren’t practical for wearing and changing sanitary pads during your postpartum period. Shapewear might also be too tight.
Additional Considerations for Postpartum Use
Wearing a belly wrap in the postpartum stage isn’t for everyone. While they can lower pain from surgery and support your recovering body, there are some things you should think about. Wrap up. The best way to wear a postpartum belly wrap is to use an elastic wrap and start at the hips and wrap up. Wrapping the wrong way can cause downward pressure on your pelvic floor and can cause prolapse. Give yourself a break. Wearing a belly wrap all day is not a good idea. If you wear a wrap for too long, your abdominal muscles can weaken and cause more problems. Tight clothing should be worn in moderation. Don’t use trainers, corsets, or cinchers.
How to Use an Abdominal Binder Correctly After Childbirth
Here are some recommendations to use a postpartum abdominal binder effectively and safely:
- For vaginal delivery: Wait about 20 days to allow lochia (postpartum discharge) to completely clear before using the binder.
- For cesarean delivery: To avoid pain at the incision site, wait 1-2 months or until the wound is fully healed before starting.
- Avoid wearing the binder for extended hours continuously, especially during sleep at night.
- Gradually increase the time you wear the binder to allow your body to adapt. For example: 1 hour/day after 20 days postpartum; 2 hours/day after 3 months; and 4-6 hours/day after 6 months.
- Combine binder use with exercise and a balanced diet to accelerate fat loss.
- Choose a high-quality postpartum binder and wear it properly for the best results.
- Stop wearing the binder if you feel uncomfortable.
- Always clean the binder regularly to prevent infections or skin irritation.