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AlignMed Posture Shirt Review
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AlignMed is a lifestyle technology brand created by experienced physicians and sports scientists. Their products are collectively known as “NeuroBands” – exoskeletal garments that blend a mixture of bands, panels, and seams.
The idea behind the AlignMed products is to offer “wearable therapy” to the public that can help retrain muscles and improve muscle tone. They are aimed at providing a positive effect on posture and to help reduce pain.
Each posture corrector that AlignMed designs and develops is done so by a group of 25 medical and sports professionals. This group of experts is known as the AlignMed Medical Advisory Panel or AMAP for short.
So, what is it that AlignMed has to offer that is better than the competition? Putting aside the design of each product by people that know what they’re talking about, there have been several scientific studies into the use of AlignMed products.
Examples include articles and research from the Kerlan Jobe Sports Medicine Institute in California and the Steadman Philippon Research Institute Vail in Colorado. The company’s products are even held in high esteem by elite football, basketball, and baseball players, not to mention organizations such as the USGA (United States Golf Association).
Established in 2006 and founded by Bill Schultz, AlignMed is now considered a leading innovator in the evidence-based apparel sector. Based in Santa Ana, California, and with a modest 50 employees, the company claims that more than 150,000 individuals are using their wearable therapy products, and over 1,400 medical experts have experienced AlignMed’s posture correctors for themselves.
The company’s founder, Bill Shultz, set up AlignMed after coming up with the concept of evidence-based apparel. Unlike other brands that manufacture and sell conventional braces, Shultz wanted to offer his customers wearable therapy. He originally came up with the concept of evidence-based apparel after trying to solve a problem of his own.
From his 30s, Shultz started to develop back pain that got progressively worse until he reached the age of 45, where doctors told him he would need spinal surgery to fuse a disc in his back.
Convinced that surgery wasn’t the only answer, Shultz set about looking for viable alternatives. It wasn’t until he met a chiropractor that developed a wearable therapy device that he saw the potential of such technology. After wearing the device, a solution originally intended for people recovering from shoulder surgery, his pain had almost gone away completely!
As a result, Shultz later bought the patent for the device from the chiropractor and decided to start developing a range of wearable therapy. To further confirm the advantages of such technology, he heavily invested in research and development to prove its effectiveness.
Thanks to his determination to develop an innovative solution, Shultz has made AlignMed into one of the country’s biggest innovators in the evidence-based apparel industry.
Aside from posture shirts, the other products that AlignMed offers include insoles, pullovers, pants, sports bras for women, and prescription-only upper garments such as the S3 and Spinal Q.
About the AlignMed Posture Shirt
So, what is it about the AlignMed Posture Shirt that sets it apart from its competitors?
A cursory look at the AlignMed Posture Shirt gives you the impression that it’s just like a regular compression shirt. The only difference is that there’s a higher price to pay! But, when you delve deeper into the technology behind this product, it becomes apparent that there is a distinct advantage over competing shirts.
Let’s start with the construction of the AlignMed Posture Shirt. It’s made from a mix of 83% polyester and 17% spandex. That might not sound particularly innovative to you. However, what makes this shirt different from the rest is how it is constructed.
First of all, it incorporates a patented posture correction system – the NeuroBands technology.
AlignMed states that this tension panel activates and stimulates individual muscle groups and joints. The controlled resistance enables your muscles to contract so that they can increase strength, and it mimics athletic taping (“Kinesio”).
Secondly, the AlignMed Posture Shirt features a unique “muscle map” design where the NeuroBands are selected inserted into various points of the shirt. The idea of doing that is to target areas that provide support and stability.
And, thirdly, it’s around four inches on average longer than other competing posture shirts. According to AlignMed, this allows for enhanced posture support and correction and enables people of all heights to benefit from wearing the shirt.
Now that you know the science behind the AlignMed Posture Shirt, how exactly does it work in normal real-life settings? The problem with many of these types of products is that they make bold claims but few seldom live up to expectations.
The good news is that the AlignMed Posture Shirt does what it says. More on that in a moment when I discuss my own experiences with it but let me explain how it’s meant to work and who should be wearing it.
The AlignMed Posture Shirt works by stimulating your muscles into good posture. Conventional alternative products such as back bands and belts only work as clavicle support and take over the role of the muscles in your back. What’s unique about the AlignMed Posture Shirt is that it allows those muscles to function normally. All it does is enable you into better posture when you normally wouldn’t be sitting or standing up straight.
What the AlignMed Posture Shirt also does is stimulate your muscles by lengthening, enabling your back, shoulders, and neck to align themselves correctly. Eventually, the idea is that you will remember the best posture for your body so that you don’t need to rely on the shirt all the time.
Is the AlignMed Posture Shirt aimed at anyone in particular? The simple answer is “not really”! It’s designed to be effective for anyone suffering from back pain due to bad posture.
So, it doesn’t matter whether you are a professional athlete, truck driver, or you have a desk job where you sit in front of a computer all day. If you get frequent back pain, and you believe it’s due to your bad posture, the AlignMed Posture Shirt is a product aimed at people like you.
The AlignMed Posture Shirt is a product that can be worn by both men and women. It’s available in a selection of colors (white, black, and white and gray). Plus, you can also get a zipper version of the shirt, ideal if you’re recovering from surgery or an injury, for example.
When it comes to sizing, AlignMed caters for a broad range of body sizes. Here is the sizing chart for men:
- Small: 32 to 36-inch chest, weight of 150-155 lbs;
- Medium: 36 to 40-inch chest, weight of 155-180 lbs;
- Large: 40 to 44-inch chest, weight of 180-215 lbs;
- X-Large: 44 to 48-inch chest, weight of 215-240 lbs;
- 2X Large: 48-inch chest or higher, weight of 240 lbs or higher.
For women, the sizing chart is as follows:
- Small: 28 to 31-inch chest, weight of 90-105 lbs;
- Medium: 31 to 34-inch chest, weight of 105-125 lbs;
- Large: 34 to 37-inch chest, weight of 125-150 lbs;
- X-Large: 37 to 40-inch chest, weight of 150-175 lbs;
- 2X Large: 40-inch chest or higher, weight of 175 lbs or higher.
If you are between two sizes, AlignMed recommends that you select the smaller of the two. That’s because the Posture Shirt must be closely-fitting to your body or a “snug fit.”
Get 10% off Alignmed Shirt
My experience with wearing the AlignMed Shirt
When I was first looking into this product, I was debating whether I should opt for the X-Large or 2X Large size. In the end, I decided that the X-Large size was best for my 6-foot 3-inch height (I weigh 230 lbs, in case you wondered).
Anyway, considering this AlignMed Posture Shirt is supposed to be a snug fit, I was a little worried that it would feel too tight on me, given that my size is closer to 2X Large. I placed an order direct with AlignMed, so far so good, I thought.
The shirt arrived at my home quick quickly, and when I looked up where AlignMed is based, I thought to myself that I probably could have driven over there in person to buy one – d’oh! Never mind.
I was quite excited to give the AlignMed Posture Shirt a try. Unfortunately, my suspicions about the size being too tight for me were correct! When I tried to put it on, I couldn’t even pull the shirt over my shoulders.
I decided to package it back up and found the exchange details on the AlignMed website so that I could swap it out for the larger 2X Large size. The exchange process was relatively effortless, and I had no hassle at all from AlignMed. I highly rate their top customer service.
So, having exchanged the AlignMed Posture Shirt for the larger size, I tried the replacement on with some trepidation. I breathed a sigh of relief when I put it on and found that it fit.
Yes, the shirt was still tight – but that’s the whole point of wearing it. You aren’t paying for a loose-fitting garment. The good news is that it wasn’t so tight that my body would rip it up; it just felt like it was wrapping me up, so to speak.
After I tried the AlignMed Posture Shirt on and put my other clothes back on, I asked my wife to keep an eye out for my posture. To be honest, I need not have bothered because I started noticing the difference myself. In fact, the first time I sat correctly was when I was sitting down at dinner.
My body felt like it was automatically sitting up straight and with correct posture. Even my wife commented on how I was sitting up straighter than usual and had better posture. Although I know the science behind this shirt, it feels a little magical to me in that I could instantly notice the benefits of wearing it.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say that you’ll notice drastic changes; after all, this product doesn’t claim to do miracles on your back. But, it gives you gentle reminders of how and when to sit up better and have improved posture.
What I like about the AlignMed Posture Shirt is that it’s not uncomfortable to wear like say a support brace, for example. It just feels like a regular – albeit tight – t-shirt that you’re wearing underneath your shirt or jacket, etc.
If you have terrible posture or suffer from scoliosis, I don’t think that it will instantly give you a new and better functioning back. But, what the AlignMed Posture Shirt does do is offer light posture help.
How to wash the AlignMed Posture Shirt
The company recommends that you machine wash it in cold water and hang it out to dry. It’s also important to avoid washing it with anything abrasive, such as garments with Velcro or zippers.
Pros:
- The most comfortable posture support I ever tested;
- Easy to wear and care for;
- The shirt comes in a variety of sizes, colors, and even a zippered version.
Cons:
- It’s a premium product, and, as such, comes at a premium price;
- Will only provide light posture support.
Summary
To get 10% off your purchase of the Alignmed, use discount code PCBDEAL on checkout. If you want a comfortable product to wear that offers light posture support, the AlignMed Posture Shirt is for you. It’s a garment you can wear on a daily basis, and it WILL help with any back soreness and offers slight posture correction.
Plus, if you’re not entirely happy that it’s working for you, it’s possible to return it for a full refund.
Alignmed Posture Shirt
Effectiveness
Comfort Level
Ease of Use
Price
Company Reputation
About the Author Michelle Davis
I plan on testing every posture corrector you can buy including braces, posture solutions at a computer, posture chairs, and smart posture devices. I blog about the products here. Drop me a line anytime for questions and I'll try to help!
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