Neck Braces and Collars
Collars and neck braces that support and hold the neck still while it heals.
About neck braces and collars
A neck brace, also called a collar or a cervical orthosis (cervical means to do with the neck), supports the neck and holds it still. Neck braces are among the most common of all spinal braces.
You may need one after an operation on the spine in your neck, to steady the neck while it heals. Or you may need one after an injury to the neck, where it can give relief without an operation.
There are many kinds of neck brace. The sections below describe the most common ones, from soft collars to rigid braces.
Not sure which you need? Phone us on 011 782 7809 to book an assessment, and we’ll work it out with you. Read what happens at your first visit.
Soft and hard collars
A soft collar is made of flexible foam. It wraps around the neck and fastens with Velcro. It is usually worn after a firmer collar, once most of the healing is done, to help you get used to going without a brace.
A hard collar looks much the same but is made of a hard plastic (polyethylene). It can give support and ease pain for several neck problems, including cervical spondylosis (wear and tear of the spine in the neck) and sudden neck pain.
Soft foam collar
Suits: recovery after an operation, or a sprained or strained neck
A soft collar made of foam, with a soft cotton cover that is kind to the skin and easy to keep clean. A firmer panel inside helps hold your neck straight. It contains no latex.
Aspen Vista®
Suits: injuries to the neck and the top of the upper back
A brace that holds the neck and the top of the upper back as still as possible while an injury heals. It gives more control than a simple collar.
It is made to protect the skin and to stay comfortable, which makes it easier to keep wearing for as long as you need it, and helps you recover sooner.
Philadelphia collar
Suits: recovery after neck surgery, minor fractures of the neck, and strained neck muscles
A stiff foam collar in two pieces, joined at the sides with Velcro. The top supports your lower jaw, and the collar reaches down over the top of the upper back. It covers more than a soft or hard collar, so it limits movement more.
Because it holds the neck so well, it is often prescribed after surgery on the neck. It is also used to steady minor fractures of the neck and to ease pain from a strained neck muscle.
SOMI brace
Suits: severe neck injuries, long-term neck pain such as from rheumatoid arthritis, and recovery after neck surgery
A rigid brace that holds your neck straight in line with your spine and stops your head and neck moving, so the injured parts can heal faster. SOMI is short for sterno-occipital-mandibular immobiliser, named after the breastbone (sternum), the back of the head (occiput) and the lower jaw (mandible).
It has a plate on the front of the chest and bars that go over the shoulders, with straps that fasten them to the chest plate. Nothing runs down your back. The chin piece comes off, and a head piece can be added for more support.
It is used for a severe neck injury, for neck pain from a long-term condition such as rheumatoid arthritis, and to help you recover after neck surgery.
Polypad collar
Suits: neck pain and neck injuries that need the neck held steady
A collar that supports and steadies the neck anywhere from tilted slightly back to straight. It is shaped to follow the back of the head and the line of the jaw. Its plastic makes it firm, and its foam padding makes it comfortable.
Halo bracing
Suits: recovery after major neck surgery, and fractures of the neck or upper back
A halo brace is the most rigid of all neck braces. It stops the head and neck moving. It may be needed to hold the spine still after a major operation on the neck, or to steady fractures of the neck or upper back.
It is also a form of traction: it gently pulls the spine in two directions. This helps reduce the abnormal curve of the spine in some conditions, such as scoliosis.
A metal ring is fixed to your head with metal pins, and joined by four bars to a heavy vest (vests vary in weight). You wear the halo brace all the time until you have healed.
