Posture braces help bring your shoulders back, correcting bad posture and easing back pain. They should be used for a few hours while going about your daily routine, but never to bed. While they are great at relieving pressure from strained back muscles, most posture braces don't help strengthen them, which is why you need to complement them with regular exercise. Some designs step up and help in this area by doubling as an elastic fitness accessory. This way, you can stretch your tonic and phasic muscles before putting the brace on and retraining your body to stand up straight.