Okay i play college football and fractured my vertibrae. The trainer told me that it wasn't serious so i played the rest of the season in tremendous pain. In the winter i hurt my back more by squating while lifting. I couldn't walk for two weeks cause of the pain. Factured vertibrae. Disk deterioration/ buldging disk against the nerve with a piece of vertibrae mixed in there. After a few cortizone shots i'm back now. After rehabing and strenghting my core i feel better than i have in the last few years. <BR> <BR>My question is do the lumbar supports in life jackets actually work? I mean can u tell a difference at all. I would feel so much safer and confident if i had one. <BR> <BR>Any particular one's you guys recommend. I'm a bigger dude at 225 so an XL or XXL that is USCG approved is prefered. <BR> <BR>Thoughts comments anything cause i can't find any information on these jackets. Sorry for the lenght

Jet Pilot Cell Block and Jet Pilot Murray have it, but i don't know if it helps.

BTW, try posting this in the wakeboarding discussion section. You'll get more posts.

like 2 years ago Oneill made one I think, I don't believe they still do, but ebay got to have some

I have a Cell Block. I didn't know it has lumbar support... If you were to ask me if i could tell a difference in support between it and my old cheapie vest, i would say no. Definately more comfy and form fitting, but I don't think I would go as far as saying trememdous support.

Alright thanks Roddyrod because i was really considering that vest. But not if you really didn't know. <BR> <BR>Kind of looking at the hyperlite 3DS to but i think it just has lower straps with help with lumbar support. But i guess it really won't help at all.

Also tipcurl has a vest with a strap on the inside that i think is supposed to help with back support. Unfortunately it's a comp vest. I'm not sure if it will help support your back, but it may be a good idea to try one on at a shop near you. <BR> <BR><a href="http://www.perfski.com/index.cfm?cart_action=item_info&amp;item_guid=2aaa e463-b0f2-4495-ae05-bb29bc007172&amp;category_guid=3FE8235F-65BF-D230-497F-87B99ECD8AD3" target="_blank">http://www.perfski.com/index.cfm?cart_action=item_info&amp;item_guid=2aaa e463-b0f2-4495-ae05-bb29bc007172&amp;category_guid=3FE8235F-65BF-D230-497F-87B99ECD8AD3</a>

I bought a vest with lumbar once and it did not do a thing for me. Only thing you can do it strengthen your core muscles.