The 10 Best Hernia Belts
Updated by · How we research
Many groin belts size by hip, not waist. Sizing, pads and straps are compared across 10 inguinal and umbilical hernia belts; Everyday Medical Inguinal leads. When users buy our independently chosen editorial choices, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
See a doctor before buying a hernia belt, which holds a hernia in only while worn and doesn't repair one. A truss is an elastic band with a pad that presses on the hernia from outside, easing the bulge and ache while you wait for surgery or recover from it. Groin belts fit inguinal hernias; umbilical belts are wide bands sized around the belly.
From the manual
- To move the pad to the other side, you turn the whole belt around; there's no separate left or right version to order. product page
- Its two sizes are listed by hip circumference; between sizes, the maker says to pick the larger one. size options, FAQ
Why the Everyday Medical Inguinal is our top pick
The deciding difference is that one belt covers either side. Our pick's pad goes on the left or right, and you switch by turning the belt around,1 while our runner-up, the Uriel Meditex Inguinal, is sold as a right-side 59R, with the left-side 59L and double 59D as separate belts.4 If you aren't sure which side your doctor named, or a bulge later shows up on the other side, the same belt still fits.
Fit and pad are close calls. Our pick's two sizes are listed by hip range, from 34 to 55 inches,1 and its maker says to size up when you fall between them.3 The runner-up's five sizes span about 31 to 54 inches.4 Our pick presses with a firm silicone pad,1 which its maker describes as 2 inches thick,2 while the runner-up uses a pressure pad wrapped in soft fabric.4
The runner-up has real strengths. It comes from an Israeli maker with more than 50 years in orthopedic supports,5 it is built to be minimal under clothes, and its maker says you can bathe and swim in it.4 It goes on over underwear rather than bare skin.4 Choose it when you know the side and want the least bulk.
| Everyday Medical Inguinal | Uriel Meditex Inguinal (59R) | |
|---|---|---|
| Side | Left or right, turn the belt | Right only; 59L, 59D sold apart |
| Sizes | 2, hips 34-55 in | 5, about 31-54 in |
| Pad | Firm silicone, about 2 in | Fabric-wrapped pressure pad |
| In water | Not stated | Bathing and swimming OK |
Sources
From the manual
- Wear it over underwear, not on bare skin, and put it on lying down when you can; standing also works. user manual, steps 3-4
- The thin hip strap passes between the legs and fastens at the back on the sewn hook patch. user manual, step 4C
- Uriel says the belt can be worn while bathing and swimming. user manual, step 5
- Five sizes fit about 31 to 54 inches around the waist, where the belt fastens; the chart is also printed on the packaging. size chart
Compare the specs
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
| Product | Hernia site | Pads included | Sizes (count) | Body fit (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Everyday Medical Inguinal | Groin, left or right | 1 firm silicone | 2 | Hips 34-55 |
| 2. Uriel Meditex Inguinal | Groin, right only | 1 fabric-wrapped | 5 | Waist 31-54 |
| 3. Tenbon Bilateral | — | — | — | — |
| 4. Abdomencare Inguinal | Groin, left or right | 2, low and high profile | 2 | — |
| 5. Ortonyx Umbilical | Navel | 1 silicone core | 2 | Widest part 28-49 |
| 6. Underworks Brace 948 | Groin, left, right or both | 2, removable | 7 | Waist 28-56 |
| 7. Velpeau Bilateral | Groin, one side or both | 2, firm and soft | 4 in black | — |
| 8. Everyday Medical Plus Size | Navel and belly | 1 firm silicone | 3 | Belly 40-70 |
| 9. Abdomencare Umbilical | Navel or scar | 2, silicone and foam | 3 | Belly from 27 |
| 10. OTC 2955 Select Series | Navel | 1 foam | 6 | Belly 25-48 |
Values come from each maker's own product page and size chart. Body fit is measured where each maker says: hips for the Everyday Medical groin belt, the waist for the Uriel and the Underworks, and around the belly for navel belts. Tenbon has no maker site, and Velpeau and Abdomencare give no groin-belt size range in their page text, so those cells are blank.
Sources
- Everyday Medical Inguinal & Groin Hernia Support Truss Plus Size Umbilical Hernia Belt
- Uriel 59R right-side inguinal belt
- Abdomencare Inguinal hernia belt, black Umbilical belt, Comfort Daily Support
- Ortonyx HB5241 Slim umbilical belt
- Underworks 948 compression support brace
- Velpeau Inguinal belt, double pads
- OTC 2955 Select Series hernia support
From the manual
- Measure around the hips, not the waist; the size chart is in the listing's images. product page
- The adjustable groin loop can be taken off if it rubs or feels uncomfortable. product page
From the manual
- The pad attaches only at the belt's center, so it can't be shifted sideways toward a hernia off the navel. FAQ
- Size by body circumference where the belt sits; the belt's own unstretched length is not the fit range. Specifications
- Fasten it in front and rotate it until the pad sits at the navel, or fasten it at the back; don't overtighten. How to Use
- Hand wash in cool water with mild soap and air dry away from heat; no ironing. Use and Care
From the manual
- It sizes by a snug waist measurement just above the hip bone, not by hips like many groin belts. Measure Your Waist
- Leg-strap length sets at a hook-and-eye at the back of the waist; Underworks sells strap extenders for larger legs. How to Wear
- Machine wash cold on a gentle cycle, then tumble dry low or lay flat; no bleach or iron. How to Care
From the manual
- For the toilet, loosen or move the lower straps, then re-center the pads over the hernia. FAQ
- Velpeau says most people take it off to sleep; wear it overnight only if your doctor says so. FAQ
- Remove the pads, hand wash in cool or lukewarm water, air dry, and refit the pads only once the belt is dry. FAQ
From the manual
- Put it on lying down, with the oval pad over the navel, then pull the loop side snug and lay the hook side over it. Application Instructions
- Measure around the fullest part of the belly; the chart runs extra-small through 2X-large. size chart
- OTC lists it for use after some hernia repairs to help prevent a recurrence. product page
Editor's Notes
November 4, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Editors:
We read the makers' fitting and care directions for nine of the 10 picks, added a spec table, a section on why the Everyday Medical Inguinal leads and a hernia surgeon's advice on putting a truss on. We corrected the Velpeau colors and pads, noted that the Underworks 948 sizes by waist, and fixed our October note, which called the Cabea Baby Belly Band an infant belt; it is a pregnancy band.
October 18, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Editors:
We took off the Meditex Infant, a navel belt for babies. Pediatric guidance says strapping doesn't make an infant's umbilical hernia go away, and most close on their own, so we'd rather not sell parents one. The Cabea Baby Belly Band, a pregnancy support band rather than an infant belt, also came off. The FlexaMed 10-Inch is no longer available, and the Wonder Care Double Truss and Curad Lightweight were down to their last few units, with close alternatives in better supply. The Ortonyx Inguinal Double is gone too, because it contains latex and its owner feedback has slipped.
The Everyday Medical Inguinal is now first for its wide size range and long record. The Uriel Meditex Inguinal, the Underworks Brace 948 and the OTC 2955 Select Series stay. New picks cover double hernias, umbilical and plus-size belts, and swappable pads, including the Tenbon Bilateral and the Ortonyx Umbilical.
We found no independent tests of hernia belts. Our sources were makers' size charts and listings, guidance from surgeons and hospitals, owner feedback and recall checks. A belt only holds a hernia in while you wear it. It doesn't repair one, so see a doctor first.
Earlier notes
November 13, 2020, by Brett Dvoretz:
There is no question about it. Hernias are uncomfortable, and often downright painful. So the last thing you need is a hernia belt that causes further discomfort due to a poor design. With that in mind, we looked for models that are padded enough to provide gentle compression, are breathable, and which allow you to go about your normal activities without feeling like your movement is overly restricted. Before picking any of the options on this list though, you should consult with a doctor to see if your issue is serious enough to require immediate medical assistance, and if the option you are considering is suitable for your needs.
Ideally, a good hernia belt should provide the right amount of support with the least amount of material. Because of this, we are big fans of the Uriel Meditex Inguinal and Ortonyx Inguinal Double, both of which have very streamlined designs. Not only does this allow them to be imperceptible under most clothing, but it also means they won't make you feel warm or cause any excess sweating. However, if these don't provide enough support for you, or you are worried they may move around a bit during periods of intense activity, you may want to consider the Underworks Brace 948, Wonder Care Double Truss, and Everyday Medical Guard Inguinal Truss. All of these have a much wider waist strap, so the chances of them moving are slim, and big pads that are suitable for large hernias.
If you have an umbilical hernia, none of the above models will work. Instead, you need the OTC 2955 Select Series or FlexaMed 10-Inch, both of which wrap tightly around the mid-section. The former offers more freedom of movement but has a smaller pad, whereas the latter covers a larger area but can cause people to feel restricted in the activities they can perform.
Quite possibly the most versatile option on our list, the Cabea Baby Belly Band is useful for much more than just hernias. It can also help to relieve pain caused by vulvar varicosities of the vulva or perineum, pelvic floor discomforts, and aid in postpartum recovery.
You may think that if you already have a hernia, it may be too late to make lifestyle changes that could help, but this is untrue. Not only does exercising and maintaining a healthy weight go a long way towards preventing hernias in the first place, but they can also help stop them from getting worse. So, it may be time to consider getting a home treadmill or elliptical to shed those excess pounds. [2026 update: if you already have a hernia, ask your doctor which exercise is safe for you first; Cleveland Clinic notes that a provider may advise changes to avoid straining it.]
August 16, 2019, by Brett Dvoretz:
The most important thing when choosing a hernia belt is getting the right one for your specific type of hernia. If you are an adult with an umbilical hernia, you should look to the OTC 2955 Select Series or FlexaMed 10-Inch. The OTC 2955 Select Series stays in place better as you go about your daily activities and features a stiff bar that stops it from rolling up or down when you sit. Unfortunately, some may find the Velcro chafes their skin, so it is best worn over a shirt. On the other hand, the FlexaMed 10-Inch does tend to roll up when sitting and it may shift slightly if you move around a lot during the day, but most will find it causes no skin irritation. Plus, it has a larger compression pad, offering slightly more support. The Meditex Infant is another model designed for umbilical hernias, but it was specially engineered for babies and provides them with ideal mix of compression and comfort. [2026 update: MedlinePlus says taping or strapping a baby's umbilical hernia won't make it go away, and most heal on their own, so this list no longer includes a belt for infants.]
For those suffering from an inguinal hernia should consider the Uriel Meditex Inguinal, Ortonyx Inguinal, Underworks Support Brace, Wonder Care Double Truss, BeFit24 Adaptable, and Curad Lightweight. Of these, the Underworks Support Brace, Wonder Care Double Truss, BeFit24 Adaptable, and Curad Lightweight offer the most versatility. They have removable pads that allow you to provide yourself with unilateral or bilateral compression depending on your needs. While we like the Ortonyx Inguinal enough to give it our number two spot because of its streamlined designed that many users will find more comfortable throughout the day, its pads are not removable, meaning it will always provide bilateral compression. The Uriel Meditex Inguinal also claimed a high spot on our list because of its minimalistic construction, but it too doesn't feature removable pads. However, it is available in a left, right, or bilateral model, so you can simply purchase the one you need.
Though all of the items on this list can provide relief from hernia pain, the best option is to do everything to prevent experiencing one in the first place. This means maintaining a healthy body weight and exercising regularly either in your home gym or at your neighborhood fitness facility.
Special Honors
HPH Hernia Support Garments HPH Corporation, based in Cape Coral, Florida, sells hernia support underwear made in Germany, for people who find belts bulky. The line includes men's briefs, a women's hernia brief, a mini-belt, an umbilical belt and a men's swim brief that the maker says resists salt water and chlorine. Each garment has inner pockets for the company's disc cushions, with one included, and the groin pieces can cover the left, right or both sides. They cost several times what a typical belt does. herniabrief.com
Inguinal Or Umbilical: Match The Belt To The Hernia
Umbilical belts are sized around the fullest part of the abdomen, where the belt will sit.
Start with a diagnosis, because the two main kinds of belt are built for different spots. An inguinal hernia bulges in the groin, and an inguinal belt, or truss, uses a waist band, one or two groin straps and a pad that sits over the bulge. An umbilical hernia bulges at or near the navel, and an umbilical belt is a wide elastic band with a round pad at the center. Incisional, epigastric and ventral hernias on the belly usually take the umbilical type. Femoral hernias, a less common groin type that sits below the inguinal canal and can be hard to see, need a doctor's check before any belt (Cleveland Clinic).
A truss only suits a reducible hernia, one that goes back in when you lie down or press gently. GP Notebook, a clinical reference for doctors, says a truss is safe only while the hernia stays reduced and free of symptoms. It adds that direct inguinal hernias tend to bulge around the pad over time, and that a truss should be fitted by an expert (GP Notebook).
Measure the right place. Most inguinal belts are sized by hip circumference, around the pelvic bones or the widest part of the hips, not your pants waist. The Underworks 948 and the Uriel are exceptions that go by the waist; Underworks says to measure snugly just above the hip bone (Underworks). Umbilical belts are sized around the fullest part of the abdomen, where the belt will sit. Size ranges vary a lot: one popular groin belt stops at 47-inch hips, while some umbilical binders reach a 70-inch abdomen. If you fall between sizes, most makers say to go up.
Pads, Straps And Materials
The pad does the work. A single pad covers one side, and many single-side belts let you move it to the left or right. Others, like the Uriel line from Israel's Meditex, sell left, right and double versions separately. A double, or bilateral, belt has two pads and usually two groin straps, which adds bulk but covers both sides. Pads come in firm silicone, foam and softer memory foam. Firmer pads hold a bulge more surely, and softer ones are kinder over long hours. A few belts include both so you can switch.
Groin straps keep the pad from riding up, and they're also where most rubbing happens. Brief-style supports, such as the Underworks designs, step on like underwear, with straps that wrap from the back to press the pads in. Hook-and-loop closures are on nearly every belt. They wear and collect lint over time, and an edge against bare skin can chafe, so a thin undershirt, or wearing the belt over underwear, helps.
If you're allergic to latex, read the label. Some belts use latex elastic, while the OTC 2955 Select Series and the Underworks Brace 948 are labeled latex free. Care differs: Ortonyx and Velpeau say to hand wash in cool water and air dry, Velpeau with the pads taken out, while Underworks allows a cold, gentle machine cycle.
What A Belt Can't Do, And When To Get Help
A belt is a stopgap. It can ease the ache and keep a reducible bulge in while you wear it, but the hernia comes back when you take it off, and surgery is the only repair (WashU Surgery). The international HerniaSurge guidelines of 2018 say a groin hernia that causes symptoms in an adult should be repaired, and that watchful waiting is an option mainly for men with few or no symptoms (HerniaSurge, Hernia journal). Many people wear a belt while they wait for surgery, and some wear one afterward when their surgeon advises it.
Put it on the right way. Shirin Towfigh, a hernia surgeon at the Beverly Hills Hernia Center, said on her HerniaTalk LIVE podcast in February 2025 that a truss goes on while you lie flat, after the hernia has been pushed back in, and that "if you cannot push your hernia back in, you cannot wear a truss" (HerniaTalk LIVE, episode 195). She added that a belt won't improve the outcome or lower the chance of needing surgery.
Know the emergency signs. A painful bulge that won't go back in, with severe pain that keeps getting worse, nausea or vomiting, or skin over it that turns red or dark, can mean strangulation, when the blood supply is cut off. Trapped intestine can begin to die in as little as four hours, so go to an emergency room (Cleveland Clinic).
In the U.S., the FDA classes hernia supports as Class I devices, exempt from premarket notification (21 CFR 876.5970), so the agency doesn't clear them, or the claims on the box, before sale. Belts for babies aren't a good idea: MedlinePlus says taping or strapping an infant's umbilical hernia won't make it go away, and most heal on their own (MedlinePlus).
How we researched this
We compared 23 hernia belts and supports and kept 10. For nine of the finalists we read the makers' own fitting and care directions: Everyday Medical's size charts, Uriel's 59R user steps, Ortonyx's HB5241 use-and-care notes, Underworks' 948 wearing and washing guide, Velpeau's double-pad FAQ, Abdomencare's listings and OTC's 2955 measuring and application steps; none publishes a PDF manual, and Tenbon has no maker site. Cleveland Clinic, WashU Surgery, GP Notebook, the 2018 HerniaSurge guidelines, MedlinePlus and surgeon Shirin Towfigh's HerniaTalk LIVE episode on trusses shaped the guide. Searches of CPSC and FDA recall records on November 4, 2026 found no recalls of hernia belts or trusses from any of the eight brands.
Sources (20)
- Cleveland Clinic: Hernia
- Cleveland Clinic: Strangulated hernia
- GP Notebook: Truss
- WashU Surgery: Are hernia belts effective?
- HerniaSurge Group: International guidelines for groin hernia management (2018)
- eCFR: 21 CFR 876.5970 Hernia support
- MedlinePlus: Umbilical hernia
- Uriel (Meditex Ltd.)
- Underworks
- Ortonyx
- HPH Hernia Support Products
- BestReviews: Best hernia belts
- CPSC recalls
- Everyday Medical: Inguinal & Groin Hernia Support Truss
- Everyday Medical: Plus Size Umbilical Hernia Belt
- Ortonyx: HB5241 Slim Umbilical Hernia Belt
- Underworks: 948 Inguinal Hernia Compression Support Brace
- Velpeau: Inguinal Hernia Belt, Double Pads
- OTC: 2955 Select Series Abdominal Hernia Support
- Beverly Hills Hernia Center: HerniaTalk LIVE episode 195, Hernia Belts, Trusses and Binders (2025)
Frequently asked questions
Do hernia belts work?
They can ease pain and hold a reducible hernia in while you wear one, but they don't repair it. The bulge returns when the belt comes off, and surgery is the only fix.
Can a hernia belt help me avoid surgery?
Not for good. A belt can make waiting more comfortable, and some people with mild symptoms wait under a doctor's watch, but the hernia stays. International guidelines say a groin hernia that causes symptoms should be repaired.
How tight should a hernia belt be?
Snug enough to keep the bulge in when you stand and move, but never painful. Put it on lying down, after the hernia has gone back in, and loosen or remove it if you feel pain, numbness or tingling.
What size hernia belt do I need?
Most inguinal belts go by hip measurement, around the pelvic bones or the widest part of the hips; the Underworks 948 and the Uriel go by waist instead. Umbilical belts go by the fullest part of the abdomen. If you're between sizes, go up.
Is there a hernia belt for women?
Most belts on this list are unisex and sized by hips or abdomen. Women should have the hernia type diagnosed first, since a femoral hernia sits lower in the groin and can need different care.
Should a baby wear an umbilical hernia belt?
No. MedlinePlus says taping or strapping won't make an infant's umbilical hernia go away, and most close on their own. Doctors usually consider surgery only if one hasn't closed by about age 3 or 4.
