Got Your Back

Durb Morrison shares how tattoo artists can save their backs and prolong their careers

- Devon Preston

Although tattooing, both as an artform and a profession, has been around for centuries, only recently has the world outside the industry begun to understand the nuances of the job, especially when it comes to physicality. Tattooing is a very physically demanding job and over time, the long hours, uncomfortable positions and generally poor habits can yield serious health consequences. No one knows this unfortunate reality better than Durb Morrison, who began tattooing over 28 years ago and despite his active lifestyle, has suffered extreme consequences. “About 10 years ago, I was diagnosed with meralgia paresthetica, which is the compression of the femoral nerve. I later learned that I had a herniation of the T7 vertebra that I’m becoming mildly paraylzed from.”

Morrison’s health problems didn’t come all at once, they built gradually over time and at first, he went about treating his back pain through conventional methods.