There are many ways to incur back damage over time which are too numerous to count. Sometimes it could even be caused by activities like wearing a backpack or carrying a bag. It’s these actions or non-actions that you take that make your back feel progressively worse. If you allow the right conditions to progress far enough, you might find yourself greatly surprised at how extensive the damage can be. 

Use Both Straps

You may not realize it at first, but using one strap for your backpack can cause some unneeded stress on one part of your back. Using a single band is dangerous because you’re hiking up one shoulder over the other. With all of your weight shifted to one side, you’re going to have long-term pain to contend with possibly. If done long-term, this can lead to spinal alignment issues due to unnatural and uncomfortable posture. 

Back pocket wallet

Another surprising way for you to suffer some long-term back pain is by sitting on your wallet, giving you a similar problem as a backpack, but for different reasons. Much like wearing gear on one shoulder, sitting on a wallet that’s in one of your back pockets can unbalance and misalign your back, but in this case, it’s your lower back that’s receiving the punishment. The muscles in your lower back will be protesting wildly if this doesn’t get corrected, so ensure that you can do that by wearing your wallet somewhere else.

Backpack Weight

Weight is a significant problem that many people should subconsciously try to avoid whenever possible. If you start wearing backpacks that are more than 10% of your current body weight, that’s going to mean trouble for you down the line. Over encumbering yourself with excess weight is a bad idea because the more weight you carry, the more your body and back have to compensate for your balance. Putting yourself in such a position can put unneeded strain on your back muscles that aren’t necessary in the first place.

Relaxation Methods

When you want to find a way to get some much-needed relief off the strain your back has built up over these mistakes, there are a few practices you can personally use to accomplish this. One way is by getting on all four limbs and stretching your back by raising your rear upwards and allowing your back to loosen up. Another method through which you can achieve this is by lying on your back, curling up by bringing your knees up to your stomach so that you can safely stretch out your back this way. 

Conclusion

If you’re looking to ensure that your back has a good and lengthy amount of time being healthy, follow those tips above, and avoiding the previously mentioned hazards can do you a lot of good.