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I have read many forum posts about how sleeping in a hammock alleviates back, shoulder, and sleep problems.
A friend of mine is a quadraplegic. He suffers with bedsores. Do any of you know of any medical studies that have been done on the use of hammocks for invalids who spend long periods of time in bed?
Do any of you know of any hammocks specifically designed for people with medical conditions?
Welcome to the forum cposton. I don't have any info on a study to pass on but I would think that it could be good for bed sores as you have so much better air circulation in a hammock.
There are a few medical professionals on the forum that might be able to help from that point of view.
Great question, I'll be watching to see what folks can find to help.
Bed Sores or Pressure ulcers have less to do with air circulation and more to do with pressure. You can still have pressure points in a hammock. The best thing to prevent bed sores is to reposition at least every 2 hours. For the average person even if you sleep like a log you normally shift your position just enough so you alleviate the pressure.
At the hospital I work at we use specialized air mattresses that shift pressure from side to side on a set schedule for patient's with bed sores. If they don't yet have any sores but they are developing red spots normally turning them every 2 hours and placing them on a waffle mattress will do the trick. Almost forgot one of the most important things is to keep the skin clean and dry as sweat(and other nasty things) can hasten skin breakdown. Disclaimer: For specifics have your friend consult a physician.
I have a crushed vertebrae and 2 compressed disks from a car accident. I was going to give up camping/backpacking all together before I found hammocks. At the end of the day I might go into my hammock with back pains, but in the morning I get out feeling like I have a new back. When my back really starts acting up I set it up in my basement. I highly recommend a hammock...they just work.