Shoulder pain

**secondechomatt** · 09-01-2011, 09:14

Well, I have been hanging for a few nights now in my HH explorer deluxe and I have been waking up with severe shoulder pain, on the side that is diagonal, against the side.

Any advice? I'm super comfy, other than the shoulder thing.

Thanks!

**MAD777** · 09-01-2011, 11:16

Shoulder pain is likely coming from the hammock squeezing your shoulders together. This is caused by too narrow a hammock or a hammock that is too tightly stretched between supports, making it narrow.

Try letting the hammock sag more and see if that helps.

**BillyBob58** · 09-01-2011, 11:58

Originally Posted by MAD777

Shoulder pain is likely coming from the hammock squeezing your shoulders together. This is caused by too narrow a hammock or a hammock that is too tightly stretched between supports, making it narrow.

Try letting the hammock sag more and see if that helps.

Roger that. How big a boy are 'ya? I am pretty broad shouldered, and have used an Explorer UL on and off for a few years, and I have never had any shoulder discomfort. The ridge line should keep you from hanging it too tight, but it is possible. Once I was using some line tensioning devices ( Hitchcraft) which made it really easy to over tighten if I got carried away. But I quickly noticed discomfort, maybe shoulder squeeze. Which was quickly corrected by loosening some.

**JTXR** · 09-01-2011, 12:25

Maybe laying the other way diagonally with help with the shoudler pain.

**secondechomatt** · 09-01-2011, 15:09

I'm going to loosen it up tonight. Thanks all. I am a very broad shouldered fella, but I think it may just be too tight.

**BillyBob58** · 09-01-2011, 16:28

Originally Posted by JTXR

Maybe laying the other way diagonally with help with the shoudler pain.

Originally Posted by secondechomatt

I'm going to loosen it up tonight. Thanks all. I am a very broad shouldered fella, but I think it may just be too tight.

Also, is this a zip model or bottom entry? If bottom entry, are you laying in the correct orientation? On the diagonal, with your feet to the right and left elbow near the left hammock side pull out?

With the zipper model, it seems you can lay either way, with the zipper either to your left or right, though I think zip to the right is technically the way it is designed.

**FLRider** · 09-01-2011, 16:37

Originally Posted by BillyBob58

With the zipper model, it seems you can lay either way, with the zipper either to your left or right, though I think zip to the right is technically the way it is designed.

That's correct, at least according to the instructions that came with the hammock. I think you could probably lay either way, it's just that the zipper would likely rub against your left shoulder if you did it that way and didn't have a perfect hang (which is less comfortable than occasionally brushing your feet against it).

I haven't noticed shoulder pain, but I did note a little neck pain the morning after I set it up too tight in Ocala. Of course, that also could've been aggravated by carrying forty pounds on my back with a less-than-stellar pack both days, so take it with a grain of salt.

For what it's worth, I'm 6' even and float between 185 and 195 when I'm in reasonable shape, and I've yet to have a bad night with my shoulders. I'm also a back sleeper and tend not to move much during the night.

**secondechomatt** · 09-01-2011, 18:04

huh. well, I have been laying with the zipper at my left. I'll try the other side tonight.

thanks again.

**Southpaw** · 09-01-2011, 22:27

My guess is that it's too tight. I actually returned my first Hammock, because I didn't know about bottom insulation, and I was pulling it too tight.

**secondechomatt** · 09-02-2011, 21:00

Today, I went out and measured everything up. I used this calculator to check everything: http://dejoha.com/projects/hammocks/...alculator.html

discovered that my attachment points were way too low and it was strung too tight. Got everything dialed in and it felt much better. Gonna give it a ride tonight.