Prolonged Hammocking = Curvature of the spine?

[LegoFox]

i have found that with the grand trunk ultralight(no stretch hammock) I have to hang more with my feet up and it feels more like the ground with a slight space between my but and mid back. This causes a stress point for me unless i am feet up and back flat. On the contrary in my nano 7(stretchy hammock) I sleep better because it MOLDS to my spine thus there is no gap. It does squeeze my shoulders more but everything else is fine. I also dont need to hang super flat and can except a little curve with my head end higher. I think this is because of the stretch and "form fit" of the stretchier hammock which keeps friction on my back keepin me from compressing my spine even though in banana curving.

[MrClean417]

Nothing is perfect for everyone. I've slept on the floor on a thin pad, I think I still have an ache from that and it was over 10 years ago. I get leg cramps in a hammock but that's usually only when I don't wear long pants and my overworked legs get too cold and fully extended. A pair of zumies and I'm AOK.
If you have scoliosis, ruptured disks, compressed disks or something else, you have issues that need to be tended to. Inversion therapy for some of those things will be quite beneficial and you should run out and get one of those beds. It will help decompress neck muscles also. I was talking to my Urologists while he was crimping and snipping things today who was amazed that I was a full time hammock sleeper. I don't know if he'll show up here or not but hopefully he will check it out. It's truly amazing who and when I will start talking hammocks too, including immigrant coworkers who grew up in a hammock but came to America and start sleeping in a bed because thats what we do.

[Floridahanger]

For your Wife, I purchased a thermarest camping pillow that I take with me due to bad knees and I sleep with it under my knees and it helps greatly. Just a thought...
http://www.amazon.com/Thermarest-Com...camping+pillow

Thanks, Mountnman, I'll give that a shot. Anything to get her a better time in the hammock.

[Illini]

A historical perspective: Since time immemorial many native people of the Americas have slept on hammocks their entire lives, and their backs stay straight and strong. I lived among them for a while, and they could outwork me three-to-one any day. Here's a bit of video documentation:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MHK...U&noredirect=1

Thanks for the video. Really enjoyed it.

[tylojuky]

How can it be bad if it feels so good?

[Dos]

Howdy. Just wanted I throw it out there for discussion. I've been reading a post from an AT hiker who has been on the trail for over 6 months now, hammocking most of the time. His last post said that he thinks that perhaps his hammocking may be contributing to curving of his spine (what ever he meant by that)

I did the AT last year - all hammocking (with the exception of hostels).

I found the hammock completely restful for my entire body.

[mtroxell]

Howdy. Just wanted I throw it out there for discussion. I've been reading a post from an AT hiker who has been on the trail for over 6 months now, hammocking most of the time. His last post said that he thinks that perhaps his hammocking may be contributing to curving of his spine (what ever he meant by that)

I've been sleeping fulltime indoors in a Ridgerunner bridge hammock for the last 3 weeks and am in the process of getting rid of my bed since it is just taking up space. I think it depends on the type of hammock you are using. If you use a gathered end hammock and sleep on a diagonal it shouldn't be a problem. If you lay end to end in a hammock then I'm not sure but, yeah, you may have a problem eventually. A bridge hammock is a different design and is probably the closest to flat you will get in a hammock.