Hammocks and Back Trouble

[Rollintent]

I seem to have to have had the opposite experience from most forum members here. I just finished a hammock a couple weeks ago and have not spent much time in it at all untill last night. I hope my experience was due to other factors un-related to my hammock, but after spending most of the night in it I got up this morning and shortly after being out of it ducked under a tie out line for my hammock and when I stood back up my lower back went out of place or something. I have been in excruciating pain any time I try to stand or walk all day today.

Now, for more details. I set it up during the day yesterday and had a blue foam workout pad from wal-mart between the layers for bottom insulation and a 0 degree synthetic mummy bag from wal-mart to crawl into. temps got down to about freezing then the south wind came up over night and it warmed up from about midnight on. I got out this morning at about 4:30 am because the wind was blowing 20 mph plus which wasn't bothering me except the thought of the possibility of a limb breaking out and falling on me even though I looked well for dead limbs before I set up. I had not moved around much all night and was fairly comfortable or at least I wan't having any pain and I wasn't really cold. I wasn't as warm as when I got in it but not uncomfortably cold. I got up out of the hammock and decided to take my hammock with me so the wind didn't tear it up. I didn't waste any time in doing so because the wind was blowing 20mph plus with temps probably around 35 and I was only wearing thermal bottoms and a long sleeve t-shirt with a light fleece jacket. As I took a step toward one end of my hammock and ducked under one of my tarp tie outs I felt my lower back go out as I tried to stand back up straight on the other side of the tie out. Anyways I barely got the hammock taken down and made it to the house and into bed. That was by far the worst back pain I have ever experienced every step about knocked the wind out of me.

I have been trying to rationalize this all day and hoping the hammock had no part in this. But I am thinking it probably did/might have. I laid on my back all night my legs were slightly higher than my but and back. Further more my back would have been in a slight rainbow shape all night like I would have been slightly hunched over if I were standing or sitting. When I first stood up I think my back may have been kind of "asleep"? Not as bad as when your foot goes to sleep and tingles like crazy but maybe the muscles were slightly numb. I want to think I just rushed things a little and did not give my body time to get together,... I hope anyways.

I am a little gunshy now but at the same time want to try it again as soon as I am able to try to see if I have trouble again. I will be pretty dissapointed if this doesn't work out. I've already had to listen to my share of comments like "that's probably why people sleep in beds not hammocks" and so on. What do they know? Right????

[nothermark]

FWIW as I am not a Doc and this is not medical advice. I wonder if you were too relaxed. As we get older all those advice books about warming up before exercise, proper stretching, etc start to make sense. Here you were all nice and cozy and relaxed then you got up and made a funny move your back was not expecting. It was telling you not to do that again without warning it. Several steps straight ahead might have been enough for everything to settle back in place and tighten up. It gets worse with age. ;-(

BTW, if that was a cotton long Tee that was part of why you cooled off. They get damp and cool you off over time.

[MrClean417]

This isn't the hammock, it's the duck under. Frankly, I've leaned at an odd angle, and did so when last I worked on the trim in my dining room and my leg was in an imobilizer. So I bent at an odd, un-usual angle and did my back in for 3 days. It all straightened out in the hospital but that was an un-related bit. See, I hit my knee on the edge of my desk, just like I've done many a time in my life, but this time I did it just right and my leg swelled up and I got a skin infection that took IV antibiotics to get rid of. A week in a hospital bed and me really wanting my hammock. If you can't set up inside, I don't recommend learning to sleep in a hammock in the cold. There's just too much learning curve thought it sounds like you got much of it right. With a hammock, your back may not be cold but it's definitely not warm and loose. Not the time for sustained, odd angle positions. Inside in the warm OR on a warm summer night, you probably wouldn't have noticed a thing.

Get back to your bed where you know you can get back to normal. See if you can set up inside somewhere and spend the night in there. Also, since you're not camping, you might as well cadillac that bad boy out. I have a pillow and an insulated blanket under my knees and a small pillow under my head WITH a middle weight blanket laying over the top of me on nights when the thermostat is in the mid to upper 60's. In the field you'll sleep with your legs making a figure 4 OR with your spare clothes under your knees to keep from hyper-extending them. Else you'll see how much fun it is to have cold legs that have been bent over straight for even a little bit of an hour. Try getting out of the hammock when even a hint of a bend in the legs will have you charlie horse half way around to where you can touch the back of your head with your toes. Oh, it hurts just to think about it. As you get in better shape and become more limber on a normal basis this just won't happen anymore but man have I had it happen till I figured out how much to shove under my knees. But man, it is the most comfortable thing to do now, laying in my hammock. No recliner, couch, waterbed, select comfortbed with the adjustable angles EVER has felt this good. I love to get up and use the restroom in the middle of the night ONLY because I get to spill back into this floating cloud of bliss.

Get it figured out in an environment where a screw up won't cost you serious physical problems, like hypothermia, and then move it outside. You'll be glad you did.

[Rollintent]

It was a cotton t-shirt. I will remember that tip. I am just clinging to as much hope as possible that I will not continue to have this problem after spending the night in a hammock. But this is by far the worst back pain I have experienced. I dont' like to think I may have any permanent effects from this injury but family members and my RN wife keep suggestiing the possibility of a herniated disc and other conditions that might require more than a visit to the chiropractor. Hope not.

[Sailor]

All I know is that I've had back issues for 30+ years, and when my back hurts now, my hammock relaxes it pretty quickly. Within minutes, after all day running soccer or playing golf or hiking, the hammock seems to slowly stretch and relax my back. Good luck figuring things out (btw--my dr was real surprised when I told him this some years ago. Whatever he's been taught, it didn't include hammock therapy!)

[Rollintent]

I have a pillow and an insulated blanket under my knees

I think that may well be part of it. I stayed with my legs out and my knees were slightly hyper extended. Which I think translated a little into my back. I couldn't quite figure out how to put it into words before but now that you mention that I think it had my lower back and upper legs somewhat strectched in the wrong direction.

In the field you'll sleep with your legs making a figure 4

I've seen reference to the "figure 4" position. Would this be like laying flat on your back with your knees raised up then flopped over to the side? Kind like laying on your side with your shoulders flat and your hips rotated with your knees out to the side? A photo or drawing would help me envision this.

[Pipsissewa]

...I've seen reference to the "figure 4" position. Would this be like laying flat on your back with your knees raised up then flopped over to the side? Kind like laying on your side with your shoulders flat and your hips rotated with your knees out to the side? A photo or drawing would help me envision this.

You got it, Rollintent. I don't have a picture of me, but a quick search through the HF gallery turned up this picture of Stormcrow laying in a hammock in the "figure 4":

stormcrow.jpg

I have a delicate back as well, and I know the simplest thing can make it "go out" (like brushing my teeth--that's happened twice!) Mostly bending forward without thinking about it (like not when you're exercising) seems to be a good way to do it. Sounds like what happened to you. Good advice above--dial in your hammock inside, not on a backpacking trip. Best of luck to you!!! (and thanks, Stormcrow!)

[Thumbs]

A couple years ago my 48 year old back took it's worst wrenching. Took a chiro to work it out. Had just woke up on trash day, threw on my shorts to carry out a few bags, picked up the second one, which was all full of packing peanuts. I guess I was expecting more and that really tweaked my back. I'm just saying like others that it may not have been how you slept.

[Rollintent]

I really hope this is mostly coincidence! I really am thinking my inexperience in laying in the hammock coupled with my rush to get up and get my hammock down didn't allow my body to get woke up/stretched out as much as it should have or would have in a normal daily routine. I am very thankful this didn't happen miles from a road during inclement weather. I typically car camp but I may try some kayak camping with this set up. I would have been in deep trouble if this had happened in that scenario especially in cold/stormy weather. I guess I would call this a lesson learned the easy way and I will be taking this into consideration for any future trip planning. Can't wait to take another shot at it.

[Cali]

When I was in the Army, I was out in the field and ducked under some Camoflage netting and pulled something in my back. It was just a slight bend and turn and there it went. I had to be sent back to base, because I could hardly move. I was much younger, but it can happen. I think you just turned wrong and your back let you know it. I don't think the hammock did it.

Also, I lay in the figure 4 position and lay my right leg up against the side of the hammock. I find this very comfortable. Also, as stated above. a pillow under your extended knee will help a lot. Good luck to you. Don't let this incident scare you away from hammocks.