Strong back pain - what went wrong ?

[goanywhere]

I strained a back muscle one time trying to get my sleeping bag up around my shoulders. I twisted and turned the wrong way. I've since gone to using the SB, but as a top quilt.

It is possible to do back damage in any new situation you are not used to. Our bodies take awhile to adjust to new postures for anything, but particularly sleeping. You may have damaged your back by a combination of your body subconsciously trying to get into it's 'normal' sleeping position. This in combination with recovering from a bike ride, as well as a slight draft during the night might have combined to cause some damage.

I would suggest that you try to condition your body by starting out with naps in your hammock at home. 1/2 an hour, then an hour, then 2 etc. until your body gets used to the idea of sleeping in a different position.

Another alternative is to look for a hammock with a flatter lay. Maybe a bridge hammock, or a Hammock Bliss Sky Bed (which is my choice).

[Womble]

Just a short update on my not so recent experience.

For one, I'm still suffering from my backache. Not as bad as it was, but still. An IRM showed a reduction of the spinal canal at the lumbar vertebra. So I'm in for extensive gym which slowly helps and hope to avoid surgery.

For two, I camped again in my hammock setup. Last week-end I went for a 4 day ride with friends. I took both my hammock and my Exped mat. Since my back still aches, I didn't want to ruin the ride with a similar experience like in May. So I slept the first night in the tent. But I had a very hard time to find a comfortable painless position in the tent and so I was turning around a lot until I finally felt asleep. I thought I must have given a hard time to my friends.

So the next night, against all fears, I decided to hang the hammock. The place was just perfect for hammock camping.

img_1044_med.jpg

But the greatest thing was that when I lay in my hammock at night I found immediately my sweet spot and my back was without pain. I forced myself to stay on my back and not to fall into my usual side sleeper position. It wasn't too difficult. My friends told me next morning that they heard me snoring within no time.

Encouraged by this experience I slept the next night in my hammock as well, with equally good results. This time the conditions were closer to what they were in May with a fresh wind and little protection from surrounding trees. But I was able to hang my hammock pointing towards the wind. I double checked the underquilt and closed the top cover of the Dreamhammock and never felt cold at any time.

[BillyBob58]

Glad to hear it is working better for you. A situation like you described can be hard to figure out, because it could just be coincidence. Physical activity- bike riding including off road. And now you know that there was a problem with your spine, and who can say if that was the day it all just decided to become noticeable, with or without the hammock?

As far as playing the odds, it seems highly unlikely that even if something was off with the hammock that it could result in much more than a slightly sore back from the muscles or spine not being in the correct alignment. But even that seems like it would have caused cause discomfort while sleeping, like you just experienced while sleeping in the tent. Here is hoping that it was just a coincidence that your 1st night in a hammock was the same night that your narrowed spine was going to throw in the towel and start complaining to you.

[5th]

I used to be a side sleeper, but my back won't take that anymore, even on my $2,000 Tempurpedic mattress. Sleeping on my side in a gathered-end hammock would destroy me, but if I stay on my back I get the best rest and the happiest back in that same hammock. I obviously don't know the true cause of your back problem, but sleeping on your side that night last May could not have helped IMO, especially if there was a cool spot. I hope your back continues to improve, and that you don't give up on hammocking.

[OutandBack]

From your original post"
"So last Friday I was on my way back home from a off-road training camp"

What do you do in an off road training session like this?
I would have suspected that effort before laying in the hammock as the cause even though the pain was felt the strongest after sleep.

The only time I have ever woke with back pain was when a heavy jacket shifted in the hammock and held me in a weird position for many hours.

[sandykayak]

For side sleeping in a bed, the hourglass-shaped knee pillows keep your spine properly aligned. I get mine in Bed, Bath, and Behind using their 20% coupon.

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&key...l_93cvbqri8e_e

[Koolranch]

Sorry to hear about that. I have only slept in my hammock one time. I tossed and turned and it may of been because of my setup. Your bike looks familiar. Is it an 1190?

[Womble]

To all : thanks for wishes and advise - I appreciate a lot.

These last two nights in my hammock convinced me that this will probably be the way to go - like SilvrSurfr said sleep on the side in bed and on the back in the hammock. I now know that I can force myself to remain on my back. I woke up a few times but then again I always do that when sleeping outside.

OutandBack : the training was mostly about acquiring knowledge and practice to handle a motorcycle in - well - offroad conditions. The harder part of the training was already a few days back before that night and I had a good day rest in between and only half a day of exercices that same day. I don't think that the training itself is at fault, but I think that the issue came from a deep sleep in a wrong position. Somehow that must have stretched my spine sidewards allowing some dislocation and a subsequent sciatica.

Sandykayak : I usually keep a normal pillow or just a fold of the duvet between my legs. In the hammock I rolled up my motorcycle pants and put that roll under my knees to keep them slightly bent.

Koolranch : yup, 1190R. Great bike, I enjoy every single ride, though last week-end I went with my H-D. Sleeping in hammock is different, but I clearly see the advantages. The learning curve is a bit longer then ground camping (although ?) because there are so many great options but once your setup is correctly tuned for what YOU want to do, its simple and fast. I read a lot in this forum and went from complicated simplifications (i.e. single line suspension) back to a more standard setup.