Hip Pointer - Questions...

[unicornv007]

Indoors or out? Being past skeeter season up north, it shouldn't affect my suggestion: take the net off and try sleeping "left." Find out if your left hip reacts at all. Is it possible that you've experienced some minor injury to your right hip and it only bothers you when you sleep on it?

I agree that a less stiff hammock might be easier on the hips for some side sleepers. My XLC is about as stiff as they come. I like a firm hammock. It's asym right and, although I try to sleep mostly on my back, I sometimes need to shift to sleeping on my right side. So far, no hip discomfort but that's only me...

Follow-up... got a chance to remove the bugnet and go camping last weekend. The "good news" is that its not from a hip injury... it didn't matter which side I laid on, either hip after an hour or so was sore. Moving around in the morning, the pain went away quickly. It just wasn't a completely restful night. I swear, the first year I slept solid. Wish I could get back that way... I did try a small closed-cell-phone sitting paid down underneath the hip. I would say it didn't change the nature of the pain at all. I did not try using a (partially) inflated pad. I had loaned my spares out to the kids and they needed them due to the temperature.

I did read up on two other ideas to try though. Shifting to my back, I just can't seem to sleep that way. I did read a suggestion though for back sleepers to try putting a very thin pillow (or even a folded up shirt) under the small of the back for support. The other thing is its possible I'm hyperextending my leg and/or hip when I'm on my side. Its possible a pillow between my knees may help.

I've got my kit rigged up in my basement and was going to try some casual napping in it that way to see if either work. I can't get a good 30 degree angle though at the moment which means its not exactly a great lay. I can try the back pillow, the knee pillow and of course, an inflatable pad this way.

Thanks for all the suggestions...

[Streetsurfer]

Try stretching the hip flexors too. I have contused my trocanters and stretches help a little. I’m used to doing them for back pain too.

I have two different fabric hammocks one is a less forgiving fabric, the other more breathable and stretchable. The latter is more comfortable for me. NHO, in sort of a waffle weave (pic to follow), but I’m not sure what they call it. Its also a double whereas the former and more uncomfortable for all my injuries is a single.

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[unicornv007]

Kind of funny but I think I made my first DIY hammock (before I got my Blackbird) out of that same waffle weave orange fabric. Got something like 84 inches wide of something crazy like that. I may have to go back and give it a try again to see if a different hammock is more comfortable. Daughter bought a Hennessy and of course, I have my DIY one laying around somewhere in the basement...

Got any particularly good hip flexor stretches? I was working on my core strength a year ago but now, not as much...

[Streetsurfer]

I stand with feet together, then move one about a pace forward. Imagine an arrow straight and level through your low back and out your belly button. With feet together it points straight forward. When one foot is moved forward, the hips rock and it points at the ground a few feet in front of you. Now with the one foot forward, rock the hips back to raise the imaginary arrow back to level. That will stretch the hip flexor of the rear leg. Not sure if it will help but it might be worth a try. Or you might try stretching glutes or quads. Quads I stretch by pulling one foot back and up toward buttocks. For glute, I lay on floor and do a spinal mobility flex....bring one lnee up to about hip height to open up or release tension on the L5/S1 joint, then rotate that knee across my body to the other side. Then also knees to chest one at a time, then together.

When I get tight, things hurt more. Those stretches were part of an old back injury routine.

I was later taught by Bob Gajda (Triple Crown body builder from bitd) that a slow stretch imposed on a muscle by working its opposing muscle on your frame is safer. Work triceps to stretch biceps, hams to stretch quads, etc. That might benefit you in the core strength work. As the bone reacts to the worked muscle in recovery, it stretches the opposing one. He has a book called Total Body Training. I hope some of this will help.

Core work is good in that it should serve to help joints track better in their range of motion, with less chance of rubbing where it shouldnt....on damaged cartilidge or bone. Full range of motion work helps there. Like in usng a hand gyro exerciser to help with carple tunnel issues. Improving support all around the joint keeps things gliding in their proper path and lessens irritation/inflammation. Laxity in a joint, from working them in one motion too much (repetitive use injury) and not working full range, can lead to improper tracking.