Are hammocks camping bad for the back?

**Winnie** · 05-02-2021, 22:21

I will frequently wake up in my bed with a sore back. When I switch to the hammock that I keep hanging in the spare room I get instant relief from my back pain.

**hangerdave** · 05-03-2021, 02:34

Same for me, first night a bit of hit and miss then it gets better when I dial it in and my body adjusts
Dave

**Joey83** · 05-24-2021, 02:24

I don't hammock camp, but my hammock has helped with my daily backpain.

**Caconym** · 05-25-2021, 07:54

You're going to have a pretty biased sample on this forum.
That said, I sleep every night in a hammock when I'm not at my partner's house. Sleeping on a mattress now feels like being captured in Jupiter's gravity well.

**OneClick** · 05-25-2021, 08:14

Definitely good for my back. Lower back pain that started around 2015 is basically gone these days.

I just moved my nightly hammock from the extra room upstairs to the basement since it's getting hot. Amazing sleep. Deepest sleep ever! Cool, dark, quiet and cozy.

The kind of sleep where you wake up and have to think for a few seconds "where am I?"

**Pop_Eye** · 05-25-2021, 14:53

My anecdotal evidence is that it helps my back.

Some times I wake up in the night while on a hammock. For a few moments I have no idea where I am because it feels like floating on air in a warm cocoon.

Then I realize I’m hanging.

In the morning, I can roll out of the hammock with zero pain.

When I’m at home I struggle to straighten up for at least 5 minutes after getting out of bed.

My setup helps my back pain quite a bit. But with everything YMMV.

**StitchHikes** · 05-25-2021, 19:27

Originally Posted by Skytow

Lol mine too. Dad used to tell me aging ain’t for wimps! Miss him immensely.

Same here.

**rmcrow2** · 05-25-2021, 21:52

Hammocks help. I have a bit wrong. Hammocks help.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

**dutch_henry** · 05-29-2021, 14:08

100% agree. I have some minor back injuries from sports, which lead to pain and stiffness after a night's sleep on a mattress. In my hammock, I wake up pain free and less stiff. Even after a day of paddling and portaging.

BTW, I think I'm a lost brother to some of you: Grandma always told me "don't get old!'

**goalie** · 06-01-2021, 19:36

Originally Posted by hammockguy457

Hey there, What are your opinions on it? Is it really bad for one's back?
Though I did hammock several times but didn't face those types of issues.
So, is there anyone who actually went through that problem or knows the actual explanation on this matter?

I broke my back in 1994. I am miserable sleeping on the ground.

My Townsend Big Guy Bridge is awesome for me.

I'm going to try a Ridge Runner single layer to see if that works for me when I want to go lighter backpacking.

Gathered end hammocks are OK but not nearly as comfy as a bridge.

In the end, what works for over person might really suck for another. Actual use is the only real way to find out.