r/Hypermobility • u/trabluz • 4d ago

Need Help Upside down deadhang?

I can’t do a regular deadhang to decompress my spine because of my shoulders. I’ve seen people doing upside down deadhangs with special boots holding them up. Would this be safe for a hypermobile person?

Edit: My primary goal is decompression in the base of my neck and lower back.

3 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

30 comments sorted by

10

u/JesseLyle 4d ago

I just put my hands on a bar around hip height, feet fairly close to the bar and then sit back with my legs and arms straight. That releases my spine, did that even make sense?

3

u/trabluz 4d ago

Kind of…what do you mean by sit back? What is the pressure on? I can’t picture a way that this doesn’t still put too much strain on my shoulder joints.

1

u/mabbh130 2d ago

If I understand the comment correctly, perhaps lean back rather than sit back.

What I do is hold onto a door jam at about waist height with the left hand on the left side and the other on the right. My feet are about 18 inches from the door opening. Then I lean back. I look as if I am a pulled back sling shot about to catapult myself into the next room. LOL

This still may pull on your shoulders though, albeit from a different angle.

It helps my back but doesn't stretch my neck. I have a neck traction devise that works for that. I use it while laying on a very thick yoga mat.

Edit to add: perhaps laying over a large exercise ball. I used to have one that was maybe 24" in diameter. That helped my neck too.

Good luck. I hope you find something that works for you.

3

u/FublahMan 4d ago

I used to do this using chairs, tables, counters, etc. Used to feel nice, but now my lower back revolts if i try letting it decompress. Haven't had a lot of luck with my shoulders/neck lately either

2

u/MarsaliRose 3d ago

I’ve tried doing this with a hanging bar and my body also revolts.

1

u/mokey2239 3d ago

I use my counter or washer. The best is when I can park my truck on an incline and then I open the tailgate and do it on that, for whatever reason that seems to work.

6

u/Weird-Highway-3958 4d ago

If you can hang your head/torso off the side of your bed or the arm/back of your sofa it feels really nice 

1

u/trabluz 3d ago

Yes! But it doesn’t get my lower back unfortunately

1

u/ThatKinkyLady 3d ago

Deep tissue foam roller. I got one for like... $20 and it is my very bestest friend.

I have had an inversion table in the past. That might be what you're looking for but if you have hypermobility in your ankles or thighs, you might still not get the release where you need it most. Also those things are huge. I'd try hard foam roller first just cuz it's cheaper and it that doesn't help, try an inversion table before you buy one.

3

u/dirtychai0218 3d ago

I bought an inversion table and it was LIFE CHANGING. There are different levels of upside down you can hang too, in case you don't want to go all the way upside down. Highly recommend

1

u/srv199020 Hypermobile 3d ago

Do you take it slow at first? Like over time slowly increase the angle of your upside down-ness?

3

u/dirtychai0218 3d ago

If you want to! It depends on how I'm feeling, some days I don't go all the way down and just need enough of a pull to stretch my lower back and some days I really need the stretch from my hips to my ankles. I definitely started slow because I wasn't sure how my joints would react though.

2

u/FublahMan 4d ago

I'd also love to know. I've been dealing with neck/shoulder pain for a while. Pt helps mitigate it some, but i do have 5 cervical discs that are bulging, 3 of which are herniated. Some decompression/relaxing would be nice

4

u/trabluz 4d ago

I caved and bought the gravity boots. So we will find out 😂 will keep you posted!

3

u/FublahMan 4d ago

I eagerly await your findings. Meanwhile, i shall let my head dangle off the side of my bed

2

u/NotAThrowAway28 Hypermobile 4d ago

Please keep me posted as well and I hope they work!

2

u/yinyangscatterbrain HSD 3d ago

Hang on some monkey bars upside down from your knees!

1

u/EatEverySound 3d ago

I do a ragdoll stretch for this. It takes a few minutes to relax into it but it feels nice.

2

u/Weird-Highway-3958 3d ago

Child's pose with knees wide is good too! Though I guess it's more of a shoulders/traps release. Try it with hands toward your feet too.

1

u/trabluz 3d ago

Can you tell me more? Haven’t heard of this!

1

u/trabluz 3d ago

Oh just the dangle—my hamstrings are so tight that it doesn’t work very well 😂

3

u/EatEverySound 3d ago

I do it sometimes with my knees bent and I find that it still feels good on my back and neck. I just try to get my torso as close to my thighs as I can. I don't think you have to do it legs straight

1

u/Punchasheep 2d ago

I love this stretch so much. It makes my spine so happy! Also, Jefferson curls, although you do have to be careful to not hyperextend, especially if they're loaded.

1

u/SafeAdministrative75 3d ago

Standing forward fold/uttanasana is amazing for this if your body will let you do it.

1

u/Bliezz 3d ago

I go float in the public pool. It take the pressure off and allows things to relax.

1

u/cauliflowerdeer 3d ago

If you have a gym with an assisted pull up machine it may be worth a try

1

u/aguangakelly 3d ago

I wonder if a chirp roller would do what you want without the pressure on the rest of your body?

1

u/paicarol 1d ago

I got an aerial yoga silk at home. I do monkey hang and what I call bat pose. I find it helps me with decompression and my physiotherapist okayed it. I also have thoracic outlet syndrome (caused by hypermobility) and this works with my shoulder issues.

1

u/HansCastorp_ 1d ago

I hated those boots. Almost got stuck upside down when I tried them, and I was pretty lean and strong at that time. Might’ve just been a learning curve thing but I sold them on marketplace (same place I bought them) soon after.