Hiking: Reduce Your Risk of Injury

With the warmer weather and hopefully dying down winds, now is the time to dust off those hiking boots. There are many benefits to hiking such as building strength in your core and lower extremity muscles, improving balance and bone density, as well as lowering your risk of heart disease and improving blood pressure levels. As with any activity there is always an inherent risk of injury. So, no matter if you are a beginner or hard charging hiking enthusiast here are some simple tips and tricks to improve your hiking experience.

Helpful Equipment

            By far the most important piece of equipment you will need to take is a hydration source. Water is key to prevent heat related injury such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Water will also keep your muscles from cramping during your hike. Consider taking electrolyte packets to help your body replenish what it is sweating out.

            Trek poles can be extremely helpful to reduce load through your knees by incorporating core and upper body strength and reduce the risk of rolling your ankles resulting in strains and sprains to the muscles/ligaments in your ankle and foot. Proper fit for trek poles or a walking stick should put your elbows as close to a 90-degree angle as possible. Remember as you hike up or downhill the fit of your trek pole will change, consider shortening your trek pole while navigating uphill and lengthen going downhill.

Warm-Up

            Hiking is more than just putting one foot in front of the other, it can be a very demanding activity depending on the trail you choose. A proper warm-up can help reduce the risk of injury. Here are some exercises and stretches to keep in mind before taking off on your journey: