Educational hub

We love hiking and so do our patients! We often see our patient’s presenting with a lower back niggle or achey knees that are holding them back from doing the hiking they love. So I wanted to share the main injuries we see at the clinic and our top tips on ways to keep hiking pain free! 

Ankle Sprains

Ankle sprains are one of the most common hiking injuries, and they can often happen when stepping on uneven terrain whilst walking. 

How can you reduce the risk of an ankle sprain? 

Our tips to avoid ankle sprains is to make sure you wear supportive footwear that fits well and has good tread to reduce slips. We recommend wearing hiking boots with ankle support for any walks over a 5 mile distance. Shoes such as wellies provide minimal ankle support and have limited cushion on the soles which will allow the force from the ground to impact your ankle and knee more.

It can be beneficial to know your route. Paths, bridleways and fields all have different terrains and especially in the cold and wet months it can be more tricky under foot. With uneven surfaces it can be easy to have your back, knees and ankles exposed to more torsion forces that can aggravate any pre existing injuries. 

We recommend looking into the weather forecast before your walk and plan if any routes need to be altered so you are more steady under foot

If you do experience an ankle sprain, you are 90% more likely to have a reoccurring sprain in the next year so it's important to priortise rehab and recovery. This involves strengthening based exercise and joint mobility. 

Knee Injuries

Knee injuries are another common injury among hikers, especially when going downhill. The impact of each step can put a lot of stress on your knees, which can lead to pain, inflammation, and even tears in the ligaments or cartilage. 

How do I reduce the risk of knee injuries? 

To prevent knee injuries, make sure you wear shoes with good thick soles and cushioning for force absorption, use hiking poles to reduce the impact on your knees, and avoid overloading your backpack. 

To prevent injury, you can do exercises to strengthen your leg muscles, stretches to improve joint mobility and exercises to increase joint proprioception. 

If you do experience knee pain, stop hiking and rest. Ice can be applied to the joint after a hike to help reduce inflammation and improve recovery. 

Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain is a common hiking injury that can be caused by carrying a heavy backpack, walking on uneven terrain, or sitting for prolonged periods in cars to get to the hike location. 

How do I keep my back pain free? 

To prevent lower back pain, make sure you wear a backpack that fits well and distributes the weight evenly across your back. 

To prevent lower back pain, you can focus on exercises to strengthen your core and lower back muscles. This can include a tailored exercise programme or classes such as pilates or weight based exercise. 

If you do experience lower back pain, stop hiking and rest and do gentle stretches.

Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is another common hiking injury that can be caused by walking long distances on uneven terrain or wearing shoes that don't fit well or doing too much too soon without training. It occurs when the plantar fascia, a thick band of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot, becomes inflamed. 

How do I avoid plantar fasciitis? 

To prevent plantar fasciitis, make sure you wear comfortable and well-fitting shoes that provide good arch support. 

Exercises that stretch and strengthen the muscles in your feet and calves can help to improve flexibility as well as reduce pain and inflammation.

If you do experience plantar fasciitis, rest and avoid activities that aggravate the pain. 

Shoulder Injuries

Shoulder injuries can occur when carrying a heavy backpack, using hiking poles incorrectly or falling onto the shoulder following a trip. They can range from strains and sprains to more severe injuries, such as muscle tears. 

How do I avoid shoulder injuries? 

To prevent shoulder injuries, make sure you wear a backpack that fits well and distribute the weight evenly across your shoulders. Avoid carrying a backpack that is too heavy for you to handle comfortably. 

Make sure you use your hiking poles correctly, keeping your arms at a 90-degree angle and placing the poles firmly on the ground.

If you do experience shoulder pain or injury, rest and avoid activities that aggravate the pain. To prevent the likelihood you can strengthen the muscles around the shoulder to help stabilise the joint and incorporate mobility exercises to improve flexibility. 

Hope you found this blog useful to keep you outdoors doing the things you love! 

If you want more information on how you can get pain free you can head to our website for more information.