Injury prevention tips for backpacking this summer

We know many of you are gearing up for backpacking trips in the next few months and we wanted to share a few tips to help keep your summer pain free!

⛰ Make sure your pack fits correctly. Hipbelt should cinch tight around your iliac crest, or top of your hips so that weight is offloaded from your shoulders and distributed through your trunk and pelvis. Shoulder straps, load shifters and sternum straps should all be adjusted so that they are resting lightly on your trunk, not cinched down tightly! Ask a sales rep at your fave outdoor gear store or a PT that trains outdoor athletes about fit if you are unsure what it should look/feel like. 

⛰ Ramp up your training. If you haven't been hiking a lot recently, try to get out for a few hikes before your backpacking trips to get your neuromuscular system in hiking shape. When possible, we recommend training up to about 75% of the daily mileage for your trip! Remember that if you can’t get out for a hike in the woods, stairs in town work great as a substitute! 

⛰ Hydrate/fuel your body regularly. Our muscles require adequate water and nutrients to function properly and when these things are lacking, we are more at risk of musculoskeletal injury.

⛰ Use trekking poles. Trekking poles help to distribute load onto your arms and trunk and can significantly help to offload your knees, decrease lower body fatigue, and provide you with better balance and stability. 

⛰ Don’t forget to stretch. Perform a dynamic warm up before getting on trail and end the day with static cool down stretching. Dynamic stretches can help to prime your neuromuscular system for hiking so you don't start off cold. Static stretching helps to prevent stiffening up your muscles and helps to prevent delayed onset muscle soreness. 

Happy trails, Y’all!

🌲☀🏔🥾🏕

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