Experience More Fun: Strengthen your Body

Nothing spoils a hike, or worse yet, a once-in-a-lifetime backpacking trip like pain. The two most likely problem areas are your feet and your back. So, when you are out on the trails, the most important gear you have are your footwear and pack.

In last year’s issue, you’ll find all you need to know about foot care. Download it at: https://issuu.com/experiencetravelguides/docs/2017experiencecalgary/18

So how can we ensure we don’t have back pain on the trail? Even with a strong healthy back, choosing the right backpack is paramount. Be sure to be properly fitted by an expert. When loading your pack, place the heaviest items closest to your back and centered. Now add items out from this point from heaviest to lightest. Remember to readjust your straps during your hike.

While training, create better habits when lifting your backpack on and off. Taking it off, allows your spine to decompress while giving you a chance to hydrate and fuel properly. Schedule frequent rest breaks.

Photo By: Dr. Don Findlay

Strengthening your body is essential, but when injured, you first need specific rehabilitative therapy. This will improve the biomechanical functioning of your spine which is essential prior to conditioning for a more vigorous endeavor. Seeking advice from a qualified professional such as a chiropractor or physiotherapist can save you a lot of grief.

To strengthen an injured or chronically weak back for hiking, the best form of training is the activity itself. However, start off easy and slowly increase the intensity. Thicker and stronger connective tissues in your spine such as discs, ligaments and your tendons take many months to strengthen, even though supportive muscles grow more quickly.

Start off walking on flat paths. Short, leisurely walks are easy to fit into one’s day. Choose routes that loop past your home or where you have parked your vehicle. In this way, if your back fails, you don’t have far to go. Slowly increase the distance and change the terrain. Lastly, add a weighted pack. Start with a light weight and slowly increase it over a period of months.

For most, this routine will be enough to strengthen your back to enjoy a pain-free day hike. However, there’s a big difference between training for a day hike and a week-long excursion with extensive elevation change. That’s a performance task for which you should first complete many easier trips. Start with training hikes that last for 1-4 hours. Gradually add more weight and increase the elevation change on your hike.

Most people know that they need strength. We understand that cardiovascular exercise is essential for our heart and lungs. But fewer folks realize just how important stretching is. Think of it as the third building block of your exercise program.

Photo By: Dr. Don Findlay

Backpacking uses your entire body, so you must stretch your back and hips daily. This will stop your spinal and hip muscles from turning into a chunk of grisly steak during a hike.

If you have back pain during your adventure, limit the burden placed on your spine. Use poles! They’re not just for downhill skiers. Poles allow you to transfer some of the weight to your upper body. Poles also allow the body to be more stable. This allows the little muscles around your spine and hips to work less, especially on steep terrain.

Also, use what is termed a “lock step” or “rest step” technique. This allows you to transferring the load of your pack and body through your skeletal system rather then through the muscles without fatiguing. You do this by stacking the bones in your back, hips and knees. Simply straighten your weight bearing knee, being careful not to hyperextend it, and stand tall with a brief pause at the top of the motion, or “rest step”. Now take a short step with the opposite leg and straighten it out, standing tall with a pause. This creates a mechanical movement like a robot, however the discs in your lower back will thank you.

After a long day of hiking, we mold ourselves like Jell-O into the shape of our car seats as we drive home. Placing an ice pack at the base of your spine before you drive will result in less stiffness when you pry yourself out of your seat. Rolling up a towel and placing it in the small of your back can also help.

Start stretching and strengthening your body now and lets all have fun out on the trails in Calgary and Kananaskis!

Story By: Dr. Don Findlay