Avoid Hiking Injuries It is early spring in Salt Lake City which means that the majestic Wasatch mountain range is beginning to invite armature adventures and outdoor enthusiasts alike to its multitude of hiking trails. Hiking around Salt Lake City has been a traditional and fun spring time activity for generations, but even with its glimpses into the natural beauty of the Earth, hiking can pose a threat to injury for those who undertake it. Individuals and families who do go out and enjoy the pleasant weather of spring with a hiking trip should always strive to remember safety as their primary concern. Sustaining a mild to potentially severe injury while hiking is always a possibility, but the danger of incurring injury to one’s self while hiking can be mitigated by following a few tips and safety guidelines.
Common Hiking Injuries There are several common minor injuries that a hiker can sustain that are typically all centered on the person’s lower extremities. Feet, ankles, knees and hips are all susceptible to injury while hiking because of the extra use and strain that they receive while hiking. The most common of all hiking injuries sustained by almost every person who has ever been hiking is the formation of painful blisters on feet and ankles. Blisters form when portions of skin are incessantly and literally rubbed the wrong way. Blisters can be mostly avoided and prevented by breaking in new hiking shoes before using them on a long hike. Breaking in shoes will reduce the likelihood of blisters forming because the shoes will have conformed to the curvature of the individual’s feet. Moleskin or an extra pair of socks will also go a long way in preventing the formation of blisters on feet. These materials serve as a barrier or buffer zone of sorts between the soft skin of the feet and ankles and the rubbing hiking boots.
More Serious Injuries But other, more serious, injuries can be sustained to a hiker’s legs. In specific, a hiker’s knees and hips can sustain serious injury that will need professional medical care from knee doctors in Salt Lake City. Knee and hip joints are susceptible to injury while hiking because of the added strain placed upon them. Knee injuries and hip injures can be painful and severe but can be treated and ministered to by knee doctors in Salt Lake City.
Serious injury to knees, like a painful knee sprain or hyperextension, can be largely avoided while hiking by wearing protective braces on weak or damaged knee joints. A hiker can also alleviate the stress put on both their hips and knee joints by using walking sticks or hiking poles while hiking along trails. Having a walking stick or hiking poles, especially while hiking up hill, can greatly lighten the pressure on joints and can help support the body by dispersing weight from stress points. While the legs are the typically point of injury to hikers, there is one more major injury that hikers should be aware of actively avoid. That injury is dehydration. Dehydration is a common and dangerous occurrence for hikers who are exerting themselves without replenishing their lost fluids. A hiker should always hike with a ready supply of drinking water on hand. By following these safety guidelines and by remembering safety at all times, a hiker or hikers in Salt Lake City can fully enjoy the beautiful spring scenery offered by a hike with the assurance of personal wellbeing.