Hiking makes adventures like you more active and robust. Hiking helps you stay healthy and vigorous.
Better pre- hiking preparations result in a successful trail experience. Your leg muscles play an essential role while hiking. Work out and practice to enjoy the adventure better.
Sore Knees! What is it?
Sore knees seem to be a common ailment among hikers. Knee pain is the result of excessive pressure.
Unlike other normal days, you climb mountains, walk downhill, and through rugged terrain during hiking. Eventually, this puts on additional tension in the knee area resulting in sore knees.
Chronic joint problems to the exhausting previous hiking experience can be the reason for your knee pain.
What are the causes of sore knees after hiking?
Sometimes the walk in the uneven trails is not just the sole reason. The sore knee can also be the result of some other previous ailments along with hiking.
From acute injuries such as ligament tear, broken bones to chronic symptoms or ailments can deteriorate the knee condition after hiking.
#1 Bursitis
It’s an inflammation of the knee joint (the fluid-filled sac). Either the knee cap or below the knee joint swells up.
Prolonged kneeling and obesity can cause Bursitis. Active participation in certain sports like wrestling, volleyball, and football can also result in Bursitis.
#2 Weak Glutes
This is also known as the ‘sitting plague,’ often diagnosed among people who work sitting for extended hours.
These weak glutes cause pain when you do something that makes your knee performs actively.
#3 Knee tendinitis
Also known as jumper’s knee is the inflammation of your patellar tendon. This is the most common issue among athletes.
#4 Tendinosis
The accumulated injury often inflicts it. Tears and swelling can further increase pain and swelling of the knee joint.
#5 ACL Injury ( Anterior Cruciate Ligament)
ACL happens out of control when slip, and land out of control or even other reasons. ACL is most common among athletes.
Other medical conditions such as Arthritis, Joint Overuse, Osteoarthritis can also be the reason for worsening sore knees.
How to prep yourself before hiking
Preparation to set out safe and healthy hiking should begin even before you reach the trail.
Maintain healthy weight
Being overweight can increase the pain during hiking. It can also cause injuries due to imbalance. Maintaining a healthy weight keeps you be fit for any expedition.
To retain a healthy weight, follow a healthy diet. You can also discuss your dietary plan with an expert dietician if necessary.
Proper Hiking Boots
A perfect hiking boot keeps your problems at bay. Select a boot that perfectly fits you so that it can be good support for your foot.
A perfectly fit hiking boot makes your hiking a healthy adventure.
Warm-up before Hiking
Before you head on to hiking, always make sure your muscles are relaxed. Warming up prepares your muscles for hiking and has added advantages.
Maintain Gear weight
The backpack you carry throughout the hiking can also affect your muscles. The weight of the backpack adds extra tension to the muscles.
To avoid unnecessary strain, pack your backpack with the essentials utmost. Lighten the load switching on yo alternatives with less weight.
Knee Braces
Wearing a knee brace gives you additional stability. If you are healing from an injury and heading for hiking, wear a knee brace.
Using support garments will always be helpful and adds stability. Wearing a support garment can be a life-saver to an extent.
Use Hiking Poles
Hiking poles help you balance and control while hiking. It’s always better to use hiking poles, mainly when you hike downhill.
During downhill hiking, your knee area encounters discomfort. Using a hiking pole reduces the risk of knee pain and increases stability.
There is a misconception that hiking poles are for older hikers. Any hiker, irrespective of age, can make use of hiking poles.
Hiking poles serve as a support for you to hike uphill and are very much useful while hiking downhill.
Use supporting garments
Making use of other supporting garments will give you external aid. To some extent the supporting garments act as a temporary fix.
Knee Pad and Kinesio tape can give a momentary relief for the distress of the knee.
Dealing with the sore knees after hiking
Hiking is a long-term mission where you spend hours on uneven trails. To recover from the pain of your sore knee, there are some knee pain-relieving tips.
A healthy diet is to be maintained
Give enough food containing proteins, vitamins, good carbs, and other nutrients to the body. Intake of healthy eats will help your body to heal faster.
Upholding a decent diet plan not only restores energy but also enables you to maintain a perfect weight.
Exercise and be fit
Exercises are always good for your body. There is a common misconception that people exercise to burn fat.
Exercising helps your body be equipped enough for hiking so that you can hike on rough terrains easily. Exercise enables you to stay fit.
A regular exercising body recovers from pain and injuries faster than an average body.
Massage
Massage your knees and entire foot after relaxing. Massaging is not just for soothing your feet but also stimulates blood flow.
Inducing the blood flow relieves your knee pain.
Pain relievers
For quick relief, you can have pain relievers and take a nap. It’s always better to intake pain relievers prescribed by doctors.
In case of prolonged knee pain, pain relievers can offer you only temporary relief.
RICE Drill -Doctor-recommended treatment for people suffering from sore knees
Let’s look into the vast explanation of the RICE Drill. You may wonder thinking! what is RICE DRILL? (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevate )
REST
The most important advice is to take a rest. Resting is more like relaxing. Any further activity involving your leg can worsen the knee pain.
So to relieve the pain take your first step by resting your leg.
ICE
Icing reduces pain and swelling. Apply the ice pack on the area of swelling around your knee.
Wrap the ice pack with a towel, and then let it rest over the area of discomfort.
You can also take a relaxing bath in the cold water to feel relief.
COMPRESSION
Compression is nothing but wrapping the area of discomfort with an elastic bandage ( medical bandage).
While wrapping it around, make sure you don’t do it so right. Wrap it in a breathable manner without interrupting blood flow.
ELEVATE
Rest yourself by elevating your leg. Keep the affected area raised above the heart level can reduce pain and swelling.
Knee Pillow can be beneficial. Knee Pillows are specially designed, and hence keeping them between the legs can reduce knee pain.
As a passionate hiker, you will love hiking all day long. Your legs and knee actively participate in this activity more than any other part. So it’s very important to take care of your body.
This article explains different techniques and steps to get ready for your hiking and recover your soreness.
Comment your hiking experiences and helpful remedies below.