Aug 16, 2018
A sad, yet seemingly inevitable byproduct of long distance
backpacking is pain and injury. Though it's not a guarantee,
to escape a long distance trek without one of the two or both is a
rare feat. Consequently, two popular questions for thru-hikers are
how to prevent injury while on trail and what to do about it once
an injury manifests. In episode 17 of Backpacker Radio, the
Paprika Pals are joined by Dr. Emily Kelly, a physical therapist
based in Centennial, Colorado. She answers Badger and
Chaunce's selfish injury related questions, along with a slew of
others sent in from Writers and Bloggers at The Trek. If you're
dealing with a hiking-related injury or are looking for ways to
reduce your injury risk, there's some valuable insight in this
podcast for you.
Subjects discussed include:
- Vermont is the 14th state and insecure about its cheese quality
relative to Wisconsin
-
REI's Hawaiian shirts are too dude centric
- Grizel gets hit
by an RV
- Emily
Kelly DPT at Fit
Physical Therapy in Centennial, CO
-
Meniscus Bucket Handle Tear
- SPECIFIC QUESTIONS
- How long after ACL reconstruction can someone get back into
hiking?
- If you sustain an ankle injury such as a strain or sprain while
on trail, is it safe to keep hiking, and if so, what steps can be
taken to promote healing and avoid further injury, while continuing
to backpack? If you HAVE to get off trail, what steps can be taken
at home to do the same, as well as to condition yourself to return
to hiking as quickly as possible?
- I had an ACL reconstruction done a few months ago, and am
struggling to get my quad and other “hiking” muscles to come back.
What is the best way to work on getting these back so that as soon
as I am cleared, I can get back on trail as quickly as
possible?
- Knee injuries are incredibly common amongst long distance
backpackers. What are the most common causes of knee pain for
backpackers; how best to treat them, and what exercises can be done
prior to hitting the trail to strengthen the knees?
- I have herniated disks between shoulder blades and in cervical
spine that compress and push on spinal nerve after prolonged
hiking. Strengthening muscles around area helps with daily pain but
prolonged backpacking causes sharp severe pain. Is there a high
potential for causing more damage by backpacking? What advice,
stretches, forms, weight placement of items in backpack would they
suggest to minimize pain?
- What are your thoughts about people starting a thru-hike while
recovering from existing injuries?
- What kind of mobility aids they would recommend bringing on a
hike to treat your own injuries?
- What are the top concerns you have (or deals with) regarding
hikers.
- When should you work through pain in injury recovery vs. use
pain as indicator to stop pushing?
- Top stretches for our aching hiker bodies? Does time of
day matter?
- The best way to deal with osteoarthritis in back/hip, knees and
feet. The grinding of the joints is somewhat painful after a few
12-15 mile days and I cannot take ibuprofen.
- I got off the trail in May due to back pain. I had a spinal
fusion with harrington rods at age 8 and again at 13. I've been
told by chiropractor that I would cripple myself if I continued. I
recently saw an orthopedic spine specialist that said I can
do anything I want as long as I could handle the pain of it. What
Do I do??? I miss the trail so much. I am full out depressed being
in the real world.
- Advice for IT band pain? Both on trail and at home.
- How to Physically Prepare for a thru-hike.
- Achilles Tendinitis- best stretches and how to use KT tape for
treatment.
- Best way to transition yourself back to life off the trail?
Exercises, etc.
- Altra Lone Peak
- The CDT
section of The Trek
- Apply
to be The Trek's Youtube Personality
- Ways to get
involved with The Trek
-
Terrific Proposal Photo on the AT
- Patent Pending!
Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise
for Backpacker Radio? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co.
This episode was recorded at
Wayfinder Co-op. Intro
song Walking Slow by
Animal Years.
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