Hiking pain is common — whether during the walk or after. Who hasn't felt knee pain on a descent at some point? Intense fatigue and muscle soreness after a solid day of hiking? Heavy legs the morning after a long walk? While this affects everyone to varying degrees, there are ways to limit — and even almost eliminate — that pain: the right gear and solid physical preparation will do most of the work when it comes to preventing hiking-related pain. Check out all our tips for looking after your body.
The importance of gear in preventing pain and leg aches
They say a good craftsman needs good tools. The same goes for the hiker. Having the right gear not only makes you more efficient and comfortable — it also helps protect you from the inevitable aches and pains that come with walking.
Good shoes for walking
Choosing the right shoes for walking — especially on difficult terrain — is crucial. You should always head out on the trails in quality hiking shoes, never in trainers or other unsuitable footwear. Take the time to assess the cushioning your pair offers, its flexibility and its durability: explore the key criteria for choosing good hiking shoes and equip yourself with a model that will last for years.
The right socks
The importance of socks in preventing leg and foot fatigue is very often overlooked or ignored. Yet they are essential: they are the piece of kit closest to your foot, and it's your feet that make every contact with the ground when you walk.
Hiking socks can be important both during and after exercise:
- During exercise: they protect the foot and prevent friction and blisters. They also provide support that prevents unwanted foot movement and the many micro-injuries that can result from it.
- After exercise: compression socks are ideal for aiding recovery and preventing the classic heavy-legs feeling after prolonged physical effort. On a multi-day hiking trip, wearing them for around an hour in the evening after reaching your stage destination will help you feel better on the days that follow.
Walk with hiking poles
Hiking poles are not a miracle solution, but if you know how to use them, you'll achieve a confident, smooth stride. Trekking poles give you good reasons not to do without them when you decide to hike regularly. You'll also gain support that compensates for any foot positioning errors.
Finally, hiking poles are essential for avoiding knee pain on descents: they provide support that offsets the strain on this joint and protects it from tendinitis and other inflammation that can lead to chronic pain.
If you want to know everything about hiking poles, check out our complete guide to trekking poles.
Knee pain on descents: how to avoid it?
On descents during a hike, the knees can take a real beating. If pain appears, don't hesitate to take a break and refuel with food and water. Stretch your quadriceps by bringing your heel up towards your glutes. Descending dynamically with short, light jogging steps can also help relieve pressure on your knee.
Hiking poles are also useful for reducing strain by engaging your upper body to take the load off your thighs.
Adequate physical preparation to avoid excessive fatigue and muscle soreness
Like any physical activity, hiking requires a minimum of training and physical preparation. Just because it's "only walking" doesn't mean you can skip warm-ups and stretches. Learning to manage your fatigue on multi-day hikes comes down to essential discipline and an almost impeccable lifestyle.
Training progressively for good physical condition
Many injuries stem from the urge to do "too much" — too far, too hard or too often. It's important to progress in your hiking practice with gradual, measured steps. Before tackling 40 km walks on hilly terrain, you need to build up through outings of 10, 20 and 30 km first. This is essential to prepare your muscles and joints for prolonged effort.
Furthermore, any break of 2 months or more should be followed by a progressive build-up phase, shorter or longer depending on your prior experience.
Warming up to prevent muscle injuries when hiking
A proper warm-up should precede your walk. Heading out on steep paths without warming up your engine first is simply not an option!
Even for an easy hike with no technical difficulties, take time to warm up for at least fifteen minutes before setting off. Warm-ups are essential to give your body some flexibility and become even more important towards the end of the day when the risk of injury is slightly higher.
Stretching after hiking
Stretching after a hike is important to prevent muscle soreness in the evening or the following morning. It also works your tendons gently through extension, without any shocks or sudden movements.
Another benefit of stretching after a hike is that you'll avoid the heavy-legs sensation and muscle soreness. By flushing toxins from your muscles and staying consistently well hydrated after exercise, you'll ensure your legs feel lighter and far less painful after your time on the trails!
